Doubting Thomas
This Sunday’s Gospel Reading is about the Apostle Thomas. We hear a story that made him famous as the “Doubting Thomas”.
Thomas was a loyal Apostle who loved Jesus dearly. We have all heard about Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead. Jesus wanted to go to Bethany to see Lazarus after hearing the news of Lazarus’ illness. It was a dangerous place for Jesus to go to at that time because some people there were trying to stone him. Thomas loved Jesus so much that he said to his fellow disciples “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11: 16)
In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, we hear that Thomas refused to believe when the other disciples told him that they had seen the risen Lord. He said, “Unless I … put my finger … in his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25) When Jesus appeared to his disciples again a week after His Resurrection (John 20:26), Jesus invited Thomas to “Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28)
If we look at our own faith journey, there are lots of times when we feel so uplifted that we want to do anything for Jesus, anything He asks of us. It is easy to feel this way when things are going well for us. The things we strive for are materializing; the fruits of our labor are abundant; our wishes are fulfilled; even the intentions we pray for are granted in the way we ask. Things are happening our way. We are so content with what God is giving us. But sometimes we face a big challenge in life, a great sorrow or an irreparable loss. In our helplessness and hopelessness, have we doubted like Thomas did when the loss of Jesus was too great for him to bear? Yes we have. We ask in desperation “Jesus, where are you?” We may even keep God at a distance, adamant that God is not a caring and loving God in our moments of distress. After a long struggle, after coming to terms with our difficulties, we look back and find that Jesus has been walking with us through every twist and turn. The evidence is clear; not only has He not abandoned us, He has immersed us in His divine mercy even when we doubted and abandoned him. When we eventually realize our lack of faith, when our faith is rediscovered and renewed, will we follow Thomas’ example and proclaim Jesus as “My Lord and my God!”?