My dear people of God,<\/p>\n
We have recently celebrated the festival of St Thomas the Apostle (July 3rd) who is often known as \u201d\u02dcdoubting Thomas\u2019, but we have from his lips one of the great statements of the New Testament about the true glory and nature of Jesus Christ. When he sees the wounds of the Risen Christ, Thomas exclaims \u201d\u02dcMy Lord and my God\u2019 (John 20:28) and we who by those wounds have been healed from the deadly sickness of sin join in with our heartfelt \u201d\u02dcAmen\u2019 to the Apostles\u2019 words.<\/p>\n
This exclamation of worship draws from Jesus a wonderful promise. He says \u201d\u02dcBlessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed\u2019. That promise should be a powerful encouragement to us as we press on to preach the gospel. Since the ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the first day of Pentecost, believing comes not through seeing, but hearing.<\/p>\n
In two years\u2019 time, Anglican leaders from around the world will gather in Jerusalem for our third Global Anglican Future Conference, GAFCON 2018. Blessed indeed were those who believed as the Holy Spirit was poured out in that place on the first Pentecost and may the Lord grant us in our time a season of refreshing before we are sent out again to bear witness to the Risen Christ.<\/p>\n