Saint Thomas’ Doubt: An Entry Point

Caitlan Rangel reflects on how Saint Thomas’ doubt is an entry point to deeper life with Jesus.

When my husband and I were in Rome for our honeymoon ten years ago, we went to Mass on July 3, the feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle. After Mass, my husband said, “I love Saint Thomas the Apostle.”

I was surprised and intrigued by this fun fact I had just learned about my beloved. I responded, “Really, why?”

My husband said, “Because he had the courage to voice his doubt and then it led to greater faith” (or something along those lines).

God is so good for giving us relatable saints. We may be attracted to a saint because of similarities we have with them—a similar struggle, state of life, or hobby. We might flee to a certain saint because of their ability to intercede in a particular and powerful way—Saint Monica for those who have left the faith, Saint Peregrine for those who have cancer, Saint Lucy for those with eye ailments, just to name a few.

I think the saints attract us for a deeper reason still. The lives of the saints never stop at their singular stories. The lives of the saints always reveal something more about God. They are an entry point to deeper life, love, and freedom.

So, now we get to Saint Thomas. We could of course stop with the consolation that Saint Thomas doubted just like we do. Thanks be to God for that. But, if we continue on, seeking after what Thomas reveals to us about Jesus, what would we find? How is Thomas’ doubt an entry point to deeper life with Jesus?

In Scripture, we find that Jesus appears to the fearful disciples when Thomas isn’t there.

Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)

Jesus shows the disciples His wounds and they rejoice!

Thomas, not present for the great event, doubts their witness and stubbornly (or cynically) states that without seeing Jesus’ wounds for himself, he “will not believe” (John 20:25).

What does the Lord do?

First, Jesus comes to Thomas the same way He did for the other disciples.

Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” (John 20:26-27)

Jesus speaks directly to Thomas. And Thomas famously exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

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The lives of the saints always reveal something more about God. They are an entry point to deeper life, love, and freedom. #CatholicMom

We may approach Saint Thomas because we empathize with his doubt. But if we let Saint Thomas take our hand and lead us past the entry point, we encounter Jesus, who came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Who stood with Thomas in his doubt and allowed that doubt to be transformed to faith through the intimate invitation to “put your finger here and see my hands …”

We meet Jesus who doesn’t leave us locked up in our rooms of fear and doubt. We meet Jesus who stands with us in all the messiness of our lives—in our insecurities and vulnerability, in our kitchens with crumbs and dirt on the floor, in our workplaces with politics and insecurity, in our families full of love and challenging dynamics.

In Saint Thomas’ doubt, we find a relatable saint. Let’s not stop there. Let’s walk with Thomas through that entry point into a room where Jesus meets us. Where Christ walks toward us, stands with us, looks deeply at us, and speaks peace.

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