Believe

“I believe; help my unbelief!” The line comes from the Gospel of Mark. It’s the cry of a father whose son has been ill since childhood, and it may be the most honest profession of faith in the whole Bible. It reminds us that believing isn’t a switch you flip once and forget. That verb, hesitations and all, is what a believe emoji would have to carry.

Every Sunday, the congregation recites the Creed, whose first Latin word, Credo, means precisely “I believe.” We say it in the singular, even standing among two hundred people: nobody can believe on their neighbor’s behalf. Thomas, for his part, wanted to see before he believed. Jesus doesn’t send him away; he shows him his hands, then adds: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Thomas’s doubt has done many believers a favor ever since.

How do you draw trust? Perhaps a foot stepping onto a bridge whose far end you can’t see, a hand reaching into the fog, a small flame holding steady in the wind. 🙏 says prayer, ✝️ says belonging; what’s missing is a sign for “I trust, even without understanding everything.” If you can picture it, send it in.