We are not as privileged as St. Thomas the Apostle who, upon touching the nail marks and scars of Jesus, expressed his faith saying: “My Lord and my God.” But we are also blessed by the words of Jesus to Thomas the Apostle: “You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn. 20:21).
There are many things we believe in, not because we have seen them but because of the credibility of witnesses or the writers of history. For example, the existence one time of people who have already passed away, like our national heroes. You believe you were born even if you did not see your actual birth.
I still remember when, as a student of philosophy, I entertained some doubts concerning certain tenets of our Catholic faith. When I went to confession to a priest faculty in our University (UST), about that same topic, he answered me: Just consider all those thousands and millions who believe in Jesus Christ. You cannot say they are all out of their minds. So we may remember what was once said, “You can fool some of the people all the time; all the people, sometimes; but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” For those who believe no evidence is necessary, for those who do not, no evidence is enough. That may be the reason for Jesus’ commentary, how important it is to have that simplicity, humility and sincerity of a little child that takes things as they are without the complications posed by the skeptics or learned rationalists. “I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 18:1-4). Surely this must be one important characteristic element since it conditions entrance or non-entrance to God’s kingdom. The Christian faith exerts no external force or pressure on its believers except the simple truth.
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