“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hand and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” This statement of Thomas in John’s Gospel is remembered by many of us today as modern disciples of Christ. In many ways, Thomas’ proclamation is symbolic of how many in the world today view Christianity and all religion. We demand proof. We need to see. We want something tangible and concrete and visible. Many in our present day see faith as an excuse to say that one believes in something and want it to be true. Many see faith as a superstition, something that is not real.
No one today can see and experience Christ in the way Thomas did in that locked room. Thomas saw the risen Christ eat, 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 his 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 that 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, we also become followers of Christ through faith. 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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