St Thomas the Apostle by Malcolm Guite

Thursday 7th July 2022

Canon John read a powerful poem on Sunday during his sermon on St Thomas (Doubting Thomas, as you may know him) .  It has much packed into it and perhaps deserves further contemplation:

"We do not know... how can we know the way?"

Courageous master of the awkward question,

You spoke the words the others dared not say

And cut through their evasion and abstraction.

Oh doubting Thomas, father of my faith,

You put your finger on the nub of things

We cannot love some disembodied wraith,

But flesh and blood must be our king of kings.

Your teaching is to touch, embrace, anoint,

Feel after Him and find Him in the flesh.

Because He loved your awkward counter-point

The Word has heard and granted you your wish.

Oh place my hands with yours, help me divine

The wounded God whose wounds are healing mine.

[from Sounding the Seasons: 70 Sonnets for the Christian Year]