Today is the Feast of St. Thomas, the one who expressed his doubt aloud. He is somewhat looked down upon because of this: we hear him called "doubting Thomas". I think he is "honest Thomas", he said aloud what others might have kept to themselves. He is also "believing Thomas" because of his remarkable profession of faith "My Lord and My God" after Jesus, without scolding, showed him His wounds. St. Thomas triumphed of his doubt by taking refuge in the Holy Wounds of Christ and became the apostle to India and died a Martyr.
What to make of doubt? The Holy Father said "Faith can only mature by suffering anew, at every stage in life, the oppression and power of unbelief, by admitting its reality and then finally going right through it, so that it again finds the path opening ahead for a while."
Doubt is not to be denied, but admitted and put before the Lord. "I do believe, help my unbelief" (Mk 9:24). He will not refuse us and will show us His Wounds so that faith might triumph in our poor hearts.
St. Anthony of Padua said "By doubting, Thomas got to know more deeply and to stand more securely."
2 comments:
Nice reflection! Thanks!
Frater
+JMJ+
I hope you don't mind this late comment!
The following verse about the Roman chief in G.K. Chesterton's Ballad of the White Horse has always reminded me of St. Thomas the Apostle:
But Mark was come of the glittering towns
Where hot white details show,
And men can number and expound,
And his faith grew in a hard ground
Of doubt and reason and falsehood found,
Where no faith else can grow.
That is directly followed by this description of the battle:
Belief that grew of all beliefs
One moment back was blown
And belief that stood on unbelief
Stood up iron and alone.
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