John 20: 24-29
verse 29: Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
I have never carefully read this passage, I guess. Today I notice this: Thomas had made his comments to the disciples who had seen Jesus. A week later, when they were all together, in a locked room, Jesus appeared. He greeted them, and then went right to Thomas. “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.“ Jesus knew Thomas had doubted his return. God knows our hearts. But a wonderful comforting piece for me is Jesus’ acceptance of Thomas. He knew Thomas had doubts, but also knew Thomas loved and believed him. Doubt is a funny thing. For me, it comes and goes, like an especially bad mood. Jesus asks us to believe through all of these moods. We have the privilege of being blessed as “those who have not seen and yet have believed.” I know now God recognizes this can be difficult at times.
Holy Father, you are so patient and steadfast in your love for me. How can I ever lose faith or doubt you for even a moment? The closer I grow to you, the stronger our bond. Help me, Lord. Amen
Becky, transforming
John 20:24-29 28. “ my Lord and my God,” Thomas exclaimed, 29 Jesus told him you believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing. Now before this exchange with Thomas, Jesus had appeared to the other disciples. He purposely showed them his hands and side and the wounds there. They had seen this and believed it was Jesus. Thomas was not there and when told about the appearance, I think he simply wanted the same experience. I know if I had missed Jesus, I would want to see him, too. To have missed something so miraculous would make me sad, maybe angry and stubbornly would not believe my friends. I would be Thomas! I’m not sure …
John 20:24-29
I try to imagine myself present in the scene this passage describes. Oh how I would love to physically see Jesus, touch him , sit down with him and ask his advise. What must Thomas have felt. Thomas wanted Jesus’s physical presence. He is certainly angry for his reaction to the news that Jesus had appeared to the others when he was not there. Yet Jesus is full of compassion as he gently invites Peter to touch his wounds, to believe that he is truly risen. Rather than being the doubting one, Thomas pronounces one of the most beautiful expressions of faith (verse 28) My Lord and my God. How often do I regret my outbursts! …
John 20:24-29
29. Then Jesus told him, (Thomas) “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have seen and yet have believed.”
There have been many times in my life when I would like to have proof of what I am supposed to take on faith. Thomas now had the same proof that the other disciples had and I believe he was a more effective spreader of the Word now than he would have been. I will never have that proof but I can be stronger in my belief because of reading these accounts written by those who knew Jesus.
John 20: 24-29
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
“Doubting Thomas”, sometimes I feel this way. When I do, I remember all that I have learned over the years about Jesus. Jesus left us the Gospel stories to know him and understand the love he has for us. Believers question what we believe in order to better understand our faith. These stories tell me how much Jesus loves me and how important it is to say, “My Lord and My God!”
Dearest Lord, in sending your Son to us you gave us eternity. It is our faith in all you have shared…
John 20:25-26 - “So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’”
This episode is a bit of a stumbling block for me, and not because my name is Thomas. When sharing our own faith with someone who says they do not believe, there is no way to know if it is truly disbelief or mere doubt. If the latter, I wonder how God takes the next steps and reveals the Lord in a tangible way to bring that doubting person into…