In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
“Thomas, you believe because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen a yet believe.”
It seems that right after Easter, the story of the Apostle Thomas takes center stage in the Bible readings of the day and in the minds of many people whether we realize it or not. In other words, faith and doubt seem to be thought about a lot more after Easter.
We have all heard the story of “Doubting Thomas” over the years. His story is the story of faith and doubt. We call him “Doubting Thomas” as though he was different than the other Apostles, but in reality, he wasn’t because the other Apostles didn’t believe in the Resurrection of Christ at first either.
Well, today’s Bible passage between the Risen Christ and Thomas helps us understand what Easter faith is really like. The doubts that Thomas speaks of in this passage are very much like the doubts many people have. These are doubts that have surfaced in hearts and minds for generations. Thomas wasn’t there when the other Apostles first saw the Risen Christ so he had trouble believing what they told him was true. After all, “How could it be possible that the One they saw die on the Cross walked up to them and spoke with them?” He had a hard time believing this and so he said that “Unless I see the nail holes in His hands and touch those holes, I will not believe.”
Thomas had many doubts. His first doubt was hesitation about the truth of the Resurrection because he didn’t see the Risen Lord. His second doubt had to do with the nail marks and the wounds inflicted on the body of Jesus. He knew that no one could understand the wounds that Christ endured and live. Thomas wanted to see the scars because He wanted proof, but Thomas had a third doubt as well. This third doubt was about forgiveness. He doubted that the Crucified and Risen Christ would forgive the Apostles for abandoning Him on the Cross. They had deserted their teacher and left Him for dead. Thomas found it hard to believe that the Resurrected Christ returned with forgiveness for them, but that is exactly what Jesus did in today’s Bible reading.
Today’s reading shows us the birth of “Easter faith” in the heart of an Apostle. With Easter faith, we encounter Christ not through sight but through faith. “Blessed are they who have not seen yet believe,” Jesus said to Thomas. It is through Easter faith not through sight that we can see and know Christ. It is through Easter faith that we feel the forgiveness and love the Apostles felt. It is through Easter faith that eternal life becomes ours.
Easter faith is trust in Jesus, trust in His Church, trust in His Gospels and trust in His Sacraments. Who amongst us has never had doubt? We have all had our doubts at some point or another. Thomas’ meeting with Jesus is our invitation to explore what trust and faith are all about. The story of “Doubting Thomas” is the story of people born in every generation who have considered themselves Christians but had questions.
Is it wrong to question our faith? I don’t believe so because God gave us minds with which to think. However, God also placed a soul in us that we cannot see or touch. It is through that soul that we see the Resurrected Christ. It is through our souls that we know how to love and how to feel love. It is through our souls that we understand right from wrong. It is through our God-given souls that we can see the face of God and believe like Thomas eventually believed.
So, leaving here today, think about how Thomas nourished his faith and ask yourself, in what area of your faith do you find doubt? “Thomas, you believe because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” How do you nourish your faith?
Amen.