A Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Easter/Divine Mercy, 2007
(Image of The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by CARAVAGGIO)
Early in his pontificate, Pope Benedict started a series of talks on each of the twelve Apostles. For the Holy Father, it is through the experience of the Apostles that we can best understand the Church’s relationship with Christ as the “new family” that exists in the people. One of the Apostles which I think most people can associate with is St. Thomas.
Everyone seems to focus on Thomas’ doubting of the Resurrection. Why did Thomas doubt in the Resurrection of Jesus, even after the men with whom he had lived with for three years so joyfully proclaimed it? Thomas was mad at Jesus. He was angry that Jesus had failed, or at least failed in the mission that Thomas thought Jesus had come to accomplish. Thomas wanted to brood over his disappointment; nursing his anger and sorrow in solitude. That is why when he heard the news of the Resurrection he would not accept it, “Unless I see the mark of the nails . . . I will not believe.”
Jesus was not offended by Thomas’ hesitation and resistance. He was just eager to get his faith back. Most likely with a smile on His face, Jesus was happy to oblige Thomas’ stubborn request. And Thomas sees this. He sees that Jesus lowers Himself to his level, and lets him touch Him. In touching Jesus’ wounds, Thomas feels Christ’s real, physical presence. And Thomas falls on his knees and is the first Apostle to proclaim his faith in Christ’s divinity, calling Him, “My Lord and my God,” the very titles given to God throughout the Old Testament. Maybe instead of remembering him as “Doubting Thomas,” we would be better to remember him as “Believing Thomas.”
How alike St. Thomas are we? How often do we, when our hopes seem to be disappointed, do we get angry; especially at God? Often we just want to be left alone with our hurt feelings, and we do not want to hear the good news of others. We rather brood, and we fail to recognize the evidence of the Resurrection that is being presented to us and the grace that it brings.
In this first Easter meeting of Jesus with His Apostles, which we heard in today’s Gospel reading, He gives the Apostles the Holy Spirit, which has a threefold significance – not only for the Apostles, but for us too. First, Jesus says, “Peace be with you.” By His Passion, Death and Resurrection Jesus has once again restored harmony between heaven and earth. As St. Paul puts it, “Christ is our peace,” or at least as Christians He should be our peace. This is not only a vertical peace, between God and humanity, but it is also horizontal – a peace with all of creation, and one we need to live with one another. It is a peace due to sin being banished and grace being restored.
The Spirit’s presence also expresses the forgiveness of sins. This is why we celebrate this Sunday as Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus’ death is atonement for our sins, and atonement means to be at-one-ment with God. While God’s forgiveness is freely given, it does require a change of heart to be received. God’s love is boundless, but it cannot be forced. With a change of heart, it is ours for the asking.
Finally in giving the Apostles the Holy Spirit, Jesus also gives them a mission, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Probably one of the most pondered questions about the Resurrection, though often only in our own minds, is why didn’t Jesus appear to Pilate or Herod or Caiaphas or even the Roman Emperor after His Resurrection? Pope Benedict says, “He can only be seen by the person to whom he reveals himself. And he only reveals himself to the one whom he can entrust with a mission” (Joseph Ratzinger, Seek That Which is Above, 1986, Ignatius Press, pp. 64-65). He does not desire to simply ease people’s curiosity. Jesus desires to build His Church, and the Spirit guides the Church so that it continues the work of Christ. In fact, in the Church, Jesus continues to be the incarnate presence of God in the world today.
This mission is not just for the Apostles, nor just for bishops, priests, deacons and religious. As the children of God, all of us, each according to the vocation that God has entrusted to us, should be like God. All of us, I pray, have had the grace to experience the mercy of God in our lives – through the sacraments, particularly Reconciliation, and through prayer. However, there are still many people around us who have not had that grace, or have forgotten about it. We must spread the Good News of God’s Mercy and Love to all the ends of the earth. We must live as the people of the Resurrection. It has to make a difference in our lives, and not be simply relegated to something we are told to believe that happened a long time ago. We need to be excited about the Resurrection, so excited that people can tell we are excited just by looking at us. If you won the Powerball lottery, don’t you think the people around you could tell; wouldn’t they notice a difference in you? Well the new life that the Resurrection gives to us is infinitely better than winning the lottery.
As people of the Resurrection we cannot hold on to resentment, anger and envy. We must forgive. We must have a lively, personal relationship with Jesus, so we can say that wonderful prayer of Divine Mercy: Jesus, I trust in you.
