St. Thomas- Gifts of Doubt and Faith

History gives St. Thomas the Apostle a bit of a bad rap. Most of us consider him as ‘doubting Thomas’ remembering only his impudence. At least his words sound like the very essence of audacity:

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nail marks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

This was his response to the ten who told him of Christ’s appearance to them in the upper room. Only when we dig a bit deeper into the other, far less popularized, peeks into the character of Thomas do we see the gifts.

He speaks only three times, the man tradition tells us who drew the short straw to go to India. Upon Jesus’s statement that He must return to Judea because Lazarus was very ill, it was Thomas who pressed the others to accompany Jesus despite the danger of returning there.

Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”

But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people^[a] in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”

Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”

And later, during the Last Supper, it was Thomas’s heartfelt plea which evoked the sublime reply.

“I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas’ question, “how can we know the way?” caused Jesus to answer, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

And finally:

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 answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

We’re tempted to overlook the fact that it is Thomas who is the first to see Jesus as one with God the Father. Not even Peter had put together the two persons of the Trinity. Even more, we easily overlook the splendor of Christ’s gentle, gracious reply to his Apostle. ‘Blessed’ are those who did not see my pierced hands and feet. Who never witnessed the wounds in my side.

You and me. Blessed.

“Faith is not a product of reflection nor is it even an attempt to penetrate the depths of my own being. Both of these things may be present, but they remain insufficient without the ‘listening’ through which God, from without, from a story he himself created, challenges me.” — Benedict XVI