John 20:24-29

Ephesians 2:19-22

Psalm 117:1bc, 2

John 20:24-29

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,

was not with them when Jesus came.

So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

But Thomas said to them,

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands

and put my finger into the nailmarks

and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside

and Thomas was with them.

Jesus came, although the doors were locked,

and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,

and bring your hand and put it into my side,

and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I renew my faith in your Son. I humbly ask for help to overcome any unbelief that remains. I trust in you, Lord, and will spend my life in the service of your Kingdom. Grant me your peace.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Jesus Waited: Each encounter with the Risen Jesus has very unique and personal notes. We can ask, “Why did Jesus wait to encounter Thomas?” Jesus could have easily appeared to Thomas on Easter Sunday, wherever he was. Instead, Jesus knew that it was best for Thomas to wait. Thomas was tested all week: Would he believe the other apostles and the women that Jesus appeared to them and was risen from the dead? The longing in his heart to see his Lord built up day after day. And when Jesus appeared, Thomas was ready for his great act of faith: “My Lord and my God!” The story of Thomas teaches us that God knows the times and the places. He knows when we are ready and when we are not. God is gentle, patient, and meek. Love cannot be forced. When God seems to be absent in our lives, we need to be like Thomas and allow the longing for God to grow, so that when he appears we may welcome him as Thomas did. 

2. All Christians are Called to Be Like Thomas: The story of Thomas teaches an important lesson for all those who came after the first generation of Christians who knew and saw Jesus in his earthly life and after his resurrection. Jesus pronounces a blessing upon all those who will not see his resurrected body: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Every Christian who is baptized is welcomed into this faith in the Risen Jesus. When we bring our children to the baptismal font, we are confessing, “My Lord and my God!” And Jesus, from heaven, sees our act of faith, and pours out his blessing upon us and our family.

3. Bringing the Gospel to India: Thomas the Apostle eventually made his way to India some two decades after his encounter with the Risen Jesus. Tradition holds that after evangelizing in Syria and Persia, he arrived in Western India, at Muziris in present-day Kerala, around A.D. 52. He established seven churches over the course of two decades. He was martyred near Madras around A.D. 72. Stories are told of how he performed miracles before members of the Brahmin caste to demonstrate the truth of the Gospel he preached. He worked to bring the people from idolatry to the worship of the God of Jesus Christ.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you know me better than I know myself. You know the depths of my heart. Grant me true knowledge so that I may better serve my brothers and sisters. Help me to know my strengths and my weaknesses, and where I need your grace.

Living the Word of God: Could I spend some time getting to know the world’s major religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism)? How are they similar and how do they differ? How does each of them characterize the path to “salvation” and our relationship to the divine or transcendent? Does this knowledge of the major world religions make me appreciate what Jesus has revealed about our filial relationship with God the Father and the path of faith working through love that leads to the glory of eternal life?