2nd Sunday of Easter 2016

On the evening of the day when Jesus rose from the dead, He suddenly appeared to the disciples, who were gathered in the upper room behind locked doors. He said to them “Peace be with you!” With that simple phrase, our Risen Lord freed his beloved disciples from the fear that paralyzed them and forgave them for their lack of faith. During his brief visit, rather than using the time to express words of anger or disappointment, Jesus simply showed his disciples his wounds. They looked on the one who was pierced and they believed! Now with unhindered sight, the disciples became ministers of the forgiveness that Jesus made available to all humanity through his death and resurrection. They became empowered to help others turn despair into hope, doubt into faith, and heartache into joy. They shared a belief that we are all equally created by God and that each one of us is responsible to share God’s abundant blessings with others. But where was Thomas? It had only been three days since the crucifixion. Did he have someplace better to be? Did he need to take some time off in order to clear his head? Or did he need some time alone in order to discern if he would ever return as a disciple? No one really knows for sure. However, we do know that Thomas was not set-up to be shamed because of his absence from the Upper Room, nor was his demand to see and touch the wounds of Jesus unreasonable. After all, during the first visit to the Upper room, Jesus readily showed his wounds to those who were gathered.
Our sacred scripture teaches that a good shepherd will leave his entire flock in order to find and bring home a lost sheep. Jesus as the Good Shepherd is no exception. He knows his flock and his flock knows him. When he returned to the Upper Room on the 8 ^th day following Easter Sunday, he did so with the single purpose of addressing the spiritual needs of one individual – that being Thomas. Once Thomas encountered the Lord, he knew without a shadow of a doubt the true identity of Jesus’s – and, out of deep reverence, he exclaimed, “MY Lord and My God.” Thomas soon realized that it wasn’t the miracles that Jesus performed that stirred his faith. Rather his faith was fanned into a flame because he recognized that Jesus is the true son of God. Today’s readings open a myriad of questions for each of us:
What do you need to see or know before you can fully believe?

1. What burdens do you carry that need to be lifted before you can see more clearly?
2. What secrets are you keeping hidden in the darkness and the shadows of your life that prevent you from walking in the light of Christ?

Whatever they are, I can assure you that Jesus desires to release those obstacles from us. Jesus loves all of us and he indeed cares deeply for our spiritual and physical well-being. None-the-less there will come a time when we will be walking down a path on which we would rather avoid. It may be due to financial hardship, it may be an issue with relationships, or it may be due to a chronic illness. When we find ourselves in such situations, Jesus desires that we recognize his true identity, and profess him to be our Lord and our God. He desires that when we find ourselves in situations that make us fearful or anxious that we place those concerns at the foot of the cross. There they will cease to exist, because Jesus will take them with him as he passes through the cross to the resurrection. His Divine Mercy will help us overcome the obstacles that prevent us from living a resurrected life. Our lives should be always be influenced by the grace that flows from the other side of the cross. A place where there is no more tears, or pain, or suffering. I’d like conclude by sharing a dream that I had when I was a young child. A dream which, to this day, profoundly affects the way I live my life. In the dream, I was a 6-year old playing outside my home. As I was playing, I walked away from my home and wandered around the corner. Suddenly I was overcome by the fear of being lost, even though I could clearly see my home from where I was standing. I was weeping and scared and wondered how I would find my way back home. As I stood there, looking down at the ground, I realized that I was standing next to someone who was wearing sandals and a white robe. I immediately knew that it was the Lord. I was relieved when Jesus didn’t scold me or punish me for wandering away and I was overjoyed when Jesus extended his right hand and walked me home. That is what I believe our scripture passages are all about. Regardless of what we have done or failed to do, Jesus will always be by our side, walking each of us home. And as we journey together we will discover that our voices we will become one with Thomas’ as we proclaim, “My Lord and my God.”