The Apostle Thomas often has the adjective “doubting” attached to his name. In fact, the term “doubting Thomas” has come to describe a person who refuses to believe anything without direct, personal evidence.

 

The reason for describing Thomas as “doubting” is found in this Sunday’s Gospel (John 20:19-31). Thomas’ fellow apostles excitedly tell him that Jesus is not dead and locked away in a tomb. The Lord is alive and risen and appeared to them. He walked through locked doors, showed them his wounds, blessed them with the power of the Holy Spirit, and commissioned them to be agents of his mercy and forgiveness.

 

But Thomas is hesitant to believe the report of his fellow apostles. He says, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

 

We might attribute Thomas’ doubt to the possibility that his fellow apostles might have been deceived by a “spirit” or perhaps been led astray by wishful thinking.

 

But maybe Thomas doubted for another reason. For him, the news of the Lord’s Resurrection was just too good to be true.

 

The Resurection meant that Jesus, the one Thomas had followed for three years, truly was the Son of God. His words declared the meaning and purpose of existence. He truly was the way, the truth, and the life. His Resurrection meant that death was not the end but a welcome to everlasting life.

 

Today, many people who doubt the message of the Gospel and refuse to believe in Jesus, may do so for the same reason that Thomas initially doubted the Resurrection. They may find the Gospel preached by Jesus and by His Church, just too good to be true.

 

If there is a God, how can it be true that this God who is Father and Creator, humbled himself to walk among his creatures so they might know him? Yet Jesus told us, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

 

How can it be true that in a world populated with billions of people today, and billions who have come before us, God loves each person in an individual and personal way? Yet Jesus told us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge” (Matthew 10:29).

 

How can it be true that the Lord speaks to us as we hear his words in the Scriptures, touches our lives through the Sacraments, and supports us through his living Body, the Church? Yet Jesus told us, “I am with you always until the end of time” (Matthew 28:20).

 

How can it be true that God is ready to forgive our personal sins, immorality, unfaithfulness, and to offer us chance after chance to embrace a life-giving relationship with him—provided we show forgiveness to others? We are reminded of this each time we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

 

The mercy, care, concern, and personal love of God for each of us may seem too good to be true. But as Thomas discovered, no one should ever doubt the awesome goodness and power of God in our lives and in our world.

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski

 

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