Today’s Gospel of John, combines two scenes: Jesus appearing to His disciples after the Resurrection and His dialogue with Thomas, the disciple who doubted. Part of the mystery of Jesus’ resurrection is that He appeared to the disciples not as a spirit but in bodily form.

Earlier in John’s Gospel, when Mary of Magdala first encountered the risen Jesus, she did not recognize the figure before her until Jesus spoke to her. In Luke’s Gospel, the disciples walking on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus until He broke bread with them. Jesus appeared to His frightened disciples giving them the gifts of Peace and the Holy Spirit. He commissioned them to continue His work.

Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, who was not in the room when Jesus appeared told the other disciples that he would not believe their encounter until he saw the mark of the nails in Jesus’ hands and put his hand into the side of Jesus.

At a later time, Jesus again appeared to the disciple and invited Thomas to examine His wounds. Thomas declined and responded “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 but have believed.”

The Holy Spirit binds us together as a family of faith. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are among those who are blessed for we have not seen and yet believe.