Beyond Doubt
What would it take to be free of all doubts?
While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, ‘You must say, “His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.” If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day. Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ - Matthew 28:11-20
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus appears to the eleven and even though they see him and worship him, some have doubts.
What?
I would think those who actually encountered Jesus after his resurrection would have no doubt about who he was. To have no doubts is to be certain, sure, to believe. So, were they still finding it hard to believe?
Even though they doubted, Jesus came to them and charged them with going out into the world to make disciples of all. To do that, don't they need to believe?
Chances are none of us would attempt to evangelize the world if we had even the slightest doubt about Jesus. So, we don't share the Gospel with people we don't know, and we probably don't talk about it too much with people we do know.
But the Gospel teaches us that doubting is natural. Even the apostles doubted in the presence of Christ!
So, maybe we should go on faith and share what we know and what we feel about it.
It might make a difference in someone's life. Even our own.
More to come...