In today’s gospel we read, “On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciple were, for fear of the Jews.”
Maybe, the doors were locked for more than fear
of the Jews.
We‘ve been there. We’ve believed in something
and it does not come to be like we wanted. We're disappointed and sit back,
close our hearts and sulk.
Jesus’ followers believed He was the messiah.They were disappointed because they didn’t know what that meant.
They were disappointed and doubted. They doubted
they would be able to continue without their master. They lacked a leader.
Their purpose was gone. They doubted they could stand up to non-believers. They
doubted they could answer believers who had questions. They huddled behind a
lock door and hid behind their doubt.
In the Chaplet of Divine Mercy we
pray. “For the sake of His
sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” Those behind that locked door were in need of God’s mercy.
Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” He then breathed
upon them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” And the source of life gushed forth for souls,
and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.
By the presence and the power of the Holy
Spirit, they no longer doubted.
We forget everyone behind that locked door had
some doubt; but we remember Thomas. We remember Thomas because he gave voice to
the doubt. “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.”
Thomas asked to see the wounds where the Blood and Water gushed forth from the Heart of
Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us.
When Jesus told Thomas to put his hands in the
wound, Thomas cried out, “My Lord and my God!” Thomas prayed “Jesus, I trust in You!”
After this, Jesus said “Blessed are those who have not seen and have
believed.”
Acts and Peter describe those who have not seen and
believed. They have a strong faith even when they suffer
through various trials. They have a pure and precious
faith tested by fire. They give praise, glorify and
honor his name. They believe and come together in Church and
Eucharist table.
These are true for those who believe today. So,
let us give thanks to God, His love is everlasting.
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. We celebrate faith
that overcomes the doubt that stands behind the locked doors of our hearts. We
celebrate the sacrament of penance and Jesus' forgiveness found in these words, “Receive the Holy Spirit, Whose sin you forgive
are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. “
In His Divine Mercy, Jesus is never disappointed
in those who believe. That is the mercy we
seek when we pray the final Divine Mercy prayer, Holy
God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole
world.
Yall be good, yall be holy and preach the gospel
by the way you live and love, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment