Word to the Wise
Saturday, July 3, 2010 - St. Thomas, apostle
[Ephesians 2:19-22 and John 20:24-29]Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God." Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and
Thomas is a colorful figure. He shows a skeptical side. Given the way in which characters in the Gospel of John are drawn so vividly, one cannot help but believe that Thomas, like Peter, is meant to be a bigger person than the original. He becomes a representative of all who struggle with the testimony about Christ that we hear from others. Remember that Thomas was not present when Jesus initially appeared to the disciples after his resurrection. When they proclaimed that truth to him, he refused to believe unless he could see the wounds and touch them. Jesus comes back and confronts him with the reality and his response has become a classic profession of faith. In our time, we are all dependent on the witness and heritage that has been passed down to us by others. Yet there are ways in which we may, through faith, experience the person of Christ. The faith that others are willing to die for is a powerful example. The friendship we experience through love is still another. These are not quantifiable or measurable but they are real and remind us of the gift of God that is faith. I don't know of anything that could replace faith in my life. Thomas reminds me of that and so his feast day is welcome. AMEN
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