(Jn 20:19-31)
Would you consider yourself a Christian Scientist? For most readers, the answer is “probably not.” At least, it would depend on what’s meant by the term. While a few might belong to the Protestant denomination of the same name, or others might be actual biologists or chemists who confess Christ as Lord, our Gospel today for Divine Mercy Sunday invites us to be Christian Scientists of a different sort, or at least Christians of a scientific disposition. How so?
In our Gospel, we encounter the figure of the Apostle Thomas and specifically the passage in which he gains his nickname “Doubting Thomas.” Thomas wants evidence and finds faith difficult. Here, as elsewhere in John’s Gospel (Jn 11:14-16), he has a tough time trusting in things that are beyond his direct experience and comprehension.
Before we judge Thomas too harshly, we should consider: It’s not always a sin to be skeptical of grand claims at the outset. Moreover, Thomas is not the only one (even among the Apostles) who didn’t believe in the Resurrection at first. And last, we should remember that rising from the dead was and remains an atypical phenomenon, to put it mildly. True, Jesus had promised to rise from the dead and Thomas had seen signs that might confirm that promise. Hence Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Yet, perhaps we can sympathize a bit with Thomas.
Given the emotional rollercoaster of Christ’s brutal execution, we can imagine he and the other apostles don’t know quite what to believe. Then Jesus appears, but Thomas is not present to witness it. He hears about it and asks for evidence, perhaps styling himself the “rational” one of the group, keeping his head while everyone else seems to be losing theirs.
Those of us who struggle with our faith, especially those of us tempted to rationalism or atheism, find good company with Thomas. In a way, Thomas stands in for many of us who are children of the Scientific Revolution. In our day and age, many scientific-minded people find faith difficult without some sort of evidence. Part of that is a healthy skepticism, part is a reaction to so many of the religious hucksters who populate our world just as they did in Jesus’ day, and part of it is posturing, pride, or avoidance. After all, if the claims of the church are true, then it changes everything, and we must change as a result. Few people enjoy conversion and change of this sort.
What are we rational Thomases to do? First, we take solace and hope in the fact that Jesus comes the extra mile to meet us, just like Thomas. Second, we commit to being good scientists and making the experiment to find Jesus when and where he comes to meet us.
To the first point: It’s fitting that for Divine Mercy Sunday, Jesus goes above and beyond what is reasonably expected to meet Thomas’s doubts. He not only appears again, but even furnishes his wounds for Thomas’ scientific examination. Jesus runs to meet us in our struggle with faith, too. He’s running to speak to our hearts in the Scriptures. He’s longing to heal us in the confessional, he sits in each and every tabernacle waiting just to spend a moment with us each day in prayer. Jesus makes himself accessible in and through the church, daily.
For instance, I’m often mildly amused when people in the confessional mention that they’ve lost their faith. I enjoy reminding them that it takes at least some faith in God to spend one’s afternoon in a small room, confessing your deepest, darkest secrets to a consecrated celibate man through a screen. Often the evidence for our faith and hope is right in front of our nose, if we’re only willing to see it in a different light.
The key, however, is the second point. We must be good Christian scientists in full: willing to make the experiment and seek Christ where he promises to be found. Like all good experiments, it takes discipline, repetition, and quality time. If you find yourself struggling with faith today or are looking for some evidence, ask yourself: Are you willing to make the experiment to find Christ where he runs to meet us and has promised to be found?
Fr. Miserendino is chaplain at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.
Jesus comes the extra mile
ADOBESTOCK
Chalice, Bible and altar cross.
(Jn 20:19-31)
Would you consider yourself a Christian Scientist? For most readers, the answer is “probably not.” At least, it would depend on what’s meant by the term. While a few might belong to the Protestant denomination of the same name, or others might be actual biologists or chemists who confess Christ as Lord, our Gospel today for Divine Mercy Sunday invites us to be Christian Scientists of a different sort, or at least Christians of a scientific disposition. How so?
In our Gospel, we encounter the figure of the Apostle Thomas and specifically the passage in which he gains his nickname “Doubting Thomas.” Thomas wants evidence and finds faith difficult. Here, as elsewhere in John’s Gospel (Jn 11:14-16), he has a tough time trusting in things that are beyond his direct experience and comprehension.
Before we judge Thomas too harshly, we should consider: It’s not always a sin to be skeptical of grand claims at the outset. Moreover, Thomas is not the only one (even among the Apostles) who didn’t believe in the Resurrection at first. And last, we should remember that rising from the dead was and remains an atypical phenomenon, to put it mildly. True, Jesus had promised to rise from the dead and Thomas had seen signs that might confirm that promise. Hence Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Yet, perhaps we can sympathize a bit with Thomas.
Given the emotional rollercoaster of Christ’s brutal execution, we can imagine he and the other apostles don’t know quite what to believe. Then Jesus appears, but Thomas is not present to witness it. He hears about it and asks for evidence, perhaps styling himself the “rational” one of the group, keeping his head while everyone else seems to be losing theirs.
Those of us who struggle with our faith, especially those of us tempted to rationalism or atheism, find good company with Thomas. In a way, Thomas stands in for many of us who are children of the Scientific Revolution. In our day and age, many scientific-minded people find faith difficult without some sort of evidence. Part of that is a healthy skepticism, part is a reaction to so many of the religious hucksters who populate our world just as they did in Jesus’ day, and part of it is posturing, pride, or avoidance. After all, if the claims of the church are true, then it changes everything, and we must change as a result. Few people enjoy conversion and change of this sort.
What are we rational Thomases to do? First, we take solace and hope in the fact that Jesus comes the extra mile to meet us, just like Thomas. Second, we commit to being good scientists and making the experiment to find Jesus when and where he comes to meet us.
To the first point: It’s fitting that for Divine Mercy Sunday, Jesus goes above and beyond what is reasonably expected to meet Thomas’s doubts. He not only appears again, but even furnishes his wounds for Thomas’ scientific examination. Jesus runs to meet us in our struggle with faith, too. He’s running to speak to our hearts in the Scriptures. He’s longing to heal us in the confessional, he sits in each and every tabernacle waiting just to spend a moment with us each day in prayer. Jesus makes himself accessible in and through the church, daily.
For instance, I’m often mildly amused when people in the confessional mention that they’ve lost their faith. I enjoy reminding them that it takes at least some faith in God to spend one’s afternoon in a small room, confessing your deepest, darkest secrets to a consecrated celibate man through a screen. Often the evidence for our faith and hope is right in front of our nose, if we’re only willing to see it in a different light.
The key, however, is the second point. We must be good Christian scientists in full: willing to make the experiment and seek Christ where he promises to be found. Like all good experiments, it takes discipline, repetition, and quality time. If you find yourself struggling with faith today or are looking for some evidence, ask yourself: Are you willing to make the experiment to find Christ where he runs to meet us and has promised to be found?
Fr. Miserendino is chaplain at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.
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