A reading from the gospel according to John 20:19-31:
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 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.”
27 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.”
28 Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.
31 But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
Reflection: Fear, Doubt, Peace
On the evening of that first day of the week, which was of course resurrection day, the apostles should have been celebrating because of the Good News they had received from Mary Magdalene that Jesus had risen from the dead. However due to their unbelief, they were still huddled in a locked room with fear in their heart. They were in this condition when Jesus suddenly appeared from nowhere and announced peace to them. After they were assured that it was indeed the Lord who was in their midst, their fear turned into joy. Jesus is alive and He has just fulfilled His promise that He will not leave them orphans.
Jesus has fulfilled His mission. For three years, He trained His twelve apostles but one went lost. Now it is time to turn over the mission for them to continue. As the Father has sent Him, He is now sending them to the whole world. Then He gave them the Holy Spirit and with it, the power to forgive sins. Not one of those present protested. With their fear having now evaporated, the apostles were ready. No turning back for them. They have put their trust in the risen Lord and come what may, they will be sent as sheep in the midst of wolves (Matthew 10:16).
Thomas was not present when Jesus first appeared. When he was told that Jesus is alive and in fact, He already appeared to them in physical form, he was doubtful and he laid down his condition before he could believe and that is, to first see His wounds. That is why when he finally saw Jesus and His wounds, his doubt vanished and proclaimed his faith by uttering the now-famous words “My Lord and my God”.
Unfortunately, the unflattering label “Doubting Thomas” stuck in the mind of many people. The fact is, all the eleven apostles were doubtful until everyone saw Jesus. Yet as human as he is, Thomas was just living the principle “To see is to believe “. God is merciful for He granted his wish.
Of course, we cannot follow the example of Thomas. Jesus has already proclaimed that we are blessed because we believe even without seeing. That is why our antidote to unbelief is faith. Though we have not seen Jesus with our physical eyes, we are able to develop a personal relationship with Him as our Lord and God. Through this commitment to believe in Him, we can experience peace. Like the apostles, may we hear the voice of the risen Lord telling us to go forth and share this peace and blessing to others.
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Verse 31 in the gospel reading above states in clear language that the gospel is written for the very purpose of generating faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Therefore, if after reading it, and we still do not believe, then we remain as the “doubting Thomas”.
“The word of God is alive and active”, says Hebrews 14:12. Indeed, Scripture is written that we may develop the eyes of faith. It may not be easy for some people but if the heart truly yearns for wisdom and understanding, God will reveal Himself. He had promised in Jeremiah 29:13 that if we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him and He will bring us back from captivity.
The disciples of Jesus locked themselves in a room out of fear. Many of us are like them. We have imprisoned ourselves out of some kinds of fear of the unknown. We are afraid of other people who might criticize us, reject us or persecute us. We are afraid to try new things out of fear of failure. Or we may have become too weary and weak and so, we imprison ourselves in our comfort zones.
Let us turn to the risen Christ and listen to Him as He tells us, “Peace be with you”. May we answer Him with the words of Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”. Furthermore, let us keep on reading the Scriptures so that we may grow in faith, hope and love. May His words liberate us from our doubts and fears. Amen.
*****
This Gospel reading is a powerful story of fear, doubt, and ultimately, overwhelming hope. It is the evening of the first Easter Sunday. The disciples are huddled behind locked doors, afraid of the Jewish authorities, afraid of the unknown, and grieving the brutal death of the One they had followed and loved. Everything they believed in seemed shattered.
And then, in the middle of their fear and confusion, Jesus came and stood among them. His first words? “Peace be with you.” He didn’t scold them for hiding. He didn’t criticize their fear or question their loyalty. Instead, He gave them peace.
This simple greeting of peace is far more than a pleasantry. It’s a divine gift. Jesus speaks shalom into their chaos, assurance into their anxiety. It’s the peace that comes not from the absence of conflict, but from the presence of Christ. This same peace is offered to us today. In our fear, our uncertainty, our locked doors of isolation or worry, Jesus comes and stands among us, offering peace.
But the story doesn’t stop there. A week later, we meet Thomas, famously labeled “Doubting Thomas.” When the other disciples told him they had seen Jesus, Thomas couldn’t believe it. He wanted proof. He needed to see the wounds, to touch the scars. It’s easy to criticize Thomas, but can we really blame him? He had watched Jesus die. His pain was real. His skepticism was human.
Yet Jesus, in His mercy, does not rebuke Thomas either. Instead, He meets him right where he is. “Put your finger here,” Jesus says. “Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” And Thomas, overwhelmed, responds with one of the most profound declarations of faith in all of Scripture: “My Lord and my God!”
This passage is deeply inspiring because it reminds us that doubt does not disqualify us from God’s presence. Jesus doesn’t avoid Thomas. He seeks him out. He understands that sometimes, belief requires a journey. He shows us that faith is not the absence of questions, but the presence of trust even when we don’t have all the answers.
The risen Christ extends Himself to both the fearful and the doubting. He breathes peace over the scared, and grace over the skeptic. This is the heartbeat of the gospel: not that we find God by our own strength, but that He comes through locked doors to find us.
Jesus speaks not just to Thomas, but to us: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” That’s you and me. We haven’t touched the nail marks, yet we believe. And in that belief, we are not alone. We are blessed. We are part of a long, beautiful line of faith that stretches from the empty tomb into every heart that dares to hope in Jesus.
So, if you find yourself today behind locked doors emotionally, spiritually, or even physically, hear His words again: Peace be with you. If you’re carrying questions or wrestling with doubt, remember Thomas. Your doubt is not a barrier to Jesus; it’s an invitation for Him to draw closer.
Let this passage inspire you to open the doors of your heart, to let in the One who brings peace, who meets us in our humanity, and who turns our doubt into declaration. He is risen. He is here. And He is saying, still, “Peace be with you.”
*****
In the gospel reading above, we find a profoundly moving account that speaks of the essence of faith, doubt, and divine mercy. This passage, which chronicles the appearance of the risen Jesus to His disciples — first without Thomas, and then with him — reveals deep truths about belief, skepticism, and the path to understanding.
After the Resurrection, the disciples are gathered, hidden away, engulfed in fear and uncertainty. Into this scene of despair, Jesus enters, bringing peace and showing His wounds, a testament to His sacrifice and victory over death. This moment is transformative, a vivid illustration of how light pierces darkness, and truth dispels doubt.
Thomas, often remembered as ‘Doubting Thomas,’ embodies the skepticism that resides in many of us. His insistence on tangible proof of Jesus’ resurrection is met not with rebuke, but with compassion. Jesus appears again, inviting Thomas to touch His wounds, an act of divine mercy that illustrates the depth of God’s understanding and patience. Through this encounter, Thomas’ doubt transforms into a profound declaration of faith: “My Lord and my God!”
This gospel narrative invites us to recognize that faith often journeys through the landscape of doubt. Jesus’ response to Thomas shows us that questions and uncertainties are not failures of faith, but opportunities for its deepening and reaffirmation. His words, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” extend a timeless invitation to find blessedness in belief, encouraging us to trust beyond what we can see and touch.
In our moments of doubt and fear, let us remember that we are not alone. The risen Christ comes to us, offering peace, understanding, and the invitation to believe. In this story, we are reminded that our faith is not a static possession, but a dynamic journey, enriched by our questions and sustained by the promise of Christ’s presence among us.
For further reflection, go here.
