“No More”

“Unless I put my fingers in the holes the nails made and put my hand into His side, I refuse to believe.” – John 20:25

1. We Have Seen the Lord – Thomas had abandoned his friends but they remembered him in their joy. They sought out Thomas and told him the news. But Thomas could not believe. The pain was too great to be released based simply on words of others. Jesus had died. Dead men don’t come back. They were wrong and maybe tricked by the Jews. He couldn’t take the chance to be hurt again. He was resigned to the loss of his dear friend and couldn’t suffer that disappoint again. He demanded proof that was impossible to deliver. But, oh, the looks on their faces told the story. Yes, Thomas, you will see and you will believe. It will be wonderful to be there.
2. On Mount Subasio – Days after the image of the crucified Christ spoke to him at the falling down San Damiano church, calling him by name, “Francis, rebuild my church,” he went off alone into the hills of Mount Subasio. Could he believe what he had heard? Did Jesus really speak to him, call him by name? He had had dreams before, to be a knight for the lord, to have a palace of knights errant serving a beautiful lady. He had gone off to war, been taken captive and ransomed a broken man. How much more can a person take? Then there had been this strange encounter with the leper a few days before and he now wanted to be with the lepers and care for them. But the eyes of Jesus as He hung on the cross in the San Damiano church burned in his memory. Those eyes were so gentle and loving. Francis prayed, “Lord, if I can but place my heart in your loving sight in all that I do, I will rebuild your church.”
3. The Demand of Love – Only the experience of love can be proof of love. To love, to trust, to reach into the unknown is the great daring adventure. How can we find God’s love? My faith is a response to God’s call to me by name, but that faith is only brought to me by the faith of others. Then through their eyes I can see the loving eyes of Jesus calling to me by name. Who are those that have looked upon me with God’s eyes of love? To whom do I owe my faith in my God?