DRAWING CLOSE TO OUR LORD & GOD

A Meditation On The Incredulity Of Saint Thomas

“Peace be with you.” These are the first words that fill Thomas’ ears from the mouth of the risen Lord. “Peace.” How troubled was Thomas’ heart before this, questioning everything he thought he knew to be true. Even when the disciples gave testimony of Jesus’ appearance to them, Thomas could not pull himself from the darkness of doubt that burdened him, saying, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” hands and side to Thomas, a wordless and gentle gesture that spoke of His love for Thomas. Thomas had been heavy-laden with doubt, refusing to believe and feeling so alone, yet all that time Jesus was listening to him and was with him. Jesus had heard everything Thomas had wrestled with in his heart the week before and, in His love, presented him with the very thing he asked for in order to believe: the wounds of His hands and side. Perhaps both from seeing the wounds of the risen Lord and realizing that Jesus had been with him all along, Thomas cried out his belief, “My Lord and my God!”

Now Thomas sees Jesus standing before him, wishing him peace even when he refused to believe in Him. Still more, Jesus presents His wounded

In the hymn “Adoro Te Devote,” we sing, “I am not like Thomas, wounds I cannot see; But I plainly call thee Lord and God as he; This faith each day deeper be my holding of; Daily make me harder hope and dearer love.” No, we are not in the same place as Thomas in the sense that we can see the wounds of Christ, but we are reminded by Christ Himself that “Blessed are those who haven’t seen me, yet still believe.” Jesus asks for our trust in Him. He asks that we have faith that He loves us, even when all is dark and we have no sight of Him, and even when we may not feel His love. He asks that in these hard moments, we reecho the words of St. Thomas and St. Faustina in our hearts, saying, “My Lord and my God, I trust in You!”