Fr Bernard writes…
There is a mixture of emotions in today’s gospel passage from John. The disciples are full of fear, behind locked doors, and when Jesus appears, their fear increases until they realise it really is him, and their fear turned to joy. They may have expected a dressing down for their denial and desertion, instead they hear words of peace followed by a mission. In John’s gospel the day of resurrection is also the day of Pentecost, so Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into their hearts, a sent them out to proclaim God’s forgiveness. Thomas, one of the Twelve was missing, why, we don’t know. What we do know is his refusal to believe that they had seen Jesus, and his laying down conditions for him to change his mind. A week later Jesus appears again and fulfils the conditions Thomas had laid down. In response Thomas makes the greatest act of faith in the whole of the Gospels, ‘My Lord and my God’. Jesus final words are to declare blessed, those who have not seen him but believe in him, and that includes us. Today brings the Easter Octave to a close, but the blessings of Easter continue throughout our lives.
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