This text speaks to Thomas’ doubt but he was not the only one still needing the reassurance of the resurrection. Thomas and the other disciples were all gathered together behind locked doors. In our own times of pain and woundedness, we are likely to isolate ourselves, to protect ourselves from the perceived threats to our safety.
We hear in this gospel text that Jesus is not stopped by our locked doors. Just as he came to his disciples, so he comes to us no matter our anxiety, fear, doubt, pain and confusion. He comes to breathe the peace of the Holy Spirit into our lives. He comes to heal us. As a matter of fact, Jesus keeps on coming back, daily, weekly just as he came back for Thomas, a week later. He continues to
break down the locked doors of our safe houses and sends us out into the world to share the gifts of life and peace that he brings.
Jesus did not rebuke Thomas but rather his response was a blessing, a blessing to Thomas and to all those who will come to believe without having seen. St Ignatius of Loyola said “When I believe it, I’ll see it”. So too, we believe without having the benefit of an in-person encounter with Jesus but we encounter him daily in all that we see and do, in the Scriptures and in the sharing of the
Eucharist.
