Doubting Thomas 

   “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hands into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20: 25) 

   These words of St. Thomas earned him the eternal reputation as the doubter.  I can somewhat understand the confusion that Thomas, and the rest of the apostles, must have been feeling.  The one they had followed for three years, the one who they had believed was the Messiah, had been brutally beaten and then died a horrible death on the cross.  How could this have happened to the Son of God?  I’m sure there was some questions and doubts in all of their minds; Thomas was just more open in sharing his.

   But haven’t we at times doubted?  I know I have.  When things happen that we can’t understand, or some tragedy occurs it’s not unusual to question why God would let such a thing happen.

   We can’t understand, nor are we meant to understand, all there is in God’s plan.  His plans are not subject to our approval.  We see things through the stained and dirty window of a corrupt and fallen world; God sees them as they were, are, and always will be in the perfection of His creation.

   However, God doesn’t abandon us when we doubt or question, just as Jesus didn’t abandon Thomas.  It we live in faith, we will come to understand that all will be as He has planned, though we will not always know why.  It is this faith that Jesus was speaking of when He said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (John 20: 29).