How many statements of incredulity can you come up with when something of a surprising nature is spoken to you? Believing, believe me, is not an easy response. “No way!” “get out of here!” “You’re pulling my leg.” “Show me!” “You’re just talking through your hat.” I counted twenty-three. The favorite in our home, used frequently by my father was, “Don’t talk like a sausage!” Don’t ask me, we took it as the final word.

Doubting Thomas is celebrated on this his feastday, today, as one who came late to the first Easter celebration, but was present for the second The surviving ten were gathered in fear and Jesus appeared offering them “peace” and forgiveness, then His Body, and then His mission. They, actually did not believe, but knew, had evidence, they saw, heard and rejoiced.

Thomas, you might ponder where he had been and what he had been doing, is with the band of brothers this week later. Jesus again has risen to raise them and this time Thomas. Jesus welcomes him and offers the same physical evidence and he finds proof, and so is convinced, surrenders to what he knows.

Blessed are those who know that they don’t know, but live having heard what the Apostles were sent to speak.

Here’s something I speak to you for your believing. Objects are thingies which invite our senses to grasp in various ways and so figure them out. Observation moves to analysis and to a sense of control, limited though it might be.  To objectify can be another stpe in which I define, give a name to, and so by my name for it, I control it for my purpose.

What we ponder in our Christian faith is God, a divine Subject and not an object. Subjects are mysterious mysteries which are not for complete understanding nor control. God is not for total understanding, though our minds long for that.

The Apostles never did quite figure Jesus out, did not get quick and easy answers, but they learned to live by the sight of faith and not the sight of comforting, total assurance. Today we celebrate our encouragement from just how Thomas was sent into the mystery of his life, because he surrendered to the mystery of God-Made-Flesh, Jesus our Sender into our own mysteries and those of God. This is our faith and we are proud to confess it. “Are you kidding me?”