Hope Rising
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:24-25) Doubting Thomas. For centuries, Christians have affixed this ignominious nickname to the one disciple of Jesus who wasn't in the room the first time Jesus appeared to his followers after the Resurrection. When I was a kid, I was taught this story as a cautionary tale about how I shouldn't doubt when it came to my faith. But now when I read it, I don't see Thomas in that light at all. When you go back a couple of chapters in the story we find Jesus telling his followers that he was heading to Jerusalem even though there were people there who wanted to kill him. And then Thomas tel...