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sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins2 you
shall retain, they are retained."

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other
disciples therefore said to him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them: "Except I shall see
in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand
into His side, I will not believe."

And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors
being shut,3 and stood in the midst, and said: "Peace be to you." Then He said to Thomas: "Put in
thy finger hither, and see My hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into My side; and be
not faithless, but believing."

Thomas answered, and said to Him: "My Lord, and my God." Jesus said to him: "Because thou hast seen
Me, Thomas, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed."

The Holy Gospel according to
St. Matthew chapter 28: verses 8-10;
St. Mark chapter 16: verses 9-13;
St. Luke chapter 24: verses 9-11, 13-48; St. John chapter 20: verses 11-29

2 Whose sins: See here the commission, stamped by the broad seal of Heaven, by virtue of which the
pastors of Christ's Church absolve repenting sinners upon their confession.
3 The doors being shut: The same power which could bring Christ's whole Body, entire in all its
dimensions, through the doors, can without the least question make the same Body really present in
the Blessed Sacrament, though both the one and the other be above our comprehension.