AUDIO MEDITATION:

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), The Incredulity of St. Thomas. Public domain.

FULL TEXT:

Thomas refused to believe his friends had seen the risen Lord until he felt Jesus’ wounds. When Jesus appeared to him, he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side… and believe.” Thomas replied with a declaration of faith, “My Lord and my God!”

The Renaissance master, Caravaggio, depicts this scene with stunning physicality. Jesus guides Thomas’ hand into his side. Notice the other disciples peering on intensely—it appears that they had the same questions as Thomas, but were not vocal enough to probe their doubt.

This is an intimate scene of forgiveness between Jesus and Thomas—Jesus opens his garments and reveals himself fully to Thomas. And Thomas recognizes Jesus through his wounds—the very wounds that Thomas had abandoned Jesus to only a few days before.

Jesus does not let this stand between them, though—he invites Thomas to touch him, and reaches out to draw him in. He does the same with us today—let us reply with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”

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This concludes our journey with art through Lent to Easter. Stay tuned to the daily FaithND email for other occasional stories of faith and, of course, our daily Gospel reflections, which will continue seven days a week through the Easter season and beyond.

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