Ephesians 2 :19-22,
Psalm 117:1.2,
John 20:24-29 Full Readings
Believing without Seeing
Today we celebrate the feast day of Apostle Thomas who was known as Didymus and commonly known as "Doubting Thomas." The name Doubting Thomas originates from today's Gospel. Today's Gospel tells us that when Jesus came to the Apostles, Thomas was not with them, and when he was told that they had seen the Lord, he doubted and would only believe after touching the nail marks and put his fingers in His side. When Jesus came back after eight days, Thomas touched and believed confessing, "My Lord and My God" and then Jesus told him, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Today Jesus also tells us this statement. Brethren, are we among those who believe without seeing or those who need to see in order to believe? With God if we want to believe after seeing, then, we might lose our faith.
Some people like the Pharisees and scribes, even some of us, cannot imagine Jesus being with an Apostle who doubts Him, just as they could not imagine Him eating with sinners. Thomas used to ask questions of doubt even before Jesus died, for instance in John 14:1-14, when Jesus told his Apostles that He is going to prepare rooms for them and He will come and take them, assuring them that they knew where He was going, Thomas was the first one to ask, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, how can we know the way?" Thomas was an outspoken Apostle and this helped other Apostles also to understand better. Despite his doubting he became an evangelist who carried out the mission of Christ to the Gentiles. This is why India reveres him and celebrates this feast with high devotion because tradition has it that it was him who evangelised India.
In addition to Thomas, the doubter, there were among the Apostles, Peter the denier of Jesus, Judas Iscariot the betrayer, the two brothers who coveted seats at right and left hand of Jesus in His Kingdom and others with different attitudes. Jesus' Apostles were very flawed humans. No wonder Jesus said, the doctor does not come for the well but for the sick (Mark 2:17). Therefore, we should not be afraid because we sometimes have doubts and fall in one way or the other, but when we realise what we have done and confess Jesus as Lord and God, He will surely make us His chosen instruments.
Why did Thoams doubt Jesus' resurrection? Probably as all the Apostles' dreams were shattered when they saw Jesus, whom they thought was to be a King over Israel, die on the cross and even buried, they could not believe He would even rise from the dead, all their hopes had gone. Thomas probably doubted with this in mind, that unless he sees Jesus and touches Him, he will not believe.
However, we who have come to believe and experienced what God has done in our lives, should not wait to see in order to believe. Jesus tells us that blessed are those who believe without seeing. Though Thomas' questions would bring more knowledge when answered by Jesus, we don't need to be like Thomas in order to believe. We all have not seen Jesus physically but we can tell what He has done in our lives and through many visions. When we believe, God does whatever He wills in our lives, he chooses which way to do it. Our part is to believe and God will do wonders in our lives.
However, this doesn't mean we stop asking questions and being critical of some theological truths and visions, we really need to discern them so that we can teach and preach what is right. This should be done only in the light of the Holy Spirit, otherwise we shall be blaspheming against God. It is the Holy Spirit who opens our eyes of mind and makes it easy for all of us to accept and believe the truth. (CCC 153).
When we come to believe in these truths, then we are no longer aliens or foreign visitors in God's household but we become part of it with Christ as the head and it's foundation. Then the Spirit will live in us as His temples as St Paul tells us in the first reading. Let us therefore believe in the wonderful presence of Christ among us though we don't see Him physically and all will be well with us.
Reflect today on your doubts concerning God. Do you believe without seeing or you need to first see like St Thomas? Pray for the Holy Spirit to always clear your unbelief and doubts and open your eyes of mind and soul to always believe the truths that God reveals. Pray these prayers today: Act of Faith, Act of Hope and Act of Charity and become more believing.
Let us Pray
My Lord and My God, I thank you for the gift of faith infused in my soul. However, sometimes I have some doubts about my faith, I ask your Holy Spirit to clear my unbelief and doubts so that I may always believe without seeing. Amen
Be blessed.
Lord help me to believe without seeing Amen
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