Doubting Thomas...

Today is the feast of St Thomas the apostle, who is remembered by his words "Unless I see....I will not believe" - thereby called "doubting Thomas". But even more, I would say his most 'famous' words are "My Lord and my God", after Jesus graciously showed him His hands and side.

When doubts arise, we tend to shove them under a veneer of 'faith', by claiming the promises of God. This resurrection story reminds us that doubt is accepted by the Lord, the type of doubt that is not faithless, but that comes from a purification of deep faith. The honest shaking up is understood by our Lord, who indeed uses the occasion to lead us to new depths of faith. Sometimes, as for Thomas, He actually grants some 'real evidence' as a gift. Many other times, He leaves us in the doubts for a while, but all the time stays close to us, in order to give us the gift of a deeper purified faith. Faith gets purified eveytime we go through cylces of doubt and renewed belief. Either way the Lord responds to our doubts, His purpose is to bring new life into the complexity, ambiguity and the mystery of faith that we will experience this side of eternity.

"Now we see as in a mirror darkly.........then we shall see face to face".