John 20: 19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Ultimate Victory of Christ
In the four Gospels, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus is revealed to the disciples of Jesus gradually. On the third day after his death and burial, they discover his empty tomb. Then, some of them see and hear mysterious messengers, variously described as young men or angels, who announce to them his resurrection. Finally, he appears to some of them, and they witness him risen bodily from the dead. He eats with them, and, in the case of the Apostle Thomas, he invites them to touch him.
This Sunday, the Gospel reading narrates the story of his appearance to ten of his apostles the evening of the first Easter Sunday. Thomas is absent. A week later he appears again to this group with Thomas present. Jesus converses with Thomas, and Thomas professes his faith in Jesus as his Lord and God. And Jesus proclaims a new “beatitude”: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
The resurrection of the Lord is central to Christian faith and, also, Christian hope. It speaks of the ultimate victory of Christ – of life over death; light over darkness; love over hate; truth over falsehood; peace over violence, conflict, and war; and good over evil – the victory of grace.
—Fr. Bob Hagan, SJ, is a member of a community of senior Jesuits at Saint Ignatius Hall in Black Jack, Missouri. He offers spiritual direction; gives sacramental care to the lay Catholics at the adjacent retirement community; posts reflections on his Facebook site at Bob Hagan SJ; and drives fellow Jesuits who no longer drive wherever they want to go.
Prayer
God of life, source of all faith, through the waters of baptism you have raised us up in Jesus and given us life that endures.
Day by day refine our faith, that we who have not seen the Christ may truly confess him as our Lord and God, and share the blessedness of those who believe.
Grant this through Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
—ICEL Collect for the Second Sunday of Easter