In many ways we are just like Thomas. We really don’t want to come by our faith second hand John 20:19-31. Our parents taught us that something worth having was something worth working for? So we ask; is there really such a thing as “blind faith?” Blind faith does not encourage us to probe; it denies us the opportunity to question, to know what we believe intuitively, in our “core.” Blind faith requires minimal spiritual investment, and denies those inclined to cruise through their spiritual journey the opportunity to really live life’s joy and danger. True faith requires knowing what we believe…beyond any doubt. So Thomas in refusing to say that he understood what he did not understand, or believe what he did not believe, exhibited an honesty that prompted his need to know.
Thomas wasn’t a faithless doubter.
The so-called faithful disciples remained locked up in the upper room hiding in
fear. Fear not doubt gets in the way of our letting the Holy Spirit take
charge. Where did Thomas go while others were in hiding? What prompted him to
return to his community? Was Thomas “working” at trying to know what he was asked to believe? Thomas wanted the experience of
a deeper vision or sight. He was unwilling to blindly accept; it had to be real
for him.
True faith is based on trust in God.
True faith knows that are faith is deepened when we ask critical questions of our traditions and our “inherited” belief
propositions. We do this by leaving our comfort zones and live in new ways made possible by the resurrection of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Thomas’ encounter with the risen Lord challenges us to know what we believe so for us as, with Thomas, we too can personally
acclaim “My Lord and my God.”
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