2nd Sunday of Easter

It is significant that during the Easter season the readings from the book of Acts replaces the OT readings, because the resurrection of Jesus changed everything and something new had entered into the world.

In Acts we hear about encounters with the Risen Christ and the works of the Holy Spirit through and throughout the early Church.  Today we hear that the Church -

“ was of one heart and mind” “ had everything in common” and “bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus”

All three; unity, acting for the common good and bearing witness to the Good News are grounded in the life of the Spirit and Christian love.

 In the second reading John builds on an ancient baptismal confession -

“This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but water and blood”

It is through baptism that we too share a life with Christ not only within a faith community, but a life within the Body of Christ –the divine Church, the ark of salvation. It is by sharing of divine life within Mother Church that we too witness by word and example that Christ is risen. It is by sharing of divine life that we strive for Christian unity with of brothers and sisters in Christ and foster concern for the common good for everyone and bear witness to the Gospel everywhere and at any time.

This sharing of divine life is the fruit of baptism and is nothing less than life with the Holy Spirit and as John says - this gives us victory over the world.

Because we are still of this world those victories are sometimes hard to see, perhaps we see only small victories here and there, perhaps they are unseen victories, or victories unrecognized,

But they are victories  none the less and all point to the final victory, when God is all in all and His kingdom is fulfilled.

 In the gospel we have one such victory, the compelling and very human story of Thomas – forever the doubter.

The heart broken disciples huddled together in fear behind locked doors.  It had gone horribly wrong.  This was not the ending they had hoped for, nor was Jesus apparently the one they hoped in.

But in their darkest moment Jesus appeared in their midst – seen by all but Thomas, who was not present.

Jesus comforts them with his familiar voice greeting them with the familiar phrase “Peace be with you”

Then to show them that he was not a ghost or some illusion, but as real as they are, he shows them his hands and side.  It is significant and moving that even the Glorified Risen Lord retained the marks of His suffering on earth.  And then in life changing words Jesus reveals to them that His mission is not over, but has just begun.

“As the Father has sent me, so I send you” But Jesus is not alone !

Jesus shares with them the gift that will carry them on their mission

 Jesus breathed on them “Receive the Spirit”

We must hold dear the truth and the reality, that we are not given “a” spirit or even “the” spirit –

we share the “same” Spirit with Christ.

But Thomas missed out on this first sharing of the Spirit.  When he hears (even from those whom he had lived the experience of Jesus with) about their encounter with the Lord he tells them that he needs to see to believe.

It’s not just that Thomas doesn’t believe their words, he doesn’t see the change in them.

 They have been made new in their encounter with the Risen Lord and the sharing of the Spirit and Thomas cannot yet see they are made different. For me Thomas’ doubt is a counter weight to the beloved disciple.

Remember from the Easter Sunday gospel -

The beloved disciple did not see anything, but an empty tomb and burial cloth.

But in that absence, that emptiness and silence, he encountered the Risen Lord. 

Not with his eyes, for they were still blind, but with his heart, which had burst open and “he believed”.

But Thomas did not believe. I must see.  I must experience Jesus, as I expect to, in a way that meets my expectation. When this is our reasoning we still measure truth by the standards of this  world and we are as blind as Thomas was.

Jesus, I suppose could of left matters as they were, but in His compassion and mercy, he did not leave Thomas to suffer doubt. Again, Jesus appears in the midst of the disciples, and now Thomas in is now present. “Peace be with you” He again says to them all Then Jesus, the Risen Lord, simply opens up to Thomas -“Here, put your fingers here and see my hands and bring your hand and put it in my side and do not be unbelieving, but believe”. We don’t know if Thomas did as he was told, I don’t think he did. 

I think that the invitation to touch and to “See and believe” broke him, right then and there, and in a rush of gratitude and a rush the Holy Spirit, Thomas falls to the ground, weeping with hands out stretched

“My Lord and my God”

I always image Jesus reaching out a hand to help Thomas up.

Thomas had been healed and now shares the life of the Spirit, but Jesus chides him in his new belief -

 “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed”

Who are the blessed?  We are, the community of believers,For we have a faith born from above of water and blood. In that Faith we can see Jesus, risen everywhere, the work of the Holy Spirit everywhere.

We see with our eyes, but through the lens of Faith.  We use our hearts made new through baptism.

Hearts open  to all encounters with Jesus, expected and unexpected,  in our prayer life and in each other, in our life and the lives of others, in the life of the Church and the life of the workplace and the home.

We are open to be surprised by the Lord, for as the Angel said to the Mary’s that Easter morning -

“He is not here; He has risen”

This is our faith and hand in hand with Hope and Love,we indeed have victory over the world.