Today's readings are very optimistic. They reflect the confidence and drive of a new enterprise. The confidence, properly understood, was fully justified. Things indeed looked good for the newly born Christian Church. The writers, however, were realistic enough to include some warnings that things might not always go so well. They were aware that opponents might step up their attacks when they became more aware of thedanger the Church posed to them.

The first reading notes that some did not dare to join the widely admired new believers. John is writing from enforced exile for proclaiming God's word. In the Gospel, the disciples were meeting behind closed doors "for fear of the Jews".

Now, perhaps more than ever, when some of our media outlets are painting a dark picture of human activity, we need the confidence of the early Christians. However, we need to be aware of possible dangers that we may artificially create, based on false optimismrather than on any reality or on Christ. But as Christians, we have always worked successfully with God, and we realise how much we could do with His help and how little we could do without it. Contemplate for a moment Thomas' total gloom before Christ came to him and his joy on meeting his Lord and his God.