“Faith groping for certainty”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Saturday, December 21, 2024ee32

John 20: 24-29 (Forward, p. 53) CEV p. 1129

Unfortunately, many people, famous or otherwise, have been labelled with certain nicknames or associations that stuck with them, often without much reason at all. For instance, Canadian politician Robert Stanfield was spotted calmly eating a banana during a break in a leadership convention, and that became his trademark, at least as far as the editorial cartoonists were concerned. It gave him the public image of being somewhat of a rube, a hayseed. The same thing for the peanut farmer American president, Jimmy Carter. This association, likewise, did nothing to enhance his public image.

Another person of whom this could be said is the man we remember today, the so-called ‘doubting Thomas.’ I find this label quite unfortunate--and quite undeserved. For one thing, the label of ‘doubter’ could be well applied to all the disciples. When Mary Magdalene and the other women reported on what they’d seen at the Tomb, ‘the apostles thought it was all nonsense, and would not believe’ (see Luke 24: 11). And at the Ascension, despite Jesus’ repeated appearances over the course of 40 days, some of them still doubted (see Matthew 28:17). And so, Thomas was not alone in his doubting, and then, who can blame any of them. How many of us have ever known of a dead man up around and walking in any circumstance, much less something as horrific as a crucifixion!

The other thing that I’d say about Thomas was that he wasn’t doubting for doubt sake—as many of the modern doubters and skeptics do. Many of them have freely admitted that they would not believe, even if the evidence was compelling! This was not the case with Thomas. He wanted to believe, and therefore wanted the evidence that would enable his belief. He wanted the evidence that would allow him to reach that point that he could make that leap of faith that is necessary for each of us. None of us can ever know anything in absolute certainty, but we can reach a point where it makes it the logical conclusion. It was that point that Thomas was yearning for. However, once we reach that point, we can never know until we reach out in faith and try going beyond it, which is what Thomas did.

Forward notes: “Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God’!” (verse 28)

“Where was Thomas? Where was he when Jesus showed up and showed himself to the disciples? When he heard the miraculous, he doubted the story: the news was too good to be true. I often feel that Thomas wasn’t full of doubt but rather full of truth. Thomas wanted what the others had: an encounter with Jesus!

“Like Thomas, we want proof. ‘Show me the money.’ But Thomas invites us into doubt, into a realm of faith that we often shy away from. It’s important for us to remember that the opposite of doubt is not belief or faith; the opposite of doubt is absolute certainty. When we are absolutely certain, we leave no room for faith to grow.

“Jesus often criticized the religious people of his day— and, I would add, ours, for being absolutely certain they knew the will of God.

“We all want an encounter with Jesus, and God meets us in our doubts, worries, and fears, in our longings and striving, our lost hope and our loving. God’s embrace will not let us go.”

Moving Forward: “Beware of those whose faith is so certain that they leave no room for God.”