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<strong>PART</strong> W: Final instructions<br />
The Upper Room was hushed as Cleopas<br />
and his companion recounted what<br />
had happened along the Emmaus Road.<br />
As Cleopas talked on, they realised<br />
quite suddenly that Christ was in the room.<br />
The resurrected Jesus greeted them<br />
as friends. ‘Peace be to all of you,’ he said.<br />
But they were shocked and terrified and thought<br />
what they were seeing was a ghost. ‘Look here!’<br />
he said, ‘What is the matter with you all?<br />
Do ghosts have flesh and bones? Come, touch my hands<br />
and feet.’ But still that could not trust their eyes.<br />
And so he offered them yet further proof.<br />
‘Do you have something I could eat?’ he asked.<br />
So they produced a piece of cold broiled fish<br />
which he picked up and ate for all to see.<br />
Then, as he left, he breathed on each of them.<br />
‘Here is the Holy Spirit’, he explained.<br />
‘Receive it and receive the power to free<br />
a soul from sin… or not, as you see fit.’<br />
The twin named Thomas was the only one<br />
not to have seen the Lord when he appeared<br />
to the disciples in the Upper Room.<br />
He could not be convinced that it was true.<br />
The man they saw had not been crucified,<br />
perhaps. He needed evidence. ‘Unless<br />
I see the marks of the huge nails that pierced<br />
his hands. Unless I can explore the wound<br />
the Roman spear has made, I’ll not believe -<br />
whatever you may say.’<br />
Then later on,<br />
Some eight days afterwards, the Lord appeared<br />
again. Once more the doors were firmly shut<br />
as they were hiding in the Upper Room.<br />
‘Friends, peace with you,’ Jesus said, and called<br />
the sceptic, Thomas to his side. ‘Look here!<br />
Here are the hands they pierced, and here’s the wound.<br />
Explore them! You will find that I am he:<br />
the one they crucified. Will you believe?’<br />
Then, thoroughly convinced, the Twin exclaimed,<br />
‘My Lord and God!’ ‘So you believe because<br />
you’ve seen the evidence. But think how blessed<br />
are those who have not seen and yet believe.’<br />
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