When Thomas finally joined the other disciples after Jesus’ crucifixion he couldn’t believe what they were telling him. Jesus not dead? Jesus appearing in their midst even though the doors were locked? It seemed too good to be true! Poor Thomas, remembered all these centuries, not for his courage in urging the disciples to go with Jesus to Lazarus’ tomb in Judea where Jesus’ enemies were sure to be, not for the tradition of his evangelization of the Indian sub-continent, but for his amazement at the Resurrection. The others had been amazed too, but they had seen his wounds, heard his voice, felt his breath. They had experienced Christ’s resurrected presence; they knew it was true.

Thank goodness Thomas was not there that first Easter evening because his story gives us the good news that Christ meets us where we are, as we are, regardless of our doubts, our fears. Whatever it takes to open our eyes to God’s incredible love, the Beloved will do for us. If we, like Thomas, need to see the nail holes in order to believe in his love, the Holy One shows them to us. For Mary Magdalene, it took his voice calling her name. For the couple on the way to Emmaus, it was the breaking of the bread. For Paul, it was the Damascus road encounter with Christ that finally reached his heart.

Christ Jesus, our Incarnate Lord, understands our frailties and presents himself to us in a way that is particularly appropriate for each of us, according to our needs, our experiences. The time and places are uniquely our own. When we are ready, the risen Christ meets us in the circumstances of our daily lives, in the familiar, in the ordinary. Christ Jesus makes himself known to us in the people around us, wherever we may be, doing whatever we are doing. The risen Christ is here now, Emmanuel, God with us, waiting for us to recognize his presence, his love. Are we ready to acknowledge our Easter faith, joining with Thomas, in crying: “My Lord and my God!” ?