Second Sunday of Easter
Feast of Divine Mercy
John 20:19-31
The hands of Jesus tell a greater story -he died for us. If we are indeed his body in this time and place, then our wounds are his wounds. Those who believe without seeing are blessed. He will reveal himself -often it seems-in our own wounds and the wounds of others.
On this feast of Divine Mercy Pope Frances quotes from St Faustina’s Diary “Jesus said to Saint Faustina :I am love and mercy itself; there is no human misery that could measure up to my mercy” At one time, the Saint with satisfaction, told Jesus that she had offered him all of her life and all that she had. But Jesus’ answer stunned her:” You have not offered me the thing that is truly yours” What had that holy nun kept for herself?” Jesus said to her with kindness:” My daughter. Give me your failings.” We too can ask ourselves:” Have I given my failings to the Lord? Have I let him see me fall so that he can raise me up?” Or is there something I still keep inside me.? A sin, a regret from the past, a wound that I have inside, a grudge against someone, an idea about a particular person…The Lord waits for us to offer him our failings so that he can help us experience his mercy.
Thomas was so close to Jesus he may have felt very keenly the death of Jesus and separated himself from the others to be more on his own to grieve his loss. So when he heard from the others that they had seen the Lord, Thomas goes into a demanding mode “Unless I can see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.” Grief is most painful to-day with Covid restrictions. It takes many forms. There can be disbelief, numbness, anger and great difficulty in believing that the person is dead. Thomas final statement brings things to a head “I refuse to believe.”
Eight days later Jesus comes again and Thomas is with them. Even though the doors were locked Jesus came. Even though they were afraid Jesus came. Even though the openness was not there …
Jesus stood among them…he was not separate from them. Thomas is singled out “Put your finger here, look here are my hands.” There is a mutual invitation. Put your finger…...here are my hands. “Give me your hand…put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving any more but believe.” Then we have the response that Thomas is most remembered for “My Lord and my God. “