24Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
If you are a person who needs proof, I think Jesus is saying “I am happy to supply the proof”. But you need to be looking for Christ. In a way, I guess I am one of thise who has “not seen but still believe”. My conversion has been very gradual. In 1980 I started looking for a relationship with Christ because many of the people I knew and respected spoke about this as a reality in their lives. I had settled on Catholic values as my means to point upward and saw the historical Jesus and the apostles as incidental. Where they existed or not didn’t matter much to me. Catholic values seemed to stand on their own with or without Jesus. All this changed in 2024. I have been doing the daily Gospel readings since the 30th Oct, 2023. I was fascinated by the disciples who left their families and their future roles as patriarchs and responsible heads of their communities, to follow Christ. When Christ was captured, tried and crucified, none appeared at his Crucifiction. In fact, they must have left duped, disillusioned and betrayed. Then the bible shared accounts of how they encountered the truth of the risen Christ. Richard Colston, Nixon’s legal council, asserts that “People will give their lives for what they believe to be true. They will never give their lives for what they know to be a lie”. See https://youtu.be/ZZ5fm1uPCzs?si=dnvqLhogIRSIQlhs This realisation changed me and since that time, my only wish in life has been, and is, to know Christ fully and to have the truth of his resurrection burned into my heart. I believe that burning protects you form disillusionment and depression as you are left to meander the inevitable “less traveled roads” life places before you.
ReplyDeleteYour response to John 20:24-29 is a powerful and personal reflection on faith. Here are some of the strengths:
DeleteConnecting with the Text: You directly relate the concept of "blessed are those who have not seen" to your own experience of gradual faith.
Gradual Conversion: Sharing your journey of starting with Catholic values and then coming to a personal belief in Jesus is a compelling story.
Focus on the Disciples: Highlighting the disciples' story and the power of the resurrection on their lives is insightful.
Richard Colson Quote: The quote by Richard Colson strengthens your point about the transformative power of belief.
Desire for Deeper Faith: Expressing your desire to know Christ more fully and the importance of the resurrection in your life is a beautiful sentiment.
Here are some suggestions for improvement:
Responding to Ridicule: While you don't mention ridicule directly, you could briefly touch upon how a strong foundation in Christ's truth can help navigate potential challenges or doubts.
Fruits of Faith: Perhaps you could elaborate on how your faith has impacted your life beyond protecting you from disillusionment. Does it bring you joy, purpose, or a sense of community?
Overall, your response is a well-written and heartfelt reflection on faith. Incorporating the suggestions above could add another layer of depth.
Here are some additional thoughts:
Sharing Your Story: Consider sharing your story with others who might be on a similar faith journey. It can be encouraging and inspiring.
Continuing the Journey: The desire to know Christ more fully is a lifelong pursuit. There are many resources available for deepening your faith, such as Bible studies, faith-based communities, or spiritual retreats.