“[Thomas said,] ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.'” – John 20:25

So now I, too, demand, O Christ, to see
your wounded hands and side, your living skin,
as Thomas asked, and I, too, will agree
that second-hand report tends toward chagrin.
As much as I appreciate the word
that blessed are they – am I – those who believe
without the gift of sight, the centuries have blurred
what they reported. Some try to deceive
us, with their testimonies falsified.
They do not claim you dead, but kill your way
of all-surpassing love. That they deride,
your new commandment now they disobey.
For centuries we have embraced this strife
Instead of taking hold of your new life.

A poem/prayer based on John 20:19-31, the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel Reading for Year B, Second Sunday of Easter.

The image is The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio (ca. 1602) – http://www.christusrex.org/www2/art/images/carav10.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6804893.

As an undergrad, I studied stage lighting. Caravaggio’s use of light and shadow taught me a great deal. In this painting, the shadows on Thomas’ bright forehead reveal his stunned astonishment.