Monday, July 3, 201713th Week in Ordinary TimeSt. 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.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Few people have the privilege of revving faith up on their own terms. Thomas the Apostle had it his way. In today’s Gospel he said: “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.” His faith must have gone comatose after the shocking events at Calvary involving Jesus. Only a massive sensitization could resuscitate it. Jesus allowed Thomas to have it his way. He said, “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 exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” His faith was brought back to life, but not the way Jesus would have wanted it. Jesus was happy enough that Thomas believed yet he couldn’t hide his disappointment. He told Thomas, “Happy are those who have not seen and believe.”
There are two ways people believe. Some believe because the rational probative value of evidence is irresistible. Others believe not because of evidence but because of who is the one testifying. Where one is intimately related with the person testifying, his focus is not on the rational probative value of the testimony. He believes simply because he belongs to the person and he rests secure that the person will never deceive him.
While Jesus allowed Thomas to recover faith on his own terms, Jesus rebuked him for requiring something spectacular. Had his faith been rooted in a strong relationship with Jesus, the evidence of the nail prints on his hands would have been superfluous. He would have immediately recognized the Lord. Saint Augustine wrote in his “Sermons”: “Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe”. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM
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