On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But he said to them, "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."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But he said to them, "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."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
The Lord's disciples, afraid of the Jews who crucified their Master, kept themselves locked in a room, probably also crushed by their Master's death and ashamed for having abandoned Him. The Lord entered this room even though His disciples have locked the door. He gave them peace and banished their fear, sorrow and shame.
The Risen Lord's gifts or pasalubong for His disciples were mercy and peace. Even if His disciples showed cowardice, He brought them forgiveness. He did not reprimand them at all. Instead, He immediately gave them peace. Then after showing His great love and mercy in His resurrection, and also after giving peace and mercy to His disciples, Jesus establishes the Sacrament of His Divine Mercy - the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Today, the Church glorifies the Merciful Savior in the celebration of the Feast of Divine Mercy. Jesus revealed to St. Faustina how great His mercy is. He said to her, "Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet (St. Faustina's Diary, 699)." Indeed, our Gospel today shows that we must not fear to come to Jesus to ask for forgiveness. He wants us to be forgiven and to experience His mercy so much more than He wants us reprimanded. It does not matter how many or how grave our sins are. We must not fear to come near Him in the Sacrament of His Mercy. There, we will not be judged nor reprimanded. There, we will feel the tenderness of Jesus' mercy and we will have peace. Jesus said to St. Faustina, "Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it -with peace (Diary 1074)."
Today's Gospel also presents to us the story of St. Thomas. He lacked faith in the resurrection of Jesus and needed proof in order to believe. Today's Gospel calls us to have faith and trust, not only in the Lord's resurrection, but also in His goodness and generosity. Even when we fail to realize it, God's love and mercy is always upon us. He is alive in our hearts and is working in our lives. God's mercy is an invitation to trust. God is merciful, but we cannot receive His mercy without trusting Him. We must have faith and trust that He is there, even during moments when we feel He is far away. Then we will realize that He's been there all along!
The disciples who received mercy also shared this mercy to others. Our First Reading (Acts 4:32-35) tells us how the first Christians lived as a loving community. They shared to those in need and made sure that all are given their needs. We too, as true Christians, must share the mercy we experienced. As Jesus said to St. Faustina, "When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls (Diary 1074)."
Jesus' resurrection bring us great joy indeed because He brings us mercy and peace! Our shame, fears and failures have been defeated and new life is given to us. May we continue to live as Easter people who have experienced Jesus' mercy and who share His mercy to others.
The Risen Lord's gifts or pasalubong for His disciples were mercy and peace. Even if His disciples showed cowardice, He brought them forgiveness. He did not reprimand them at all. Instead, He immediately gave them peace. Then after showing His great love and mercy in His resurrection, and also after giving peace and mercy to His disciples, Jesus establishes the Sacrament of His Divine Mercy - the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Today, the Church glorifies the Merciful Savior in the celebration of the Feast of Divine Mercy. Jesus revealed to St. Faustina how great His mercy is. He said to her, "Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet (St. Faustina's Diary, 699)." Indeed, our Gospel today shows that we must not fear to come to Jesus to ask for forgiveness. He wants us to be forgiven and to experience His mercy so much more than He wants us reprimanded. It does not matter how many or how grave our sins are. We must not fear to come near Him in the Sacrament of His Mercy. There, we will not be judged nor reprimanded. There, we will feel the tenderness of Jesus' mercy and we will have peace. Jesus said to St. Faustina, "Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it -with peace (Diary 1074)."
Today's Gospel also presents to us the story of St. Thomas. He lacked faith in the resurrection of Jesus and needed proof in order to believe. Today's Gospel calls us to have faith and trust, not only in the Lord's resurrection, but also in His goodness and generosity. Even when we fail to realize it, God's love and mercy is always upon us. He is alive in our hearts and is working in our lives. God's mercy is an invitation to trust. God is merciful, but we cannot receive His mercy without trusting Him. We must have faith and trust that He is there, even during moments when we feel He is far away. Then we will realize that He's been there all along!
The disciples who received mercy also shared this mercy to others. Our First Reading (Acts 4:32-35) tells us how the first Christians lived as a loving community. They shared to those in need and made sure that all are given their needs. We too, as true Christians, must share the mercy we experienced. As Jesus said to St. Faustina, "When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls (Diary 1074)."
Jesus' resurrection bring us great joy indeed because He brings us mercy and peace! Our shame, fears and failures have been defeated and new life is given to us. May we continue to live as Easter people who have experienced Jesus' mercy and who share His mercy to others.
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