Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe
because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Because faith is hard work, we often look for easier ways to manage it. We suppose, with Saint Thomas, that we might believe if we had proof of the various doctrines of faith. Even those who practice religion forget how difficult it is. They argue with coworkers and friends and their siblings, “If you would just go to church…” or “pray…” or “read this book you would believe as I do.”
I like to do crosswords and Sudoku. Those
puzzles are solved by progress from the known to the unknown. With each box answered
correctly the solution becomes clearer. If only life were like that! But the
reason we enjoy games like that is precisely because they are not like life;
they provide a respite from the daily anxiety of
faith.
Traditional science also moves from
known to unknown by way of small, incremental discoveries. Scientists
accumulate facts with the hope they will lead to better theories and, ultimately, to the Truth. That method has been so
successful in hard science we wonder why we can’t use it for the challenges of
life outside the laboratory.
But there is no spiritual shortcut for
the one who would move from known facts to an unknown faith in God. Grasping at
facts is precisely the wrong way forward.
Facts are not persons; they are
impersonal. That’s why they are so attractive, and why they cannot substitute
for faith. They can be grasped, managed, defined, analyzed and re-analyzed, interpreted,
explained and dismissed. You can’t do any of that with a person who stands
before you, as Jesus stood before Thomas.
The worse tendency of the Pharisees
(and of Christians) is to depersonalize God. They reduce God to rules, rituals,
creeds, beliefs and opinions. They stare at icons, statues and symbols but do
not see the Lord through these sacramental signs.
He -- the Lord -- won’t stand for it! Neither will
life, which is continually demanding a savior. Caught between God and Life the Pharisee
prevaricates, hesitates, stalls for time. Terrified, she tries to maintain control of the situation even as Jesus is
saying “Come to me” and Life is saying “Go to him!”
Finally, when Jesus slams the door on
signs – “No sign will be given” -- we must turn to him like Saint Thomas and say, “My Lord and my God!”
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.