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“Can the Dead Truly Save the Living?”
Jesus has been crucified. Hope, it seems, has vanished. And yet, into that very space of anxious uncertainty, Jesus appears—not with anger, not with disappointment, but with peace. He shows them his wounds, breathes his Holy Spirit upon them, and sends them into the world.
In John 20:19–31, this week’s Gospel reading, we are invited to step into the sacred tension between fear and faith, doubt and belief. It’s a question that rattles us: Can the dead truly save the living? It's unsettling because we don’t expect the dead to rise—not to mention, to offer us peace, purpose, and life. And yet, this is the core of our Easter faith: the crucified One is also the risen One.
Then we meet Thomas—the so-called “doubter.” He’s not looking for easy answers. No, Thomas longs for a real, embodied encounter. And Jesus meets him there. No shame. No judgment. Just an invitation to reach out, to believe. And in that moment, Thomas gives the Gospel’s most powerful confession: “My Lord and my God!”
This Sunday, we’ll reflect on how the resurrection of Jesus doesn’t erase our doubts, but transforms them. Jesus still comes through our locked doors. He still speaks peace into our fears. He still invites us to believe—not with perfect certainty, but with a courageous trust. And in that trust, we discover life—right here, right now—in his name.