Daily Retreat 07/03/09
2009 Jul 3 Fri:Thomas, ap F
Eph 2: 19-22/ Ps 116(117): 1bc. 2/ Jn 20: 24-29
From today’s readings: “You are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the capstone.... Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.... Have you come to believe because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed!”
Doubting Thomas
St. Thomas the Apostle is popularly known as “Doubting Thomas” because he refused to believe the testimony of the other ten apostles to whom Jesus had appeared on the evening of Easter Sunday. Even though the “doubting” appellative generally evokes a negative connotation (the chastisement for lack of faith), we shouldn’t overlook the positive aspects of Thomas’ incredulity.
In fact, his initial disbelief established a firm anchor for our own belief! You may have heard of those imbecilic biblical interpreters who deny the historicity of Christ’s resurrection, claiming instead that the apostles merely suffered the delusion of “wishing thinking” and therefore had some fantasy or psychotic experience of Jesus as “living again” in their own minds and hearts.
But the irrationality of such a fabrication is exposed by the very rationality of the doubt raised by Thomas! The death of Jesus was a crushing blow for all of the apostles - none of them possessed such an unrealistic obstinate optimism that they needed to, or would have even been able to, somehow collectively dream up the resurrection to “prove” that their messianic hopes were not unfounded.
On the contrary, when Mary Magdalene and the other woman witnesses initially reported the empty tomb and the angelic testimony, the apostles completely dismissed their account and refused to believe. In fact, in addition to Thomas’ doubt recorded in the gospel of St. John, the natural initial skepticism of all the apostles is also clearly attested to in the other three gospels: Matthew 28:17; Mark 16:11-14; Luke 24:11,37. Such doubt could only be overcome by the most convincing of proofs! While the details are given only about what Thomas demanded (and received) in order to believe, in His resurrected glory, Christ evidently provided each apostle with the undoubtable evidence needed to establish the redoubtable faith that gave birth to the indubitable, irrefutable testimony of martyrdom!
Especially throughout this Year for Priests, consider the ways God will use you to strengthen the holiness of priests - please pray for priests and future priestly vocations every day, and do your part in this Year for Priests!
Eph 2: 19-22/ Ps 116(117): 1bc. 2/ Jn 20: 24-29
From today’s readings: “You are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the capstone.... Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.... Have you come to believe because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed!”
Doubting Thomas
St. Thomas the Apostle is popularly known as “Doubting Thomas” because he refused to believe the testimony of the other ten apostles to whom Jesus had appeared on the evening of Easter Sunday. Even though the “doubting” appellative generally evokes a negative connotation (the chastisement for lack of faith), we shouldn’t overlook the positive aspects of Thomas’ incredulity.
In fact, his initial disbelief established a firm anchor for our own belief! You may have heard of those imbecilic biblical interpreters who deny the historicity of Christ’s resurrection, claiming instead that the apostles merely suffered the delusion of “wishing thinking” and therefore had some fantasy or psychotic experience of Jesus as “living again” in their own minds and hearts.
But the irrationality of such a fabrication is exposed by the very rationality of the doubt raised by Thomas! The death of Jesus was a crushing blow for all of the apostles - none of them possessed such an unrealistic obstinate optimism that they needed to, or would have even been able to, somehow collectively dream up the resurrection to “prove” that their messianic hopes were not unfounded.
On the contrary, when Mary Magdalene and the other woman witnesses initially reported the empty tomb and the angelic testimony, the apostles completely dismissed their account and refused to believe. In fact, in addition to Thomas’ doubt recorded in the gospel of St. John, the natural initial skepticism of all the apostles is also clearly attested to in the other three gospels: Matthew 28:17; Mark 16:11-14; Luke 24:11,37. Such doubt could only be overcome by the most convincing of proofs! While the details are given only about what Thomas demanded (and received) in order to believe, in His resurrected glory, Christ evidently provided each apostle with the undoubtable evidence needed to establish the redoubtable faith that gave birth to the indubitable, irrefutable testimony of martyrdom!
Especially throughout this Year for Priests, consider the ways God will use you to strengthen the holiness of priests - please pray for priests and future priestly vocations every day, and do your part in this Year for Priests!
posted by FrPitstick | 6/23/2009
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