Cycle C - Year II:

3 April 2016: Second Sunday of Easter

(Liturgical color: White)

Gospel: Please read John 20:19-31

Believe in your heart!

Our human experience tells us that life most beautiful things are not seen by the eyes but felt by the heart, sometimes.

Let us use these wise words to connect us to the Gospel message for the second Sunday of Easter.

Last Easter Sunday the universal Church proclaimed that the Lord is risen! But in those times, He has yet to appear to the disciples, who kept themselves locked up in a room for fear of the Jews.

From the testimonies of Simon Peter, John and Mary of Magdala, the rest of the disciples were told that there was no dead body of Jesus in the tomb where they laid Him, but that the burial cloths were there. If indeed Jesus is risen, all the more they were afraid because they realized that they were cowardly during the passion and death of their Master.

In this Sunday's Gospel, "when the doors were locked, where the disciles were", the risen Lord appears for the first time to the disciples and greets them, "Peace with you." The Lord's first words to the disciples are a declaration of forgiveness, peace, and mercy, even before the disciples could even ask for forgiveness for their unfaithfulness and cowardice.

But one of the original twelve disciples, Thomas was his name, was not with them when the risen Lord first appeared. The rest of the disciples shared their experience with the risen Christ, but Thomas refused to believe and said instead, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." (Jn 20:25)

A week later the risen Lord appeared again, and this time Thomas was with them. Jesus allowed Thomas to put his finger in Jesus' wounds, and he saw and believed. Jesus said to Thomas: "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." (Jn 20:29)

Now we ask, "What is the message of the Gospel narrative for us today?"

Well, we too are often fearful to face the risen Lord. Perhaps, it is because we spend so much time focusing on our sins and failures, and not enough on God's mercy and compassion. Or, sometimes we feel like the doubting Thomas in the Gospel --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 the saving work of Jesus. This means that we are forgiven long before we even think of committing sins. 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.

Also, it is a mystery of faith that when Christ rose from the dead He retained the five wounds in His glorious body. Do you ever wonder why the Lord chose to keep His wounds in His glorified body?

Let us consider the following reflections by some great theologians: The wounds are there because because they proclaim the glory and victory of Christ. The wounds of our Lord also serve to confirm the disciples in their faith and hope in the resurrection, and so give them the courage to suffer for our Lord, as they did. And the five wounds of Jesus are there so that He may constantly present them to the Father in heaven in supplication in our behalf.... when we fall back to sin.

This second Sunday of Easter, the Church traditionally also celebrates the Divine Mercy Sunday, promoted by Sister Faustina Kowalska. Let us claim our own share of God's divine mercy, especially this Holy Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis, from December 8, 2015 (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception) until November 20, 2016 (Solemnity of Christ, the King). During this extra-ordinary period of God's mercy, let us experience His mercy over us as we too are asked byour Lord, "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." (Lk 6:36)

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!