Believing is Seeing

Believing is seeing.   by Romano Guardini
Thomas declared "unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my fingers  were his nails were,  and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it. "John 20:25
 
Romano Guardini is a prolific author recommended by EWTN.  In St. Thomas’ case, Seeing was believing for him.  Jesus in His Divine Mercy appears to St. Thomas a week after Easter to show him His wounds from the Crucifixion.  This photo is The Doubting Thomas photo painting by Carvagio

Also known as Saint Thomas Putting his Finger on Christ's Wound. Thomas is one of Jesus' twelve apostles. When Jesus shows himself to his followers after his resurrection, Thomas refuses to believe that this man really is his master. He demands evidence. Jesus shows him the wound caused by a Roman soldier's lance before his crucifixion. He invites Thomas to put his finger on it. Caravaggio shows that Thomas soon casts aside all doubt.  Enjoy this writing from Romano Guardini, and Happy Divine Mercy Sunday!

Thomas appears to have been a realist –  reserved,  cool,  perhaps a little obstinate. the days went by, and disciples one of living under the this considerable tension . 
 
Thomas was standing a hair’s breadth away from a diversity and perdition he was not at all blessed. Blessed indeed are “Those who have not seen, and yet have learned to believe!” Those who asked for no miracles, demand nothing out of the ordinary, but those who find God’s message in everyday life. Those who require no compelling prints, but know that everything coming from God must remain in a certain ultimate suspense, so that they may never ceased to require daring. Those who know that the heart is not overcome by feet, that there is no force or violence there, compelling belief by rigid certitudes. What comes from God touches gently, comes quietly; does not disturb freedom; leads to quiet, profound, peaceful resolve within the heart.
 
And those were called blessed to make the effort to remain open hearted. Who seek to cleanse their hearts of all self-righteousness, obstinacy, presumption, inclination to “know better” were quick to hear, humble, free-spirited. Who are able to find God’s message in the gospel for the day, or even from sermons of preachers with no message a particular, or in phrases from the law that they have heard 1000 times, phrases with no quality of charismatic power about them, or in the happenings of everyday life which always end up the same way: work and rest, anxiety – and then again some kind of success some joy in encounter and the sorrow blessed are those who can see the Lord in all these things!
Another week and they were together again in the house and this time Thomas was with them .the same thing repeated itself.  Jesus passed through the closed doors, stepped into their midst, and spoke:  "peace be upon you !"  Then He called the man who is struggling against faith: 
 
 "Let me have thy finger. See, here are my hands. Let me have thy hand; put it into my side. Seaside doubting and believe!” At this point Thomas was overwhelmed. The truth of it all came home to him this man standing before him, so moving, arousing 60 feelings within him, this man so full of history, so different from all the other men – He is the very same one they used to be together with, who was put to death a short time ago. And Thomas surrendered: “thou art my Lord and my God!” Thomas believed.
 
Then we come upon the strange words: “and Jesus said to him,” ‘Thou Hast Learned to Believe, Thomas, Because Thou Hast. Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen, and yet Have Learned to Believe!”
 
Such Words These Are Really Extraordinary! Thomas Believed Because He Saw. But Our Lord Did Not Call Him West He Had to Be Allowed to “see,” to see the hands and the side, and to touch the blessed wounds, yet he was not blessed!
 
Perhaps Thomas had a narrow escape from a great danger. He wanted proof, wanted to see and touch, but then, to, it might have been rebellion deep within him, the vainglory of an intelligence that would not surrender of sluggishness and coldness of heart. He got what he asked for: a look at the touch. But it must have been a concession he deplored having received, what he thought of it afterwards he could have believed and been saved, not because he got what he demanded: he couldn’t believe because God mercy had touched his heart in giving him the grace of interior vision, the gift of opening of the heart, and of its surrender
 
God can also let him stay with the words he had spoken in that state of unbelief woodcuts itself off from everything, that insist on human evidence to become convinced. In that case he would have remained a nonbeliever and gone on his way. In that state external seeing and touching would not have helped him at all, he simply would have called it a delusion. Nothing that comes from God even the greatest miracle. Can be proven like to times two equals four. It touches one, it is only seen and grasp when the heart is open in the spirit purged of self. Then it awakens faith. But when these conditions are not present, there are always reasons we found to stay solemnly and impressively but it is all delusion, or that such and such so because some other thing is so or the excuse that is always handy: we cannot explain it yet the future will enlighten us about it!

Plough Publishing House, 2003:  Bread & Wine:  Readings for Lent and Easter.
            Orbis Books, Maryknoll, NY