Summary: You may wonder, as I have, what U.S. Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver, Eliza Doolittle, and Thomas the Apostle have in common. To discern this, we need only listen to their own words to uncover a common denominator. You first, Congressman Vandiver: "I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me." And now you, Miss Doolittle: "Sing me no song! Read me no rhyme! Don't waste my time, Show me!" And finally you, blessed Thomas: "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." Now whether or not he had ever visited Missouri or seen My Fair Lady, I believe it is safe to say that Thomas could surely be identified as the "Show me" apostle. And although he has long been identified as the doubter--to cut him some slack--I think we can upon second glance also detect something beyond doubt--a yearning, perhaps--a yearning to see with his eyes and touch with his hands that which his soul already knows to be true. And I can't help but wonder if Thomas must not have felt as if, perhaps, he was being set up. As if the other apostles had said, "Hey, let's get Thomas back for not showing up at church on Easter." "Yea, let's play a prank on him!"
