Never Any Doubt

Gospel: John 20: 24-29

John is the only Gospel writer to record this story of doubting Thomas, the reading for today's feast.  There is good reason for John having this story: he stands as the last eyewitness to the words and deeds of Jesus.  At John's passing, the entire Christian community will now be composed of those who did not witness the words and deeds of the Lord directly.  It is a monumental transition.  

So this early Christian community needs reassurance.  Previously, they had simply gone to these eyewitnesses for assurance.  The story of Thomas provides them with a sense of assurance: blessed indeed are those who have not seen and yet believe.  To be an eyewitness is indeed a privilege, but that same faith can be had even by those who did not see and hear directly the Lord Jesus while on earth.

It is for this reason that the Gospels were written.  By daily reading and meditation on the Gospels we too can participate in these scenes.  We too can see and hear the words and deeds of Jesus by putting ourselves in these stories, experiencing the Lord at work then and in our own life today.  Then, we too can say with Thomas, "My Lord and my God!" 

Avoiding the Storm

Gospel: Matthew 8: 23-27

The two men who did not ultimately get into the boat to follow Jesus to the other shore find themselves on shore watching the storm, perhaps even seeing the boat cast about.  Imagine them saying to one another: "Good thing we didn't get into that boat! Look what we avoided!"  Such an attitude is representative of one who has not crossed to the other shore, one who has not sought enlightenment and illumination.

To enter the boat to cross over to the other shore is not to look for storms and deliberately head into them.  It is instead to be open to the possibility of their occurring, to take the risk of being vulnerable, and to sail onward in spite of the storm.  It is to discover our faith and what it is made of in the midst of the storm, to see if we are fearing disciples or calm, peaceful Jesus asleep in the midst of the storm.  To remain on shore and never discover this reality about ourselves is an unenlightened, dark path of self-interest.  

If we have accepted the invitation to enter the boat, we have opened ourselves up to this vulnerability of the storm.  We are now invited to discern what our spiritual state is in the midst of the storm.  We may indeed hear the rebuke of the Lord for having a weak faith, but we are in the boat still making the journey, still open to vulnerability - and still open to grow, to be enlightened and illuminated by the experience.   

Across the Lake

Gospel: Matthew 8: 18-22

Throughout the Gospels there is the continual travel across the Sea of Galilee to "the other shore." Movement across bodies of water represent enlightenment, insight, and illumination in the spiritual life.  The invitation to cross over to the other shore is an invitation to advance in the spiritual life, to grow deeper in one's relationship with God and others.

As in the Gospel so in life we find people who claim to want to make this trip but find reason to avoid it.  The scribe is so wedded to tradition that he thinks tradition is God and so cannot achieve any new insight or illumination.  The disciple thinks his own work is that of God and cannot see beyond his own self-interest.  Neither can accept the invitation to cross over to the other shore; neither can find enlightenment and a deeper relationship with God.

The journey across the sea will involve experiencing the storm at sea and the challenge of walking on water.  These are necessary challenges to our faith, essential to illumination and intimate relationship with the Lord.  What is on the other shore is less important than the lessons we learn along the way, for the journey itself provides enlightenment, illumination, a deeper relationship with God and one another - and that is the other shore itself.