The Touch of Faith

~~~ Ephesians 2: 19-22 ~~~ Psalm 117 ~~~ John 20:24-29 ~~~

...blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe...

It struck me today listening to the gospel reading about St. Thomas how he is representing us in so many ways. Even though Thomas, being one of the twelve, had a personal relationship with Jesus it was not enough.

No matter how close we think we are to God there are times in our life when we need more. The hemorrhagic woman needed only to touch the hem of Jesus' garment, but that would not have satisfied the needs of Thomas. Thomas, for whatever reason, needed to touch the physical body of Jesus.

Thomas had had many encounters with Jesus. Thomas had walked many roads with Jesus. Thomas had dined beside Jesus. Thomas had seen the lame walk, the blind see, the leper cured. Still, he needed more proof to believe in the Resurrection.

Are we not the same way? We have signs of the presence of God all around us each day, but often we want more. The hemorrhagic woman believed without the benefit of having witnessed together with the apostles the sheer power of God.

This woman believed because of what she had heard from others; not what she had seen with her own eyes.

There are no limits to what God will do to help dissolve our unbelief.

He gives us the grace every day to increase our faith; if we but open our hearts.

Thomas did not have an app capable of receiving a real time picture from Peter of Jesus standing in their midst. Thomas wanted to believe, but his doubt was too overwhelming. He did not want to be singled out among the others by Jesus.

Jesus reached out to Thomas knowing he was struggling with his faith. Jesus, himself, wanted to increase Thomas' faith.

In our human frailty we are all looking for signs of the presence of God.

We want to touch God, but we also want to be touched by God.

We go through all sorts of rituals to set the stage if you will for a personal encounter with the Lord. But this is exactly where our hearts can become troubled. If we do not have a physically moving emotional experience we set ourselves up to doubt his presence. If we never have a touching emotional experience in our prayer life it does not mean that God is not present.

God is with us remember, Emmanuel? He touches us even if we are not falling to the ground. God can touch you with the gift of profound inner peace.

In the silent recesses of our heart God can deeply touch us. He can heal our brokenness from a distance without trembling and shaking or bells and whistles.

As I was recently reminded; when we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist he is so with us in the true living sense.

We have been provided this week two different yet similar stories of faith.

Which one do most connect with...the hemorrhagic woman who touched his hem

from behind in a crowd or Thomas who came face to face with Jesus

surrounded by his small community of followers?

In both instances Jesus was the source for their increase of faith.

It is Jesus who knows best what we need to believe and often

it is not what 'we' thought at all.

Each time you receive Eucharist respond with a strong 'Amen'

and in your heart say 'I do believe'. We are blessed beyond comprehension

 with his presence in the Eucharist. We are allowed to touch him

in the palm of our hands...on our tongue...and in our being.

Lift your hands up to believe again each time you receive.

As Paul says, we "are no longer strangers and sojourners,

but fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God..."

"...you also are being built into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

You are invited to 'Go out to all of the world and tell the Good News."

(Mark 16:15)

God has done great things for you.

...blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe...

Skip past the opening add to access the music
I Lift My Hands
Chris Tomlin
http://youtu.be/dbNK50T35wY