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Today we hear in the Gospel reading at Mass about a meeting between Jesus and his disciplines after He has been resurrected. The event centers on the apostle Thomas, mostly because he was absent when Jesus first appeared to the disciples and so he is unsure of what to believe. Thomas wants to see, touch and talk to Jesus himself. Wouldn't we all? Earlier in the Gospels we learn that Thomas has a twin. Some Biblical scholars have suggested that the twin of Thomas is really us. We are the other half of the doubting disciple. We also want to see Jesus in order to believe. The moral of the story of course is that we must have faith. Blessed are those that believe without seeing. That is certainly all of us who call ourselves Christian. No one has been able to see the physical Jesus in almost 2000 years. But we believe anyway. We do see Jesus at work in the world. We know He is present to us because we feel his presence. The Holy Spirit continues to guide us and live within us. But if we are honest, many of us are very much like the doubting Thomas. Is there anything really wrong with that? I don't think so. It pushes us to grow in our relationship with Jesus. It causes us to spend time with Jesus in prayer. In the end, we all long to be with Jesus in Heaven. Having the doubt can actually grow our spiritually but it must be tempered, like all things. We must not allow the devil to fill our heads with wild and sinful doubts. We must not push ourselves over the edge when it comes to our questioning. I know that Jesus loves to talk with us. He is pleased with our inquisitiveness. Again, it allows us to deepen our faith and grow as children of God. So today let us celebrate the Thomas in all of us. One day, we too will touch the hands that were nailed to the cross for us. One day, we will get to embrace Jesus as we stand face to face in Heaven. Still having doubts. Then push yourself to grow in your faith. Make yourself realize that God is in control and we need only to let go and turn our lives over to Him. Thomas certainly did this and remember, he had doubts too.

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