Doubt

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Doubt

Incredulity     Skepticism

Redefining     Acknowledging     Believing

Jesus Is The Christ

Understanding

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 20:19 to 31

During that night of the first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were gathered, for fear of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came to them and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

When Jesus said this, He showed them His hands and His side.

The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said once more, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I will also send you."

As Jesus said this, He breathed on them and said,

"Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, those sins will be forgiven. Whose sins you shall retain, those sins will be retained."

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not there when Jesus appeared. 

The other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord."

Thomas said to them, "Unless I see where the nails went into His hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

Now a week later His disciples were again inside and Thomas was there. 

Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

Then He turned to Thomas and said, "Place your finger here and notice the marks in my hand. Then place your hand in my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believe."

Thomas responded and said to Him,

"My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Now Jesus performed many other signs that His disciples witnessed. These are not written down in this book.

The ones that are recorded will help you to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

As you come to believe this, you will have life in His name.

Reflection

John shares an amazing story with us in this passage. We see the disciples journey from fear of the authorities to rejoicing with Jesus.

Jesus gives them what they really need: Peace!

After the disappointment they went through when Jesus was crucified, the disciples needed some reassurance. Their hopes and expectations were dashed. 

Seeing Jesus among them, filled them with joy. They realized now that Jesus could overcome death. He had told them that He was the resurrection and the life. Now they saw it with their own eyes.

However, Thomas was not there. He could not believe that this really happened. 

He is a great example of what we all struggle with. Belief in something which seems so beyond our experience is very difficult.

Doubt can stimulate us to ask more questions and to look deeper. This can lead to great discoveries. We can find our personal truths that actually help to deepen our faith.

This is the case with Thomas. His doubt results in the clearest statement about the divinity of Jesus in the scriptures: "My Lord and my God!"

It was difficult for the apostles to truly understand who Jesus was. They were confused.

In many ways they are like us. It takes us time to know Jesus on a personal level. 

Doubts can be part of that process. As we question, we can discover the deeper Life that the Resurrected Jesus wants to share with us.

That Life brings Peace!

1. Why can belief be difficult at times?

2. Has doubt ever led you to a deeper understanding?

3. How has your faith in Jesus brought you Peace?

4. What do you feel as you contemplate Kathy's photo?