The Nazareth Page- A gospel meditation for your home

April 12, 2026 – Second Sunday of Easter - John 20:19-31

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
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I have a special place in my heart for the apostle, Thomas, who is often known as “doubting Thomas.” (We share a name.) Not that I doubt that much, but he appears in John’s gospel as one who held doubts about the risen Christ. Doubting is, if course, a very human trait. I doubt all kinds of things. I doubt that many of my favored athletic teams will be national champions. I doubt that I will ever receive a Nobel prize. I doubt that I will ever run a marathon. I doubt that an asteroid will land in my backyard. But some of those things might happen.  I just doubt they will.

So it was with doubting Thomas. He learned that, in his absence, the risen Jesus appeared to the other apostles. Thomas says he doesn’t believe he did. He needed more evidence. So at a time when Thomas was with them Jesus suddenly appeared. And to convince him even more, he had Thomas touch his healed wounds. That was enough for him, but the gospel adds, such tangible proof is not always needed. In fact, blessed are those who believe and who don’t have abundant first-hand evidence to do so.

So, while the story of Thomas the Doubter is worth knowing, it’s also important that it’s good, maybe even better, to believe without such evidence.

Personal faith and trust in God is possessed by most of us without an abundance of physical compelling evidence. When we believe in those circumstances, faith is sometimes described as a “leap.” Or a “stretch.” It’s not the direct result of individual experiences. Often, our faith in God comes to us simply be accepting trusted sources. Especially in family experiences. Or through interior feelings that cannot be written off. Or by the lives of others that we judge as trustworthy.

Sometimes faith seems lost or diminished by the bad example of religious individuals or institutions. Or by our own feelings of inadequacy or unworthiness. The stories of personal faith and trust in God are as many are there are individual persons. At times it may feel strong but with others threatened. Overcoming difficulties in religious faith can make for stronger faith.

Faith in God also has many forms. It can be robust or hanging by a thread. Strong or weak. Accepting or questioning. It can be made of moments of doubt and movements of acceptance. Thomas had both. And to be honest, I too have experienced both.  

David M. Thomas, PhD