The Fourth Sunday of Advent - December 22

St. Thomas and Advent

The two great figures of Advent are Mary and John the Baptist. Hopefully, it is obvious why these two are important in the Advent season. They both have historic links to the stories of Jesus’ coming into the world and the beginning of his public ministry. They were both expectant. And during Advent Mary and John the Baptist serve as models for us of expectancy.

But there is another figure who lurks in the background of Advent. He ended up in Advent apparently by accident. And he may not be as important to the Advent message as Mary or John the Baptist, but he is a nice addition. Thomas, the Apostle, often known as “Doubting Thomas.” Obviously, he is not directly linked to the Advent stories, the historical stories that tell of Jesus’ birth or the prophetic announcement of Jesus’ ministry. We don’t have a clue where Thomas was or what he was up to in the days that preceded Jesus’ birth. If he was an approximate contemporary of Jesus, he would have been a toddler or not yet born. We know nothing about his early life. His role in Jesus’ story, like ours, is as a disciple. Thomas, like us, was a disciple, a follower of Jesus.

But the feast day of St. Thomas the Apostle in the church calendar is December 21, which is, of course, always during Advent. We celebrate St. Thomas every year during Advent, just four days before Christmas. As best I can tell there is no particular rationale for St. Thomas having landed on December 21. Evidently when he was formally added to the Roman calendar in the 9th century, he just ended up on December 21. In 1969 the Roman Catholic Church moved him to July 3 so he wouldn’t muddy the waters of Advent.

But far from being a distraction in Advent, I think Advent is a particularly opportune time to remember Thomas. We commemorated Thomas in Evening Prayer before Monday’s vestry meeting and again this past week at the Wednesday Eucharist. But yesterday, Saturday the 21st, was his day.

As you may know, yesterday was also the winter solstice. Yesterday was the shortest day of the year. (Although today is only 2 seconds longer.) Actually, the solstice is determined by the position of the sun in the sky. In the northern hemisphere yesterday the sun was at its lowest above the horizon, the farthest from its high summer zenith. Yesterday was the darkest day of the year.

Not a bad time to remember someone who wanted to see more clearly.

You know the story of Thomas. He makes a few appearances in the Gospels, but is best known for his role in two of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances. The first took place the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus had been crucified and the disciples were gathered together in a locked room, frightened and confused. Thomas was not with them. The resurrected Christ appeared among them and spoke peace to them. In their excitement they told Thomas what he had missed. And he said: Until I see and I touch, I will not believe.

A week later the disciples, including Thomas, were again gathered and Jesus came among them. And Thomas saw; and Thomas touched. And Thomas proclaimed, “My Lord and my God.”

In our Episcopal calendar of saints in Lesser Feasts and Fasts and is successor Holy Women, Holy Men, these words conclude the description of Thomas: “Thomas’ honest questioning and doubt, and Jesus’ assuring response to him, have given many modern Christians courage to persist in faith, even when they are still doubting and questioning.” Thomas’ honest questioning and doubt and Jesus’ reassurance give modern Christians courage to persist in faith even when we are still doubting and questioning.

Persist in faith. Even when it is dark. When the sun does not seem to shine at all. Even when we can’t see anything clearly. Even while doubting and questioning. Persist in faith.

It saddens and frustrates me when people say things like… “I’m not coming to church because I’m struggling with my faith.” “I can’t say the prayers because I’m not sure I believe them.” Or they have given up because their faith isn’t perfect or as full as they think it should be. Or they don’t participate in the life of faith because their faith or their God isn’t meeting their expectations.

Remember Thomas.

Probably the greatest stressor of this season before Christmas is high expectations and high hopes. The expectation that family relationships will be at their best. The expectation that our homes will look their best. The expectation that the whole tree tradition will be all that it ever has been and more. The expectation each of us has to be able to give those we love whatever will bring them happiness. The expectation that we will know the joy and peace of Christmas.

These high expectations stress the heartiest of us. And those people who, for whatever reason, feel they cannot fulfill these expectations may slide towards despair.

I wonder if we all don’t also have particularly high expectations of our faith at this time of year. What could be simpler, purer, more wondrous than the birth of the Christ child? Surely as Christians, we should feel and know that wondrous gift of the coming of Emmanuel, God with us. Surely our faith should be full and rich this time of year.

Except maybe it isn’t.

So four days before Christmas. On a day that is often the shortest and darkest day of the year, we have Thomas.

Thomas, an example and an inspiration to persist in faith. What does it actually mean to “persist in faith?” For Thomas it meant coming back the next Sunday to be with his fellow disciples. He could have given up, gone back home. But Thomas stayed with the other disciples. Persist in faith.

The most important thing to do to persist in faith is to keep hanging out with other disciples. Keep hanging out with other disciples.  Persist in the life of the faith community. Continue to meet and pray and share coffee and stories with other disciples. Keep listening to God’s word. Persist in faith. Even in the midst of questions and doubt… (Maybe especially when you have questions and doubts…) Even when your faith isn’t meeting your hopes or expectations, persist in the life of faith. Hang out with other disciples and keep doing what disciples do… Like Thomas, persist in faith.