“Unless
I see the mark of the nails in his hand and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” This statement of Thomas in John’s Gospel is
so memorable. In many ways, Thomas’
proclamation is symbolic of how many in the modern world view faith today. We need proof. We need to see. We want
something tangible, something to grab onto.
Many in our present day see faith as an excuse to say that one believes
in something and want it to be true.
No
one today can see and experience Christ in the way Thomas did in that locked
room in Jerusalem. Thomas saw the risen
Christ eat and pray and explain the events of the past week to his group of
disciples. We cannot literally put our
fingers in the wounds in his hands and side like Thomas did. Christ seemed to know this when he said –
“Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” We might not see him in a literal the way
Thomas did, but all who believe see Christ somehow in their lives. They see him for who he is. We must see him somehow with our own
eyes. Like Thomas and the other disciples,
becoming a follower of Christ come through faith. And through witnessing Christ’s presence in
our lives, we in turn are called to be witnesses ourselves, just as Thomas did
in his life when he became a missionary to Syria, Persia, and India. We can see Thomas as our patron saint, as a
saint who helps us believe in the midst of our doubts and insecurities. Lord, help us in our disbelief. Help us to take that leap of believing in
you.
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