Today (July, 3rd), the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Thomas, who doubted Jesus’ resurrection, but then came to a powerful conversion after encountering the Risen Lord. He then became a credible witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to His divinity. And Thomas’ famous words, “My Lord and My God,” have echoed out through the centuries and penetrated the hearts of Christians.
Thomas wasn’t there the first time the risen Jesus appeared to his Apostles in the Upper Room. And Thomas is likely devastated after the crucifixion and is doubtful of the claims that Jesus is alive. His heart was wounded, and he refuses to listen and accept their exciting news because he knows Jesus died. He cannot rationalize the resurrection and could not push himself to take a leap of faith, but instead was stubbornly closed off. Even after witnessing all of Jesus’ miracles and being in his inner circle, Thomas still doubted and required physical proof of seeing Jesus’ wounds and putting his fingers in them to believe.
As we all know, our world is also filled with doubt and skepticism. Many people don’t believe in God because they do not want to change their lives. Others like Thomas lack trust and obsess in needing more and more physical and scientific proof and dismiss the rational arguments, historical evidence, and many miracles that point to God. But, even for us, at times, we can be tempted to have doubts; our faith can be shaken from things like the loss of a loved one, lack of consolation in prayer, the chaos in our country, or the scandals in our Church.
But, my brothers and sisters, today, Our Lord Jesus Christ commands us to “not be unbelieving, but to believe,” and he speaks directly to us when he said, “Blessed are those who haven’t seen, and have believed.” These comforting words should encourage us when we go through periods of darkness in our faith or find ourselves looking for excess proof to believe.
It is also important to remember that it is ok to struggle with trying to understand our faith and that there is a distinction between difficulties and doubts. St. John Henry Newman said, that “Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.” When we are honestly wrestling with a teaching of the Church or our relationship with God, it shows we take our faith seriously and still have a willingness to believe. On the other hand, doubt is filled with cynicism, closed-mindedness to evidence, and an unwillingness to submit.
And when we do have difficulties, Jesus never condemns us. He comes in peace and mercy as he did to Thomas and offers us his glorified wounds so we can be convicted in his power over death and trust in his wisdom and teachings, which are always for the good of our soul.
In his mysterious providential plan, God used the disbelief of Thomas to help our belief by making him an authentic witness of the resurrection. Thomas wanted physical proof and unmistakable evidence. But Jesus desires from us a firm belief without seeing. And He wants us to be fully persuaded of his death and resurrection for us, despite not having perfect knowledge, and to submit our intellect and will to himself.
Faith is not blind, and our belief is not irrational, for we are called to completely assent to the witnesses and testimonies of the early apostles, like St. Thomas, who was transformed when he encountered the risen Lord. He then put his faith into action by fervently preaching the Good News of Christ Crucified and Risen until he was eventually martyred in India.
Following St. Thomas’s footsteps, we ask God for the grace to believe more fully and express our faith in our deeds, such as sharing the love of Christ to a skeptical and doubtful world that is so desperate for new life, which only the Risen Lord can give. Blessed are those who haven’t seen, but still believe.