Daily Mass Gospel Reflection - Reason In The Unseen Belief

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 7.3.23 | Bishop Robert Barron

[MurphsLaw]

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle;
John 20:24–29

Friends, today’s Gospel tells of Thomas’ doubting the Resurrection.
Indeed, Catholicism has a rich tradition of questioning, seeking understanding.
Aquinas, another great St. Thomas, spent much of his life
asking and answering hard questions about the faith.

Do you remember Hamlet’s great line,
“There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in your philosophy, Horatio”?
If we stubbornly said—even in the area of science—that
we will accept only what we can clearly see and touch and control,
we wouldn’t know much about reality.

There is, in most areas of life, a play between knowing and believing.
It is not unique to the religious sphere of life.
Blaise Pascal summed it up:
“The heart has its reasons that reason knows not.”

It is not that we who have not seen and have believed
are settling for a poor substitute for vision.
No, we are being described as blessed,
more blessed than Thomas.
God is doing all sorts of things
that we cannot see, measure, control, fully understand.
But it is an informed faith that allows one to fall in love with such a God.

[MurphsLaw]

+++Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him,
"We have seen the Lord." But Thomas said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas,
"Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him,
"My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him,
"Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."+++