I feel bad for the apostle Thomas. It’s not fair that he’s called “doubting Thomas” because honestly, he is all of us. Let’s recap the story and I’ll prove to you that even though you live in 2016 and not back in the day of no transportation or showers, you know you’ve done all these things too.

Here’s how Thomas is all of us…

He gets left out while being the brave one for the day. He leaves the locked room (probably a food run, or to escape the smell) that the rest of guys are hiding in because it kind of ruins your reputation when your leader gets killed by the government.

He hears something crazy God did (appear in a room with a locked door after He was killed by crucifixion) and finds it pretty much impossible to believe.

He wants proof! (Pics or it didn’t happen!)

He (probably) has to listen to his friends for 7 days straight talk about how awesome their Jesus-experience was and how it’s such a bummer he missed it.

He realizes God answers our prayers, even when they sound more like demands (“I won’t believe unless I can put my finger in his side!”)

Sees something crazy/weird/kinda gross and wants to touch it.

Feels pretty special that Jesus chose to come back and make Himself present so that he wouldn’t miss out, and so that he would believe. Sound like the Eucharist anyone? Jesus is present there for you. So you can know Him and believe.

Decides he will believe in God after seeing something amazing God does.

Finally got to be included.

Gets to hear “told you so” from his friends.

The last thing the Apostle Thomas did was go far, far away to what we know to be India and he preached the good news of Jesus Christ to all the people there. His encounter with the risen God changed him and made him bold enough to be a witness of God’s greatness in a foreign place. He was later killed because of it.

I am Thomas. God is constantly making Himself present to me. He may not appear in my office, but He is present at Mass in the Eucharist. He is present in every soul I encounter. He speaks to me through nature and and the Scriptures. And in all of it He is urging me to “see and believe” in Him. It’s up to me to respond. I have a choice to say “I need more, and more, and more proof” or I can say, “my Lord and my God” and let Him change my life and propel my desire to spread His name.
What will you do? I’m praying for you.