Ephesians 2:19-22
Psalm 117
John 20:24-29
 
Today is the Feast of St. Thomas.  I think of him as my patron saint, not because I am named after him, but because I am a doubter.  My life with God includes dozens of doubts, from whether or not God could really love someone as flawed as I am to whether God really hears my prayers.

In today’s gospel, Thomas doubts the other disciples when they say they have seen Jesus resurrected.  I hear myself saying with Thomas, “Oh, sure. Well I’m just going to have to have a look myself before I believe them.”

Those of us who have doubts, and that is probably everyone at some point, also have a wonderful gift from Jesus: hope.  The gift of hope means that I really can believe without seeing.  I can stop dwelling on my own self-doubts and turn my thoughts from me to God.  God’s love makes no sense in human terms, but is there for us in an unending cascade of love, tenderness, caring and warmth.

Today’s reading from the Ephesians gives us a glimpse of how we, such imperfect humans, can still be touched so deeply by God, by God’s love and by hope.  “You are no longer strangers,” St. Paul writes, “but members of the household of God…”

What a wonderful thought, to be reminded that Jesus has made us members of God’s household.  Household members might include brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and other close relatives.  They are people who live together, get to know each other intimately and despite the many imperfections, still love each other.  Paul’s words invite us to a deep awareness of who we are in God’s family: family members who are known in a very personal way, flaws and all.  We are people who are intimately known but even more intimately loved and connected with God in a deep way.

Today, with Thomas, we are invited to remember how loved we are even in our doubts and to embrace Jesus warmly as we greet him, “My Lord and my God!”