Skip to main content
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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Praying With The Five Wounds Of Jesus

I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Fisherman to Foremen: Peter’s First Act as Shepherd

In the immediate aftermath of the Ascension, we see a profound transformation in Peter, moving from the impulsive fisherman who once fled in the garden to the courageous shepherd of the early Church. By standing up in the heart of Jerusalem to deliver his first great "sermon" at Pentecost, Peter is not merely offering an inspired speech; he is stepping into the primordial role of the Papacy. He was specifically commissioned by Christ on the shores of Galilee to "feed my sheep," and here we see that nourishment take the form of the Word. He takes control of a frightened and confused community, providing the definitive interpretation of the Resurrection and anchoring the fledgling Church in the truth of the Gospel. This moment in the Acts of the Apostles reminds us that the authority of Peter was never about personal power, but about the sacred duty of unity and guidance. By taking the lead in the upper room and before the crowds, Peter demonstrates that the "key...
Post a Comment
Read more

Just War and the Gospel: How Christ and the Catholic Church Define Moral Conflict

The Catholic understanding of a just war begins not with violence, but with the teachings of Jesus Christ, who calls His followers to love their enemies, seek peace, and act with mercy. In passages such as the Sermon on the Mount, Christ elevates forgiveness and reconciliation as the highest ideals of Christian life. At first glance, this seems to stand in tension with the idea that war could ever be morally justified. Yet the Church, drawing from both Scripture and reason, acknowledges that in a fallen world marked by sin, evil can threaten the innocent in ways that demand a response. Rooted in Christ’s command to love one’s neighbor, the just war tradition insists that any use of force must ultimately serve the protection of human life and the restoration of peace. Over centuries, theologians such as St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Thomas Aquinas helped articulate the moral framework that guides Catholic teaching on war. Their insights, later developed in the Catechism of the Cathol...
Post a Comment
Read more