Life seemed so much more simpler when we were little. We could play for hours and many of us did not have a worry in the world. I would be foolish to say that is the case universally because I know that other countries and even here in Canada with high child poverty rates, children suffer. Generally though, my own childhood was one of playing outdoors in a safe neighbourhood, hanging out with friends and family, walking to school, skating on a rink with or without a hockey stick, playing with dolls, climbing trees, jumping double dutch, reading for hours on end, occasionally hitting home runs, and other carefree activities. If we had fears or distress, we often did not dwell on them but moved beyond them easier than we do now.

As an adult, I resonate with Thomas’ unbelief in today’s Gospel. Poor Thomas to me always got a bad rap. I understand him. Overcome with his grief, he needs proof of this crazy miraculous event. The others were able to see it but they had not believed the women when they were first told either. We are slow to believe in miracles but I do believe in them. In fact, I believe if we are searching for God in all things, it becomes almost impossible not to see miracles all around us every single day. Jesus wishes Thomas peace and that is perhaps when we need to see God most–when we cannot find peace. As adults we may not have the carefree life we did as children but we could capture that sense more often if in the storms of life we became like little children and trusted in God.

If we are citizens with the saints and members of the household of God (Ephesians 2.19), can we claim our peaceful childhood existence again? Is it possible to know that God.has.this and release it to the Loving Creator whose plans for us are a future with hope? We are all non-believers at some point when it comes to bad news that may have just turned into good news. When it becomes the Good News though, we want to pay attention. When right before our eyes, a miracle is unfolding, we need to stay focused on God and not let the darkness strip away the joy and amazement. We need to revel in the awe and be grateful. Whether it is an illness that we have been healed of, a job that we never thought possible, a relationship that survived the rough spots, or an opportunity of a lifetime that drops into our laps, doubt is our enemy and does not come from God. The Psalm is clear today: Go out to all the world and tell the good news. Let’s practice that and see if anything changes inside of us.

Reflection Questions:

When were you unable to believe in a miracle? What caused you to finally accept that it was true?

Peace,

Suzanne