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Jesus and "Doubting Thomas" (John 20:24-29)

 When Jesus came to the apostles, St. Thomas wasn't there. He gets a bad rap here, for wanting proof. If faith is not reasonable, then the God who gives faith as a gift is also not reasonable. On the other hand, there does come a point when questions are not helpful, or sincere from any one person.

Jesus is saying that faith is a gift, and the vast majority of us--since we are not apostles--believe because of the testimony of the apostles, not because we have any first-hand proof. Sometimes, people ask for scientific proof of this or that miracle, but remember that even people who witnessed miracles found a way to deny that they were real.

We must remember that our faith is a gift of grace, and that by believing, we are blessed.

Even though it is easy to be a little rough on "Doubting Thomas," pious tradition holds that he made it all the way to India, and established some of the earliest churches known to exist. Sometimes we might think that we are crazy to have faith in Jesus, but he seems to prove himself again and again.

After St. Thomas sees and touches the wounds of Christ, look at how he answers: "My Lord and my God!" He knew that the difference between faith and unbelief is centered on the question, "Is Jesus God?" When St. Thomas knew his answer, he took his faith and ran with it. Hopefully, we will, too.

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