I loved the Wizard of Oz when I was growing up. I eagerly looked forward to its annual showing on TV (You remember, back in the olden days before VCRs, DVDs and TIVO, when you couldn’t watch a movie on demand?). I particularly remember the first time I saw it on a color TV. I will never forget that moment of total amazement when Dorothy opened the door and Munchkin land was in color! It was not what I expected, and it changed how I saw the film. I don’t know if as a young child, I would have believed anyone if they had told me that Oz was in color. I think I had to see it for myself. Recently, I read Gregory Maquire’s novel, Wicked. It tells the story of the Wizard of Oz through the life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West. In his telling, he turns the story of the Wizard of Oz upside down – perhaps things are not as they seem to be. It could all be a matter of perspective. What if the Wicked Witch of the West is neither wicked, nor witch?

Thomas’ doubt in Jesus’ resurrection certainly seems to be the message of today’s scripture reading. Or is it? When we read this passage, our focus is usually on Thomas’s apparent disbelief. Poor Thomas always seems to get a bum rap – we even know him as “Doubting Thomas”. But perhaps there is more to this story than meets the eye. I think we tend to read this account with our Christian believer eyes; and we read it in the context of the rest of the Gospel and our own belief. So we wonder, how on earth could Thomas not believe? What if the issue isn’t Thomas’ doubt, but rather, learning to see by faith?

Let’s take a look at the story from Thomas’ point of view. First, what he knows is that the man he believed was the messiah was crucified on the cross. His understanding of a messiah would have come from the Old Testament. The actual translation of “messiah” is “anointed one” (In Greek, it is translated as Christos – which we know as Christ). The understanding of a messiah developed over time. You might recall that the kings of Israel were also referred to as messiahs – the idea then was of a righteous king who learns from God. It’s not until later scripture that we start to get the sense of a future king, messiah – the Messiah. Christian writer Frederick Buechner says, “Theories as to what [the messiah] would be like multiplied and overlapped: a great warrior king like David, a great priest like Melchizedek, a great prophet like Elijah. Who could possibly say?” But, Buechner continues, quoting from Isaiah, “whatever he was, his name would be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’ and ‘the increase of the government and of peace there would be no end’ (Isaiah 9:6-7)” (Wishful Thinking, page 71). I think in Thomas’ worldview, the Messiah is supposed to be the victor – the Messiah doesn’t get crucified. What had changed with Jesus’ death? Nothing, as far as Thomas could have seen. Yet.

Second, I think it’s fair to say, in any previous experience Thomas had with death, a dead person would be, well, dead. There was no logical reason for Thomas to expect to see Jesus again.  The dream was over – the man they followed is gone. He might even be wondering if the last three years of his life were a waste. Remember, the disciples left everything behind to follow and travel with Jesus. We get a glimpse of Thomas’ devotion to Jesus earlier in John. In chapter 11, Jesus decided to return to Judea because Lazarus was ill. Most of the disciples thought he was crazy – reminding him that the Jews had just been trying to stone him. Why would he return to a dangerous situation? It was Thomas who said, “Let us also go. That we may die with him” (John 11:16). I don’t think this means that Thomas had an understanding of the resurrection, but rather, that he so believed in Jesus’ teaching, that he was willing to die with him. One commentator suggests that perhaps Thomas believed if Jesus was going to die, Thomas would rather die with him, than know life without him.

Interestingly, when Jesus later tells the disciples to believe in him, and to believe in God, and assures them that they know where his going, it is Thomas who verbalizes their lack of understanding: “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5) Jesus reassures them that if they know him, they know the father. It is a discussion about belief – and faith. But the disciples aren’t quite there yet.

Thomas hears the news of Jesus’ appearance with his understanding of the messiah and death, in the midst of his grief and disappointment. The rest of the disciples tell him that they saw Jesus – he was actually among them! Alive! A man raised to life from the dead? My hunch is that Thomas wasn’t the only person who was thinking, “yeah, right.” It’s a story that simply does not make any sense. Seems to me Thomas’ response, which was essentially “prove it” (that would be a paraphrase!) was pretty natural.

Think again to The Wizard of Oz, Would Dorothy Gale have believed there were such things as talking scarecrows and tin men and flying monkeys if she had not seen them? When she returns home to Kansas, and tries to tell her family and friends about the places she has been, and the people she has met, no one believes her. They all tell her it was just a dream.

Well, perhaps Dorothy’s experience was a dream; after all, The Wizard of Oz is a fairy tale. But Jesus’ resurrection wasn’t a dream, and it is certainly not a fairy tale. Rather than mocking Thomas for his disbelief, Jesus appeared to him and offered to let Thomas touch the wounds. I think this was an act of grace and love. Surely Jesus understood how implausible his resurrection might seem. He had explained to the disciples over and over again that he would die, and he would come back. They couldn’t get it. They couldn’t “see” it.

So Thomas gets cast as the doubter – but the rest of the disciples were doubters, too. Even though they had heard Mary’s witness of Jesus’ resurrection, they did not believe it until they saw it with their own eyes.  Before Jesus actually appears among them, we find them behind closed doors, afraid. John writes, “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews…” When Jesus appears, he greets them with peace, and shows them his hands and his side. Then they recognize him.

I suspect if we had been there, we probably wouldn’t have gotten it either. Of course, some people still don’t – because it’s a matter of faith. This is the crux of the passage. Jesus says to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” I don’t think this is a condemnation of Thomas, but recognition that believing is not only seeing with our eyes. I think what is required is seeing with our hearts. Seeing in faith. The author of Hebrews writes this about faith, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen…By faith we understand the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible” (Hebrews 11:1, 3). Our faith is in our hearts, not our heads. Faith is not something we rationalize. We believe, not because we saw the holes in Jesus’ hands and side, but because we see God’s grace in our lives. We see when it becomes our own experience.

In 1893, engineer George Ferris built a machine that bears his name – the Ferris wheel. When it was finished, he invited a newspaper reporter to accompany him and his wife for the inaugural ride. It was a windy July day, so a stiff breeze struck the wheel with great force as it slowly began its rotation. Despite the wind, the wheel turned flawlessly. After one revolution, Ferris called for the machine to be stopped so that he, his wife, and the reporter could step out. In braving that one revolution on the windblown Ferris wheel, each occupant demonstrated genuine faith. Mr. Ferris began with the scientific knowledge that the machine would work and that it would be safe. Mrs. Ferris and the reporter believed the machine would work on the basis of what the inventor had said. But only after the ride could it be said of all three that they had personal, experiential faith.

How much more so for the disciples! Jesus knew he would die, and after three days would rise again. He told the disciples. They knew on some level that Jesus was Lord, but they didn’t really understand. They couldn’t understand until they experienced it. When Jesus appears among them the second time, Thomas recognizes Jesus right away, and believes. He professes his faith without needing to touch the wounds.

How unfortunate that he had to grieve another week! A friend recently commented that she thought one of the saddest lines in all of scripture is “But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.” For some reason, perhaps profound grief, Thomas left the community of disciples after Jesus’ death to mourn alone. In this time of grief, the others needed Thomas to be with them in community. While he is gone, Jesus comes, forgives them, and fills them with the Holy Spirit – breathing life into their flagging faith. He does not appear to them each, individually, but each time, when they are gathered together.

The same is true for us. It is not possible to be a Christian alone. We gathered last Easter Sunday in great joy and celebration, but it is just important for us to be gathered here today, the Sunday after Easter – and every Sunday. We need to gather for worship, and we need to do mission together, and join in fellowship. We need to gather in small groups to support and encourage one another in our faith. Writer Anne Lamott says, “In church, we don’t live from our minds – we live in community, which is to say, in shared loss and hope, singing, hanging out together. We don’t sit huddled together, thinking” (Plan B, page 218). The disciples needed to be together. We all need to be together in community.

ßSometimes we are weary, or things of the world cause doubt so that our faith vision gets blurry. We need one another to bolster our faith and help us remember, so that we can see clearly again. Sometimes we need to look at things from a new perspective so we can see with fresh eyes. We need to open the eyes of our heart so we can see Jesus. When you see with your faith, you just might enable someone else to see in faith. Thanks be to God.