John 20:19-29......Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.20:20 And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD. 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called the twin, was not with them when Jesus came.20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
REFLECTION.
Giving them his spirit,Jesus gave his disciples the power to remit sins;thus he makes human beings participate in his triumph over evil and sin. The risen Lord gives Thomas who did not believe the testimony of his fellow Apostles a lesson which is significant also for us:it is necessary to pass from vision to faith.The new mode of life of the Risen Lord means that he cannot be known as an earthly man ,but as one who is present to us in the life of the church.
Nearly each day we die to something:ego ,a dream,an ambition,an old idea, in order to rise with a greater ability to love ,to welcome the reality around us,to be enthusiastic in continuing the adventure of our lives .The mystery of death and resurrection goes on.The resurrection,therefore ,is not only a fact of past history but also a present reality. In our life,after every crisis we begin again; after every rupture we rebuild .In this pilgrimage to our final death and resurrection the Christian must be characterised by faith in the resurrection,being conscious that the present moment is a passage from death to life.The expression of this certainty is fraternal love.
