Leaking rain dripped on the young priest’s head.
Father Thomas looked up at the Christus Rex and quietly asked, “Why?”
The Christus Rex looked down at him and didn’t say a word. It never did.
“Of course you won’t answer. You never do.”
Father Thomas was doubting. A man of faith was losing his. He continued to do his priestly duties.
It was cold, gray, dreary Sunday. The pews were nearly as empty as the collection plate.
St. John’s Episcopal Church was dying. And Father Thomas couldn’t save it.
Water continued to drip in from the cracked slate roof. Drip, drip, drip, the water hit the top of the Christus Rex. Like water torture, the church had slowly dwindled one person at a time. People died. People moved. Once a bustling congregation, St. John’s membership dwindled as the neighbors shifted to the suburbs.
Fresh out of seminary, Thomas Dunn landed the job at St. Johns three years ago. The Bishop, a short gregarious man, saw something in the young man. “I normally don’t like head rectors to be as young as you are. But you have been touched by God.”
Touched by God? What was that supposed to mean? Maybe he meant cursed.
Father Thomas struggled to bring the ailing church back to life. He opened the doors to the neighborhood. He worked repairing houses. He created a preschool for working mothers. Faith became a verb, not a noun.
Still. Nothing. Father Thomas felt like he was just throwing matches on wet wood.
He held the wafer in the air and broke it in half. “Body of Christ, bread of heaven.”
Rain began to fall harder outside. Water dripped onto the Christus Rex even faster. And then something miraculous happened.
Thomas didn’t notice it at first. But soon, there was an audible gasp as blood red streaks streamed down the wall. Father Thomas turned around and walked to the wall. He stuck his finger out and tasted the red liquid.
“Wine.”
“It’s a miracle!” screamed Hilda Taylor. Her 75-year-old sister Frieda yelled, “Praise God!” Her 13-year-old granddaughter took a picture of the wine and posted it on Instagram. Before you could say the Lord’s Prayer, the photo went viral.
The next week, the sanctuary was full. People came to see the St. John’s Miracle. And the miracle energized all areas of church. On Wednesday nights, the Vestry was full. People poured out into the neighborhood to rebuild it. The dying church came back to life. And soon, the community surrounding it did also.
And so did Father Thomas. His homilies took on new energy. He found words that turned words into action.
A year later, Father Thomas turned and looked at the Christus Rex. He smiled and said, “Thanks be to God.” Of course, the Christus Rex didn’t answer. It never did.
But this time, Father Thomas was a doubting Thomas no more.