“Doubting Thomas” is often the moniker for Thomas Didymus (Twin). He represents the disciples who seek to understand beyond intellectual reasoning. St. Anselm of Canterbury struggled with the question of “faith seeking understanding” where one begins with faith in God and, on the basis of that faith, moves on to further understanding of Christian truth.

For the ordinary Christian, however, faith unfolds after passing through the “crisis of faith.” Pope Francis offers this reflection: “Crises are not sins, they are part of the journey, we should not fear them. Many times, they make us humble because they strip us of the idea that we are fine, that we are better than others.

Crises help us to recognize that we are needy: they rekindle the need for God and thus enable us to return to the Lord, to touch his wounds, to experience his love anew as if it were the first time... Jesus does not give up, he does not get tired of us, he is not afraid of our crises, our weaknesses. He always comes back: when the doors are closed, he comes back; when we are in doubt, he comes back... he comes back showing us his wounds, signs of his love that has espoused our frailties” (Regina Coeli Reflections, 24 April 2022).

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.”