Poor Thomas gets a bad rap because of this Gospel reading, and is often nicknamed ‘Doubting Thomas’, but the truth is that Thomas merely says out loud what many of us have thought throughout our faith journeys: ‘Unless I see… I will not believe’. This need for ‘proof’ is not necessarily about having to see Jesus’ open wounds as a pre-requisite to belief. Rather, when we go through times of trial, where many things feel uncertain or no longer a given, the somewhat intangible nature of Jesus can lead some to understandably doubt whether Jesus is really with them in their suffering. This doubt can then manifest itself in demands for signs of proof that Jesus is real and present in our messiness.

What’s beautiful though, is that Jesus seeks out Thomas, going to him with the gentle words: ‘Peace be with you’ and a vulnerability that resolves Thomas’ crisis of faith and meets his fear driven cynicism head on. What’s even more beautiful, is that Jesus meets us too, right where we are, speaking peace into the depths of our doubt and fear and sharing in our suffering through the Cross.

Take a moment today to learn from Thomas, letting go of your doubt and fear and simply listening to Jesus say: ‘Peace be with you’, and in turn say: ‘Peace be with you’ back to Jesus.

by Steph Jorna