John 20:19-31

The story of “doubting” Thomas contains one of the greatest professions of faith found anywhere in the New Testament. “My Lord and my God” is no simple confession; it is a great shout of faith.

St Thomas reminds us that real faith means experiencing Christ as Lord and Savior. For Thomas, the risen Lord had to be the crucified Lord. He had to probe the “nail prints” in Jesus’ hands, put His fingers in the nail-marks and his hand “into His side.” Thomas did not demand more than what the other disciples got. Jesus had shown them His wounds. Thomas wanted to see them too, so that he would know whether this specter who had appeared to his friends was really Jesus, was really worth believing in.

St. Thomas was a man of faith but, after the crucifixion, his faith faltered. When he walked with Jesus on earth, St. Thomas allowed his faith to fuel his mission. Recall when the disciples were fearful that Jesus’ returning to Judea would lead to His death, it was Thomas who said, “let us go along, to die with Him” (John 11:16).

St. Thomas was a man of faith seeking greater faith. Faith takes effort and resolve. It is what drives a lifestyle. Like Thomas, we want to make sure that we are heading in the right direction. Now and then, we stumble and hesitate; we doubt, but we needn’t abandon the faith.

When you say, “I believe,” you are taking a stand. You are making a declaration of dependence on someone beyond and within. But making this decision is never easy. Faith is a struggle well worth the decision to go after, a quest well worth the effort to undertake. “Do not persist in your unbelief, but believe!” says Jesus.

Few can accept this crisp command. But those who can accept it are embarking on a great adventure. They are delving into the adventure called Christ, who comes to help us understand why we are here. That’s something worth believing in! That’s something worth the great shout of faith: “My Lord and my God.”

Fr. Hugh Duffy