Mercy for the Sceptic

A Reflection on the Gospel for April 19th, 2020:
​Divine Mercy Sunday

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John 20.19-31

It was evening on the day Jesus rose from the dead, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas, who was called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

After eight days his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

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Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

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Here’s a thing about me: I’m a sceptic. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a sceptic is “habitually inclined rather to doubt than to believe any assertion … that comes before him,” “a seeker after truth,” “an inquirer who has not yet arrived at definite convictions.” That describes me pretty well. Am I this way by nature or nurture? I’d have to say it’s a little of Column A, and a little of Column B. Either way, scepticism is ingrained in me, but it is not one of the traits people love most about me.


Now, while I may be a sceptic, I’m not a cynic. Rather than ridicule others or dismiss their beliefs, I respect people whose beliefs differ from mine. (As the saying goes, it would be a strange world if everyone were the same.) What I value most is the opportunity to make up my own mind, to test the evidence of a thing before I am expected to believe it. It should come as no surprise then that I have a special place in my heart for the Apostle Thomas — you know, Doubting Thomas.


In the Gospel for this Sunday, John tells us that, at a time when Thomas was not with them, the crucified Jesus — alive again — appeared. And when the disciples told Thomas this, he said he’d believe it only when he could see it for himself.


John does not explain why Thomas adopted this mindset. Could it be that he thought they were lying? I don’t think so. As a member of a group in hiding from the Jews, it seems very clear to me that Thomas would trust the others with his life. Was Thomas simply feeble in his faith? Nothing suggests he was any less faithful than the other apostles. But he did doubt, and because of this history has judged him harshly.


But Jesus, in a way that warms my heart, did not single Thomas out for condemnation. When He appeared again, Thomas was present. Jesus invited Thomas to touch His wounds and said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” If we read this carefully, it’s clear that Jesus wasn’t actually just speaking to Thomas. Wasn’t He speaking to all of the disciples, who just the week before were standing in Thomas’ shoes, doubtful and cast down?


Later, Thomas went to India, establishing a Christian community that remains alive today. This is not the legacy of a doubter. His was a moment of scepticism. He just needed to see it for himself.


I’ve been in Thomas’ shoes too. Many times. And never — never — has Jesus ever wagged His finger at me or called me weak or shamed me for disappointing Him. Instead He meets me in my doubt, blesses me with His peace, and shows me who He is and the glory of all that He can do. And I am convinced, because I have seen it for myself.




Donna Davis

Photo by Jackson David on Unsplash

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