In today’s Gospel we hear John the Baptist asking Jesus, are you the one who is to come, or are we to look for another? Some have been concerned about these remarks because they seem to suggest that John the Baptist had doubts about Jesus. It is suggested that John asked this question not for his sake but for the sake of the disciples. He was sure as to who Jesus was, but his disciples were not so sure.
It may also be that John asked this question because he wanted to hurry Jesus to take decisive action. Remember that initially people were expecting that Jesus would establish his kingdom in the manner that worldly kingdoms were established.
At the same time John was in a stark, very uncomfortable cell, so one could imagine why he was hoping that Jesus would establish his kingdom soon.
And so how does Jesus answer? He points to what was happening, the good news of his ministry, “the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up”.
It has been said that where there is great faith, there can also be doubt. If all were certain, there would be no place for faith. As St. Thomas Moore said, “common sense would make us believers and greed would make us saints.”
In history even some of the greatest saints, such as St. Jane Frances Chantel, St. Paul of the Cross, St. Theresa of Lisieux, and St. Theresa of Calcutta, struggled with doubt.
One should not be afraid of moments of doubt. The message of the Gospel is that it is ok to doubt, but the truth is that Jesus is in fact the Messiah and he continues to be present among us.
The good news of the Gospel is real. It is our challenge to not let our doubts hold us back from living the Gospel in our time, our families, our communities.
Image: “many doubts” by enki22 is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.