St Thomas, Apostle
John 20:24-29
Touch the wounds, find the risen Lord

Every year, the Feast of Saint Thomas reminds us that faith is not a fairy tale. It is born in real wounds—Christ’s wounds and our own. Thomas was away from the community when Jesus first appeared. He carried disappointment, doubt, perhaps even anger. Yet when he returns, Jesus does not scold him. He simply says: “Put your finger here… do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

Notice where Jesus places Thomas: back in the middle of the community, the Upper Room, where fear and prayer mingle. It is as if He tells us: “If you wish to meet Me, stay with your brothers and sisters. Do not look elsewhere, do not walk away. My wounds are found in the community.” Today, the Lord says the same: Remain. Pray together, break bread together, share fears together. There you will find My living presence.

Where do we touch these wounds now? Pope Francis reminds us: in the flesh of those who suffer—the hungry, the imprisoned, the addicted, the forgotten. When you draw near to them with mercy, you place your hand in Christ’s side. And like Thomas, you move from doubt to adoration: “My Lord and my God!”

Let us ask: When trials come, do I isolate myself, or do I return to the community? When I seek the Risen One, do I chase extraordinary signs, or do I look to the ordinary: the Mass, the poor, the brothers and sisters God has given me?

Christ’s wounds are still open—channels of love and mercy. May we be a Church with doors open, arms open, hearts open, so that all who are wounded by life may discover in us the tenderness of God.
Amen.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025