What is Faith for Caravaggio's Doubting Thomas ---- By Fr Joseph Tham , LC
This masterpiece portrays the scene of “doubting Thomas” putting his fingers into the wound of Christ’s side. Caravaggio, with his chiaroscuro technique, exaggerates this gesture to provoke emotional responses of both fascination and repulsion from the viewers. The ephemeral Risen One retains the scars of his passion. In these brushstrokes, the finger juxtaposes the physical sense of touch with a religious sense of faith. The unchanging God reveals his changed humanity, intangible faith meets tangible doubt, and the Lamb that was slain is alive! Caravaggio invites us to explore the paradox of faith and unbelief, spirituality and carnality, and our woundedness in Christ’s wound.
