A week later, his disciples were again together, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, ”Put your finger here, see my hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:26-28) 

Personally, I feel rather sorry for Thomas. Some have referred to Thomas as having little faith, citing Jesus' comment to stop doubting and start believing as their basis for this opinion. But Thomas had not had the benefit of being in the room when Jesus first appeared to his disciples. With everything else Thomas held in his heart and mind, hearing from the disciples of Jesus' appearance might have been too much to handle. We don’t know why Thomas wasn’t there the first time. Perhaps in his grief, he wished to be alone to work everything through. Perhaps he was simply the one who was sent to buy provisions. 

What is important is that Jesus knew Thomas’ heart. Jesus knew Thomas would have been grappling with a lot, so Jesus met him where he was. Like with the other disciples, Jesus offers Thomas peace, not rebuke. Jesus allows Thomas to see that he is, in fact, Jesus. Thomas can now accept, along with the others, that Jesus was alive and the questions, fears and doubts could be put to rest. And they were, as Thomas cries out, “My Lord and my God!”

There are times when we struggle with our faith. This world of abundant information can cause us to wonder if our salvation through Christ is real. In those times, we desperately need to see Jesus for ourselves. Thomas had returned to be with his community, and Jesus was to be found there. When we have a crisis of faith, it is important to stay connected with our faith community. Our spirits feed off the accounts of Jesus at work in other people’s lives, albeit subconsciously. It is also a good time to meet with a spiritual companion who can listen to you as you grapple with your thoughts. Jesus said, “Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:19-20). 

Do you belong to a faith community?

Do you share your faith stories within your community, even if just one person at a time?

Do you long for a moment when Jesus can interact with you as you hear he has with others?

Where might you encounter Jesus in the coming days?

Reflection by Cherie-Lynn van der Merwe

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