Ephesians 2:19-22 / John 20:24-29
Empiricism is a theory of knowledge which states that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience; empiricism emphasizes the role of experience and evidence, especially sensory experience, in the formation of ideas.
Hence for some people, the only way of convincing them is to let them have an experience rather than through arguments or discussion or deduction.
St. Thomas may not be a hard-core empiricist, but he was not one who would easily believe what others tell him, especially when the disciples told him that they had seen the Risen Christ.
He needed an experience of the Risen Christ and he even stated his demands - he not only wanted to see the holes that the nails made in the hands and side of the Risen Christ, he even wanted to put his finger and hands into the holes.
So for St. Thomas, seeing is not enough. He even wanted to touch! And if he had asked the disciples whether they had touched the Risen Christ, they would have been stumped for an answer.
St. Thomas saw how Jesus was crucified, died and was buried. So nothing short of touching the Risen Christ would convince him that He is risen from the dead.
The gospel account did not say whether St. Thomas actually put his finger and hand into the wounds of the Risen Christ. He only made the proclamation - My Lord and my God.
But from what Jesus said to him, it seems that St. Thomas believed when he saw Him; touching Him was not necessary already.
So for those who do not believe in Jesus or want to believe in Him, we have a mission to them.
From what they see of us and in us, they will come to a decision about Jesus.
May St. Thomas pray for us that we will be an experience of the Risen Christ for them.