Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle
Today’s Gospel reading is a familiar story to many of us – in it we hear how Thomas did not believe until he touched the wounds and put his hands in the side of the Lord. He had doubt – serious, strong, faith-shaking doubt. This is not unusual for us. I think that most of us have gone through times in our lives where our faith did not make sense to us, and we prayed as Thomas did, to have concrete, tangible evidence of the Lord. Often times these moments make our faith even stronger once we come out of them.
While Thomas’ doubts and his confusion are important to process, today the actions of the other 11 apostles struck me the most. When Thomas came to them and they proclaimed to him what had happened he did not believe. He did not want their experience of Christ to influence his faith. How often has this happened to us? We share a deep faith experience with someone and they deny it’s importance. This person cannot trust your word but must feel Christ in their own way.
But what was beautiful to me about this story is that the disciples did not then say “you do not agree with us, so now we will not associate with you.” No. They walked with him, in his doubt and in his confusion. Though they feared death and persecution, they still trusted him and locked themselves in a room with him. He was still welcome to be among them, doubts and all. This is what we are called to do for so many in our lives. We need to walk with others, whether they share our beliefs or not. We pray for them as we journey with them, and we hope that in time the Lord will show Himself to them in a way that makes sense to them and that they can grasp and understand. But first, we need to be there, witnessing to this reality.
Had the disciples dismissed Thomas for his disbelief he would not have been there in the room when Christ appeared again. Had they shut themselves off to him because of this disagreement they would have been keeping him from a deep and powerful experience of the Lord. Let us remember this today and every day. Sometimes the people we need to be most present and welcoming and open to are those with whom we don’t agree, who doubt the reality of our faith. By living our faith and witnessing in those moments we allow God to work miracles, in his own divine timing.
Who is God asking you to walk with and witness to today? Have you shut anyone out because of their doubt and their disbelief? Find a way to welcome them back in to your life and walk with them.
- Amanda Grimm