“Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (Jn 20:29)
On this Second Sunday of Easter, also called Divine Mercy Sunday, we hear the Gospel of John proclaim the famous story of “Doubting Thomas”.
Thomas, one of the eleven, was not present at the Lord’s first appearance to the apostles. Thomas, when told by the other apostles that they had seen the Lord, doubted. He doubted greatly. He went so far as to say that he would never believe unless he saw the Lord with his own two eyes. Even further, he said that he would not believe until he could put his fingers into the Lord’s nail marks in His hands and his had in the Lord’s side.
Challenge given.
Challenge accepted.
The next time that Jesus appeared to the apostles, Thomas was present. Jesus looked at Thomas and said, “Go for it!”
He told Thomas to come to Him, to examine His hands and His side so that he would not persist in unbelief but would believe.
Only at that point did Thomas say, “My Lord and My God,” to which Jesus responded, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
What a slap in the face those words would have been.
After all, place yourself in Thomas’ shoes. Here, he finally sees Jesus risen. He comes to believe. But he realizes what His lack of belief meant to Jesus and that his Lord wanted to do everything possible to allow Thomas to believe.
Jesus does the same for us.
He is there on a daily basis, calling us forth, blessing us, abiding with us, and inviting us.
Yet we, like Thomas, often adopt an air of unbelief.
Jesus does not want us to persist in our unbelief. He wants us to believe.
Are we willing to do so today?
FAITH ACTION: Do you believe in Jesus? Share a reason why you believe with a family member or friend.