Thought for the Day Doubt - Five

The rose ‘Golden Showers’ in bloom

This week, I have been thinking about the subject of doubt.

Some would define doubt as ‘faith in two minds’ or ‘faith struggling’.

On Monday, I was remembering how Jesus had encountered doubt in his disciples, particularly in Thomas.

Perhaps Thomas had been struggling with doubts since the beginning but in the days following the Resurrection those doubts rose to the surface.

We don’t know why Thomas wasn’t with the other disciples in the room in Jerusalem when Jesus visited them for the first time after the Resurrection. But when Thomas returned, he didn’t believe his friends when they told him that they had seen Jesus. This disbelief didn’t leave him until Jesus returned for the second time and Thomas saw him with his own eyes. Something important happened to Thomas, the day he saw Jesus.

The third time, Thomas was with Simon Peter and the other disciples fishing on the Sea of Tiberius when Jesus appeared on the beach. He was in Jerusalem in the company of the other disciples waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit after the Ascension. According to tradition, he took the Gospel to India, founded churches and died a martyr’s death.

This week, I have looked at doubt as a cause for delay, of uncertainty and discomfort, and as a stimulus for us to seek a resolution of our doubt, no matter how difficult that might be. Wouldn’t it be good if we were to be led, as Thomas was, and our eyes were to be opened to faith.