Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.

By: Sister Joan Cawley

Opening Prayer

Merciful God, you have given us new birth through the resurrection of your Son. May we share this living hope with our families, friends, and neighbors. Hear this and all our prayers through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Risen Lord.

Scripture

John 20:19-29

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. …

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he 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 said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Reflection

Today let us look at Thomas and ask, “Is Thomas presented as a model for imitation or as an example of weak faith?” Thomas makes us look at our own faith and ask, “Is it alright to question or must I unconditionally adapt to the faith of others? Is faith conformity or is it a journey colored by many shades of gray?”

In reflecting on the Gospels, there evolves a picture of a Jesus who did not teach dogmas but who challenged people to question their basic assumptions.

Jesus teaches that the way to God lies beyond dogma and involves questioning those basic assumptions. Jesus did it all the time. He questioned the ethic of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” and said, “I give you a new law.” He questioned the Jewish practice of Temple worship; he questioned the teaching on divorce, on capital punishment, on women and on money. Jesus questioned accepted social values through his choice of friends and he questioned his disciples’ definition of who was family to him. That list is endless as well.

Thomas may have doubted, but he was in good company. He gave voice to his misgivings on a matter of faith and set an example for all who ask, and he found deeper faith because of it. Thomas’ faith was strengthened because of his search.

Today we are very much like the disciples: some fearful, some doubting, some resentful, some hurting, some very sure. There are those so afraid of doubts that growth has stopped – at least for now. We know that doubts differ from unbelief and that doubts do occur wherever there is faith. Thomas would remind us that a faith without difficulty is a trivial faith.

Thomas gives voice to the hesitating faith in so many of us. And Jesus assures us that when we doubt, we are still lovable and pursued by him. This Jesus does not make belief in any single issue a test of fidelity and worthiness. Jesus only asks how well we love.

“Peace!” is what Jesus tells doubting Thomas, Peter, James, John and each of us. This is a peace that results from right relationships with God and neighbor; a peace that centers us so that even in the midst of doubt, we believe in a God who wants only the very best for us. “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet come to believe.”

Reflect

Can I identify with Thomas, at times unsure of my faith?

Closing Prayer

Father, thank you for sending your Son to redeem us and bring us peace.

Welcoming the Holy