Cycle A - Year II:  

27 April 2014: Second Sunday of Easter 

(Liturgical color: White)

John 20: 19-31

Believe with your heart!

The Lord is risen indeed! But he has not yet appeared to the disciples, who kept themselves locked in a room for fear of the Jews.

Although the disciples already heard from Simon Peter, John and Mary of Magdala that Jesus is alive, the more they were afraid to face the risen Jesus because they were cowardly during the passion and death of their Master.

Yet when the risen Christ appeared to his disciples, he greets them, "Peace be with you."

In other words, the Lord's first words to the disciples are a declaration of forgiveness, peace, and mercy, even before they disciples can even ask forgiveness for their unfaithfulness and cowardice.

Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles, was not with them when the risen Lord first appeared. And he refused to believe and said, "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."

A week later the risen Lord appeared again and this time Thomas was with them. So Thomas saw and believed. But Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

In practical life, we too are often fearful to face the risen Lord. Because we spend so much time focusing on our sins and failures and not enough on God's mercy. Or we sometimes feel like the doubting Thomas --our faith is not strong enough to withstand suffering, trials and evils in our world. That is why like Thomas we demand clear signs of Jesus' victory over death and sin.

The Good News this Sunday is that God's mercy precedes our sins, precisely because of Jesus' saving work. That means, we are forgiven long before we even think of sinning. God only waits for us to claim the mercy already prepared for us through the saving work of Jesus.

In the Holy Eucharist at Mass, let us pray that like Thomas, may the risen Christ open our eyes to the power of the Resurrection and transform our doubts and fear into confident faith and boundless joy. 

Today is also Divine Mercy Sunday, promoted by Sr. Faustina Kowalska. Let us claim our own share of God's divine mercy, which the heart of the risen Jesus has in abundance for all of us. Let us believe with our hearts that indeed Christ is risen, Alleluia, alleluia!

Also this Sunday, the Universal Church will canonize two recent popes, John XXIII and John Paul II. May they be inspirations for us and proclaim the Resurrection of our Lord through our Christian living in the modern world.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God. 

Ad Jesum per Mariam!