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Faith Born of Encounter
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 Thomas 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.” John 20:24–25
Though Saint Thomas is best remembered for doubting Jesus’
Resurrection, God used him in glorious ways. Because God is
all-powerful, even Thomas’ doubt was transformed into a source of
grace for the Church and a model of true faith and conversion. In
Thomas, we see the journey from doubt to faith, from absence to
confession, from fear to peace—an invitation for each of us to make
the same journey.
Saint Thomas, called Didymus—meaning “Twin”—was not present when
the risen Christ first appeared to the assembled Apostles. His
absence was no accident but part of God’s providential plan. When
the other disciples testified, “We have seen the Lord,” Thomas
struggled to believe. His absence symbolizes the effect of
isolation from the Church or from an active life of prayer, which
can leave us vulnerable to doubt and disbelief. His heart demanded
tangible proof: “Unless I see the mark of the nails… I will not
believe.” In this, Thomas articulates a cry that echoes in every
human heart: we long for certainty, yet struggle to trust without
the proof we demand.
One week later—on the day now celebrated as Divine Mercy
Sunday—Jesus once again entered the locked room and stood among
them, radiating peace: “Peace be with you.” His first words were
directed not to the whole group, but to Thomas, addressing his
wounded faith with tender love: “Put your finger here and see my
hands… bring your hand and put it into my side.” Jesus does not
shame Thomas; He invites him. He invites him to touch the very
wounds that conquered death, to enter into the mystery of Divine
Mercy not only intellectually, but physically and
spiritually.
After being confronted by the Living Christ, Thomas is transformed.
In that pivotal moment, he prays one of the greatest confessions of
faith in all of Scripture: “My Lord and my God!” With profound
clarity, he proclaims the divinity of Christ. The doubting disciple
becomes the believing Apostle, who will later be sent forth to bear
witness to the ends of the earth.
Thomas’ journey invites us to reflect on our own. Like Thomas, we
are sometimes absent from encounters with the risen Lord. Failure
to pray daily, to attend Mass faithfully, to confess our sins, to
nourish our souls through spiritual reading, adoration, retreats,
or parish missions can isolate us from Christ and diminish our
faith. Absence from these means of grace can open the door to
spiritual doubt and weakness.
If these struggles are familiar to you, take heart in the example
of Saint Thomas. If your faith has faltered—especially if you
experience serious doubts—or if worldly concerns have drawn you
away from the life of grace, then let Thomas’ prayer become your
own: “My Lord and my God!” He professed faith in what he saw, so
that we might profess faith in Christ whom we do not yet see. That
simple little prayer, prayed with the certainty of faith and with
sincere passion in the heart, sparks greater faith and brings us
the clarity we need.
Reflect today on Thomas being absent from Jesus’ first Resurrection
appearance on Easter Sunday. Try to feel his disappointment and
doubt. Thomas carried those feelings for an entire week until Jesus
appeared again. See yourself in him by identifying any times you
have felt the same. Then move forward to the moment, one week
later, when Thomas was present as Jesus appeared to them. With him,
listen to Jesus invite you to touch His wounds. Profess with
Thomas, “My Lord and my God!” Repeat that prayer and try to sense
Thomas’ newfound passionate belief. It is that belief our Lord
desires from all of us who do not see with our eyes but come to
know Him in our spirit.
My Lord and my God! I do believe in You and profess that belief
with all my heart. When I struggle with my faith, when I falter, or
when I become distracted from my life of prayer and devotion,
please remind me of Saint Thomas. Place his words repeatedly on my
lips so that I may continuously cry out with him, “My Lord and my
God!” Saint Thomas, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: St Thomas by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
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