I’ve always had a special appreciation for the disciple named Thomas—“the Twin,” as Scripture calls him. Maybe it’s because my parents had planned to name me Thomas before I was born. But that changed shortly after my delivery. My mother, experiencing complications during childbirth, made a last-minute decision to name me instead after our longtime family physician—the one who delivered me and, in her words, helped save my life.

The complications? Well, I was part of a double delivery. Like Thomas, I am a twin.

Over the years, I’ve been asked the question that seems inevitable for twins: “Are you the good twin or the evil twin?” It’s a playful echo of Glinda’s question to Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz: “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?” If Thomas ever heard that question, we don’t know. Scripture spares him from such labels. But me? I hear it all the time.

As a pastor, many of you probably assume I must be the good twin. And you’d be right—at least, that’s the official story I’m sticking with!

It’s not fair to label one twin as “good” and the other as “evil.” But, indeed, twins often have contrasting personalities. In our case, my twin is more of a free spirit—spontaneous and carefree. I’m the structured, predictable one. I’ve also discovered that twins often mirror each other in another way – I’m left-handed, and my twin is right-handed.

When it comes to Thomas, we’re told only that he was “called the Twin.” We don’t know his sibling’s identity, nor do we know if he was right-handed or left-handed, carefree or cautious.

Some traditions say he may have resembled Jesus—his “twin” in appearance, not birth. Others pair him with Matthew, the tax collector in the lists of disciples. So which was he—the good twin or the bad twin?

He’s often remembered as Doubting Thomas, as though his moment of skepticism defined his whole discipleship. But that doesn’t seem fair. He was chosen by Jesus, followed him faithfully, and carried his message forward. That sounds like a “good twin” to me.

This Sunday, April 27, at 9:30 AM—the Second Sunday of Easter—we’ll hear the Gospel story of Thomas’s encounter with the risen Christ. Join us for this special worship, which will include a healing service with laying on of hands, anointing, and Holy Communion.

Come, and let your faith be renewed—even if, like Thomas, you bring a few doubts with you.

Easter Joy!

Pastor Marc