Article Archive

Mark 20:25

But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Today's Gospel from John finds Didymus, also known as Thomas, questioning his friends asking if they really saw Jesus.  Not only did he question them, he flat out said, "I will not believe."  That leads us to believe there is no faith.  This is the origin of the phrase 'doubting Thomas'.  The next week, Thomas sees with his own eyes, and touches the wounds of Jesus.  By doing so, he comes to believe.  But Jesus tells Thomas, and us, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."  Do you really believe in Jesus?  Do you have to see him to believe?  We encounter Jesus in many people.  We see him in the poor, the sick, the less fortunate.  We see him in the generous, the ones that give freely of their time and talent.  We see him in the Eucharist.  But is that enough for you?  Do you need to see a miracle to believe?  Pray today for the heart and strength to believe in the Lord.  That's what faith is all about. 

John 4:48

Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe."

I can't see the wind, but I see it blowing leaves across the lawn. And I can feel it on my face. Therefore I believe the wind exists.

How many times have you heard an analogy about the wind in reference to believing? Many times it's easy to see the evidence of the wind blowing around us. But sometimes we can't feel that breeze at all. Does that mean the wind no longer exists? Or that it's not effecting something nearby? Of course not. Why then do we find it hard to believe in a healing God when we can't see the healing taking place? We are a people who need to see in order to believe. What would our lives look like if we choose to believe without seeing? What if God is working healing in our lives, just not in the areas where we are looking? Today let's choose to believe even without seeing.