Wednesday, July 3, 2002
St. Thomas, Apostle
1st Reading: Eph 2:19-22
Gospel:
Jn 20:24-29
Thomas, the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
The other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he
replied, "Until I have seen in his hands the print of the nails,
and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I
will not believe."
Eight days later, the disciples were inside again and Thomas was with
them. Despite the locked doors Jesus came and stood in their midst and
said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put
your finger here and see my hands; stretch out your hand and put it into
my side. Resist no longer and be a believer."
Thomas then said, "You are my Lord and my God." Jesus replied,
"You believe because you see me, don't you? Happy are those who have
not seen and believe."
Commentary
Many of my friends consider that to question the Lord is a sin. They
had been taught that people should not question God but simply accept
things as they are. But isn't prayer a communication with God?
True prayer is true communication with God. God listens to us, even as
we also actively listen to God. It is a spontaneous conversation with
the Lord and not a scripted dialogue or monologue. As such, in prayer
we talk to God, we converse with her/him. We tell her/him all about ourselves
- our worries, our joys, our problems, our successes - yes! even our doubts.
It is not like talking to a wall, which we never doubt or question.
Far from being a sin, questioning or even doubting God only proves that for us, God exists and is real.