Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

John 20:28

I love this painting called “Doubting,” John Granville Gregory’s 2010 version of Caravaggio’s painting “The Incredulity of Saint Thomas” of 1602. Even in the midst of our faith, I can say with confidence, many of us still doubt from time to time.  I was quite inspired by Veronica’s sermon last Sunday when she talked about Jesus appearing to the disciples behind their locked doors.  May we take heart in these days of COVID-19 that Jesus meets us behind our locked doors as we shelter in place.  In the midst of worldwide trauma, distress and doubt, may we still find hope and trust in the presence of Jesus in our midst.

Here’s a beautiful poem written by a fellow seminarian and colleague:

These things did Thomas hold for real:
the warmth of blood, the chill of steel,
the grain of wood, the heft of stone,
the last frail twitch of blood and bone.

His brittle certainties denied
that one could live when one had died,
until his fingers read like Braille
the markings of the spear and nail.

May we, O God, by grace believe
and, in believing, still receive
the Christ who held His raw palms out
and beckoned Thomas from his doubt.

– Thomas Troeger