Thomas is us today. People are wondering where God is and if he is really here. Even in the church, we have our doubts and fears. Did God send this to us? When we will be able to gather here in church? Will our world go back to “normal’ or what will our world even look like? Thomas was there the night of the Last Supper, and then ran away with the rest of them. No one knows where he was when Jesus appeared to the rest, but it is possible that he was off somewhere trying to make some sense out of everything that had just happened in a very short period of time. No one can fault Thomas for his lack of faith. Why? Because we have all been there.
Each person has had doubts and fears. We all struggle with jumping in with both feet to live with Jesus. I think the largest obstacle today is that faith cannot be measured or quantified. Thomas could touch the Risen Christ and believe; what helps us to believe? Some want faith to be a happy feeling with no risk or responsibility. This is not faith. Some want faith to be God acting in a way we think God should act or God should give us exactly what we ask for. For others, God has become a construct or idea that is read about but it has no real bearing in our lives.
Faith is a gift; but, yet a commitment to a way of life no matter the struggle, no matter the doubts, no matter the feelings we may have. Faith is commitment to a way of life and the trust that the power of the Risen Lord will sustain us no matter what. Faith also must be put into action. Thomas reaches out to touch the wounded Body of Christ. So must we! We cannot have faith without works that arise from our faith. Thomas, filled with fear and awe, touched the wounded and Risen Lord. So must we. The wounded Body of Christ is all around us..today, more than ever in our lives. All those in the medical world literally touch the wounded Body. But, our prayers for them, our small acts of charity, our doing without puts us in solidarity with the Body of Christ that has known shortages and lack of freedom for years, and our fear puts us in union with those who live in fear everyday.
Thomas is our model and guide in these days of fear and struggle when we like the 11 are locked behind closed doors. We are reminded that Jesus is in our homes right now. We can touch HIs wounded Body in our wounds and struggle today. May we be the blessed that Jesus talked about; believing and having faith and having trust not dependent on anything but Christ.
