Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. – 1 Peter 1:8-9
Last week we considered how we can come to believe in the Risen Christ without seeing Him face-to-face. Belief should not be limited to our human senses, such as sight and touch. This week, we see how Thomas doubted Jesus’s Resurrection: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).
Thomas came to believe through a profound personal encounter with Jesus: “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.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (27-28). Thomas needed to have physical proof of Jesus, and our Lord was gracious enough to give that to him. But it came with a reproval: “Jesus said to him, ‘Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed’” (29).
We are the ones who are blessed in this way. We have not seen Jesus except through the eyes of faith. We can see or feel most of the things of this world. Eternal things are invisible, untouchable: love, our souls, our loved ones who have passed to eternal life, the Lord Himself. Our belief in the eternal is granted by God. St. Paul describes faith this way “we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). God is the one who opens our eyes. If we allow Him to, He can flood the very center of our being with the light and truth of the Holy Spirit.
There is one big exception to this rule, but even this must be seen with the eyes of faith opened (see Ephesians 1:18). We can see, touch, and taste Jesus fully present in the Blessed Sacrament. He is there waiting for us to receive Him in all His goodness.
Jesus, let me taste and see Your goodness in the Eucharist (Psalm 34:8). Increase my faith, hope, love, and joy day after day as I receive You.
