Brothers and Sisters,
Our reading from John’s Gospel for this coming Sunday concludes with a very rich, but short, section that might seem easy to overlook at first glance. In John 20:30-31, we read: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this look; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
Jesus has just appeared to his disciples. He was able to enter a locked room. They were able to see and feel his wounds, proof that he had really risen from the dead. Jesus then appears to Thomas, who had doubted. Thomas worships Jesus and then Jesus says: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus gave these signs, and many others, in the presence of the disciples to demonstrate that he is the risen Lord, the text is telling us. We have the written account of some of these signs for a very specific reason: That we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. John isn’t asking us to believe in a set of propositions or ideas on a merely intellectual level. He’s not asking us for less than that, but he’s asking us for more. Faith, in the Bible, isn’t simply belief that certain facts are true. It’s personal trust. John is calling us to trust personally in the risen Jesus, who is Lord of all. He’s calling us to trust in Jesus, who rose from the dead and is able to raise us from the dead. Trusting in Jesus, believing in Jesus, gives life.
This Easter season, know that Christ is risen for you. Trust in him and receive his life.
In Christ,
Fr. Caleb