My Lord and My God

The Scripture readings for today can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041920.cfm

On this Second of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy) we have for the gospel one of the resurrection stories of Jesus appearing to the apostles in the upper room, from the gospel of St. John, chapter 20. We learn the doors are locked due to the fact that they are afraid of the Jews. They just went through the traumatic experience of the betrayal and death of Jesus on the Cross. They thought that they would be next executed due to their being followers of Jesus Christ. They failed to remember the promise of Jesus that He would be raised on the third day from the dead. They just couldn't comprehend such a thing was possible.

Then on Easter Sunday evening, though the doors were locked, there appears to them Jesus!! He sees their fear, and the first words He says to them. “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19).  They just couldn't believe their eyes, and so Jesus says again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” (John 20:21).  He then shows them His hands and side, showing the scars of the crucifixion. What joy they must have felt at seeing our Lord risen from the dead. 

For some reason, the apostle Thomas wasn't with them for this first appearance of Jesus. I'm sure he was dealing with the fear and disappointment of the death of Jesus in his own way. He just wanted to get away and be alone. So, when the apostles told him that Jesus was indeed alive and risen from the dead he had a problem with accepting the realty of it. Thomas says, "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." (John 20:25) I could only imagine the look on Thomas' face, and him thinking: "What are you guys? Crazy?"

But then Thomas finally sees Jesus, touches his hands and side, and comes to faith: "My Lord and God!" Then Jesus gave us all a gift when he responded: "Have you comet to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." (John 20:29)

Thanks to Thomas, Jesus has blessed us for our faith. Though we have never seen Jesus, we believe and, as a result, we are blessed. During this time of special need during this pandemic, let us turn to Christ, ask for healing and peace, and say, My Lord and my God. Let us pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the healing of all those who are positive with the coronavirus, and pray for the repose of the soul of those who have since passed away because of this virus.