Father Slobodan Zeković: The Resurrection is the foundation of faith
Father Slobodan Zeković speaks on the Resurrection as the foundation of faith. He begins with Christ's words to Thomas: because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. The encounter between Thomas and the risen Christ is presented as sufficient to dispel all doubts for every believer.
After Pentecost, the apostles went into the world proclaiming what they had heard, seen, and touched with their hands, as Scripture attests. The Resurrection remained the central message of the apostles and their successors throughout history. They confessed the risen Christ fearlessly before judges, elders, emperors, and kings, sealing their witness with martyrdom.
All the apostles died as martyrs except Saint John the Theologian, who ended his life in exile on the island of Patmos at a very old age.
Key moments
- The Lord says: because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
- Thomas's encounter with the risen Lord is sufficient for each of us to have all doubts dispelled.
- After receiving the Holy Spirit, the apostles went throughout the world to preach not only what they heard and saw but also what, as Holy Scripture says, they touched with their hands.
- Christ's Resurrection was and remains the central preaching of the apostles and their successors to this day.
- The apostles fearlessly confessed the risen Christ before judges, elders, emperors, and kings, sealing their faith and love with the shedding of blood; all suffered martyrdom except Saint John the Theologian, who died a natural death in exile on the island of Patmos in deep old age.