Helen Keller, who was both deaf and blind, once said something which is at the heart of our feast today: “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched—they must be felt with the heart.”

Thomas, one of the Twelve (Apostles), could not believe the story told him that Jesus, their Master, who died on the cross, was alive and appeared to the other apostles. And, reading this account, some of us may perhaps jump to condemning him; after all, we think, he was a close friend of the Lord so he should have believed what Jesus said before that he would be killed by his enemies but after three days he would rise again.

The fact is, perhaps all of us would have shown the same skepticism and doubt that Thomas had and, we, too, would have demanded the same proofs. When Jesus appears again, with Thomas now present, he declares to Thomas in words like: “It is good that you have believed because you have seen; but more blessed are those who, even though not seeing, still believe.”

And it cannot be otherwise, because faith, as the Letter to the Hebrews says, “is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen” (11:1). The object of faith is unseen, otherwise, there would be no need of faith when all things are manifest.

So, despite our initial disappointment with Thomas, we can also praise him for his explicit and loud proclamation of faith upon seeing Jesus and the marks of his crucifixion: “My Lord and my God!” (v 28).

Gospel • 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.”

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2026,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.