Gospel (Jn 20,24-29) - Thomas, one of the Twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 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 mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Eight days later the disciples were back in the house and Thomas was also with them. Jesus came, with the doors closed, stood in the middle and said: «Peace be with you!». Then he said to Thomas: «Put your finger here and look at my hands; stretch out your hand and put it in my side; and do not be an unbeliever, but a believer! Thomas answered him: «My Lord and my God!». Jesus said to him: «Because you have me
saw, you believed; Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed!

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Thomas, called Didymus (twin). The Gospel of John talks about it several times in connection with some important moments in the life of Jesus. When Jesus wanted to go to Lazarus, who was sick, and there was a serious danger for the master's life, Thomas, on behalf of all the disciples, said : «Let us also go and die with him» (Jn 11,16). He was very sure of himself, of his sensations, of his beliefs, as was clear on the evening of Easter. To the other Apostles who, on Easter evening, told him that they had seen the risen Lord, he responded with that now well-known phrase which has become an emblem of disbelief: «If I don't see the marks of the nails in his hands... I won't put the my hand in his side, I don't believe so." If you think about it, each of us is close to this attitude of Tommaso. We are sure of ourselves, our feelings and our beliefs. Thomas needs to meet the Lord again, to listen to him, to see him and even to touch him. And here Jesus returns to the disciples again and invites them to touch his wounds. Thomas exclaims in front of that wounded body: "My Lord and my God!". So in the face of the wounds of this world, in the face of the pain of every man that those wounds contain, we are called to have the faith of Thomas. Jesus, turning to him, and also thinking of all those who would follow, says: «Because you saw me, you believed; Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." It is the last beatitude of the Gospel. And it is bliss for us too, called to believe without seeing, but to touch the wounds of the Lord in the body of the poor.