My dear parishioners, I give you joy and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead! May your spirits, like a dove, take flight in this Octave of Easter, bearing the olive branch of God’s merciful name through the soaring heights to the east, west, north and south of his glorious creation!
The work of healing is hard, and the demanding ministry to which the apostles assiduously applied their hands did not spare them from spiritual exhaustion and the need to refresh themselves in spirit and truth. Spiritual exhaustion strikes in other ways. Thomas recovered more slowly from the death of the Lord than the other apostles.
He questioned whether Jesus actually rose from the dead on the third day as had been reported by eyewitnesses; he would not believe accounts of the resurrection unless and until he was given an opportunity to perform a post-mortem on the Lord himself. "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails," vows Thomas, "and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." [Jn 20:25]
On the eighth day following his resurrection, Jesus immediately confronts Thomas' ambivalence regarding the apostles' first-hand testimony of his resurrection from the dead. The Lord orders Thomas: "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side", and addressing himself to the spirit of doubt rooted deep within Thomas, "Do not be faithless, but believing." [Jn 20:27]
Jesus addressed Thomas' problem decisively, but it was not the Lord's intent to eradicate the problem of doubt from the Christian community by a wave of his hand. The Lord Jesus willed that doubt remain as a perennial test of faith until the parousia (Gk. coming of Christ in glory) when he would "reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross". [Col 1:19]
The mighty acts of God--the most glorious being the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead -- are intended to kindle mercy in the hearts of believers and to toughen their spiritual resolve. Jesus was incarnated into human form. Jesus broke bread and blessed it. Jesus suffered on the cross, died and rose from the dead for the salvation of many. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe," says the Lord. [Jn 20:29] Thomas' compulsion to probe the saviour's wounds is not permitted by Christ to be the norm of faith.
Accordingly, the reign of anxiety and inconstancy is overthrown, its pillars are shattered, its message is dissolved. Christ, the light of infinite magnitudes, is the bright morning star (Lat. stella splendida et matutina) [cf. Rev 22:16] before whose "glory as of the only Son from the Father" [Jn 1:14] no stronghold can prevail.
God’s Spirit has given you a commission: to enshrine the name of Jesus Christ in your hearts, proclaim it on your lips, and incarnate it in gracious ways pleasing and helpful to those in your life whom God has named Neighbor. May our loving heavenly Father grant you an abundant share of his serenity and kindness in this Easter season! Sincerely in the hearts of Jesus and Mary.
My dear parishioners, I give you joy and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead! May your spirits, like a dove, take flight in this Octave of Easter, bearing the olive branch of God’s merciful name through the soaring heights to the east, west, north and south of his glorious creation!