"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail-marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
We've all heard the quote above. And possibly wondered about the context of the quote. In fact the question earned St. Thomas the nickname of Doubting Thomas that we use even today to our friends raise doubts in our 'oh-so-perfect' plans.
Over the past two years I have taken on a role as Guest Faculty at a couple of MBA institutes. As educators, we encourage our students to be curious - to ask as many questions that they like to get a better understanding of the subject. At the same time, a silent fear grips most of us in the case that the student poses a question that we may not be fully prepared with a suitable reply. But when we do share our experience, or answer the question to the satisfaction of the student, and we have an absolute enthusiast to support us.
Thomas raised a question and was challenged by Jesus when he showed him the scars of the Crucifixion and invited him to touch and feel them and see that they were real. Thomas did not need to. Just the invitation was challenge enough for him to see Jesus as what he truly was - My Lord and My God!
And the conviction of the exclamation was so strong that it removed all obstacles to his faith. We in India are indeed fortunate to have as our patron - the Apostle of India - this ordinary man whom we can all relate to in his doubts, fears and challenges. But whose faith drove him to move mountains... rather across the many seas to our far-away land, where he came on his own to proclaim that 'The Lord Is Risen.'
How convinced am I about the Risen Lord? How much trust and hope do I place in Him? While in many places in the Bible, we see people just like us in weakness, we also see the extent that faith takes them to. St. Thomas' faith in God sent him as far as India and beyond to preach the Good News. As we look at the life of Thomas, may we all be motivated to see the Lord and Master as He truly is - My Lord and My God!. And let's be motivated to live our every situation of our lives, in total surrender to this God who "so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life". (John 3:16).
