Every time he opens his online daily meditation he sees a detail
of The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, c. 1601-1602, by Caravaggio.
Thomas, using the index finger of his right hand, lifts back
the flap on the wound in the side of Jesus. Thomas needs to
see and touch before he will believe that the one before him is
the crucified Jesus. Jesus grants the request but qualifies it by
saying that those who believe without seeing are blessed. The
man thinks that sounds a lot like it was written a lot later and
put into Jesus’ mouth by someone who couldn’t see or touch
but who was a member of one of the many, many communities
of those who believe the mystery. The man likes Thomas, under-
stands Thomas, is Thomas. He likes the scientific method of
testing and observing over and over and over and tentatively
affirming until it is disproved. He sees himself using the index
finger of his left hand to lift the flap on the wound of whatever
it is he is examining. He peers deeply into the wound, he smells
the dried blood, he sees the internal organs and then he feels
the mystery of the spirit flow from the wound and engulf his
head seeping into his nostrils, causing his eyes to water, creat-
ing a ringing in his ears. Yes, he relies on and trusts the tools
of investigation but, still and even better, like the Johnny
Come Lately of the community of mystery, he loves the myster-
ious spirit of life which he inhales deeply.