Second Sunday of Easter (or Divine Mercy Sunday)

John 20:19-31

 

“Doubting Thomas”

 

          If I were to walk up to you an tell you that I had just literally seen the Risen Christ you would probably think that I had lost it, that I was hallucinating or having some sort of episode. 

          However, if I, my family, my neighbors, and friends were to walk up to you and tell you that we had all literally just seen the Risen Christ, you might be shocked and confused, but you most likely would not immediately think that we had all suddenly lost it and were having the same hallucination at the same time.

          So, too, with Thomas.  If only one disciple had told him that the Lord had appeared in the locked room Thomas’ disbelief would be understandable.  So why would he not believe all  “… the other disciples?”   Especially because Thomas had seen Jesus perform so many miracles and heard his preach and teach regarding His own Resurrection.

          While this passage, on its face, seems to speak to Thomas’ weak faith, when we peel back the layers of its meaning I think it reveals more. Perhaps Thomas’ disbelief is revealing his deepest desire – to have Jesus back.  (How many of us who have experienced the sudden loss of a loved one has wished that they could just wake up an realize that it was all just a dream?  Denial. An expression of our innermost desire: to have our loved one back.)  Perhaps Thomas’ utterance comes from his pain, his anger, his despair - his faith.

          The most beautiful thing, though, is that Jesus DID come back.  He did not abandon Thomas or leave him wanting.  He came back.  For Thomas.

When we look back on our own lives I believe we can all see that in our darkest moments – our moments of loss, despair, anger, doubt, uncertainty, confusion – Jesus has come back to us. Perhaps it is in those moments when we MOST feel His presence.  Perhaps so many of our own verbal expressions might, on their face, show a lack of faith, when they are, in fact, deep expressions of faith - our innermost desire to be with God. 

          On this Divine Mercy Sunday, may we all pray, “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you.”

 

“Call Me Ishmael”