St. Thomas said that unless he could see and touch the scars in Jesus' hands, he would not believe.
Doubting Thomas. This is how we know him. The disciples get a bad rap. And at times it seems they deserve it. We talk a lot about how they never really understood Jesus’ message, how Judas betrayed, how Peter denied, and how Thomas doubted. Doubting Thomas.
He is incredulous. This is part of his character. And it’s a part that we can all identify with, but we need a broader picture of Thomas.
In John 11, Jesus has just learned that his dear friend Lazarus is dead and his sisters Mary and Martha are grieving. Jesus decides to go the village where the grieving family is. Thomas said to the others, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’ (v16)
Thomas is not only incredulous. He is also invested and intense. There is a reckless abandonment, a whole-hearted and courageous faith that we see in a statement like, ‘let’s go die.’
In John 14, Jesus is speaking words to his disciples that have become so familiar to the Church. He is telling them of the Father’s house. A question Thomas asks helps to add texture and authenticity to this conversation. Jesus says, 'you know the way to the place where I am going.' Thomas speaks up with desperation and honesty... 'no we don't!' 'Jesus, where are you going, how do we get there?' Jesus replies by sharing with his followers that he is indeed the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Thomas’s honest question gives us a most memorable saying of Jesus. He is not only incredulous. He is not only invested and intense. But he is also inquisitive as he investigates the faith and what Jesus is really saying.
My 2 year old son makes two requests that I almost always fulfill. 'Holgit.' This means he wants to hug and hold the baby, 4 month old Lucy. And 'See Mama.' He wants to go to where she is in the house and greet her with mutliple hugs and kisses. These simple requests from a child to his father need often to be answered - let me see! let me touch!
And Thomas’s request is one that Jesus answers - let me see! let me touch! I think we can all relate to this. We can all relate to wanting to see Jesus alive – in us, around us, through us.
Because as much as we criticize Thomas, there is a saying we are all familiar with… ‘seeing is believing.’ It’s part of who we are. Seeing is a really important part of our life. It’s one of the five ways we interact with the physical world. God gave us this gift of sight. So, at the end of the day, I don’t want to be so down on Thomas the Doubter. I’ve been there. Seeing is believing. I want to see Jesus alive. And Jesus longs to show himself to us alive.
So where do we see Jesus alive today?
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