Today is the Second Sunday of Easter, called Divine Mercy Sunday. Sometimes we may not think of Easter as more than just a day, but it is SO much more than one day of celebration; it is a season of 50 days where we are renewed in Him!
Easter is my favorite time of the year, not for the chocolate (although I do really enjoy that) but for getting right to the heart of our faith: Jesus rising from the dead! He destroyed death for me long before there was a me. More than that, it is Jesus empowering us as disciples to go out and spread His love through action. It is a new day and I can seldom hold my excitement at becoming closer to Him through loving actions.
Our First Reading is interesting. Similar to what the believers did with Jesus, they are now carrying their sick to Peter to be cured. Their faith in God’s power through this disciple was clear and they were moved to action. We are similar to those believers. How does the joy of Easter motivate you to action? Maybe there is something seemingly simple that we can do that would have a great impact on the recipient. How can we act differently, so as to change another person’s life through our own faith in God? It is a target rich environment nowadays, that’s for sure!
Today’s Second Reading is an account of what John saw when Jesus spoke to him in a vision at Patmos. This is after Jesus’ Passion, death, and Resurrection and admittedly I do not understand all of the symbols, but definitely get the message. Please forgive me over simplifying, but Jesus destroyed death for us long before there even was an “us.” He died then to destroy my sins and only asks us to believe in Him and love others as He loves us. Jesus wants us to know Him intimately; by serving others as He served us, we can accomplish that. Does this Second Reading speak to you? Can you visualize what John describes here? How does that motivate you today?
Today’s Gospel is one I have admittedly struggled with over the years of my life. While young, I could feel enmity for “doubting” Thomas. How could he be called a disciple and not believe Jesus appeared to the others? What kind of guy
was he for saying he believed, but then didn’t or perhaps wouldn’t? After a bit of age and reflection, I could quickly associate myself more with Thomas than probably any other disciple. How could I possibly believe if I couldn’t also put my hands in the wounds?
It wasn’t until much later that I really understood the lines here:
“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.”
So many passages speak of individuals possessed by demons and spirits. We may have any variety of thoughts on ghosts and spirits nowadays, but we are very clearly shown that possessions DO in fact occur. In this case, He possesses us; that is the Holy Spirit in us. We cannot belong to others, because He loved us first and fills us with His Spirit. More pointedly, He himself called me blessed as I never saw Him, but I believe. That certainly makes me no better than anyone, let alone one of His 12, but it definitely makes me His disciple. Now all that is left to ask is…will I show the world that I am? How?