1.Acts
4:32-35
|
2.1John
5:1-6
|
3.John
20:19-31
|
Theme “Unless I see- I
will not believe”
As we celebrate the 2nd
Sunday of Easter the main call to each one of us is to have courage in
believing even what we have not seen. Faith is not qualified through physical
sensation, but rather faith consists in inner and personal conviction about
things that we do hope yet they cannot be seen (Cf. Hebrew 11:1ff).
Throughout the readings
of last week after Easter Sunday we have been hearing the series of Jesus’
appearance to women and lastly to his disciples yet the disciples were still
caught in their past memories to believe and being fearful to the Jewish
authorities, thus they closed their inner self( hearts) to believe about the
resurrection of Jesus. Today in our readings we hear Jesus again appearing to
the disciples and giving them an assurance to continue his mission to the whole
world.
The disciples of Jesus
after the events of Jesus, Passion, death and resurrection were terrified thus
they locked themselves in their houses fearing to be arrested by the Jewish
authorities, yet Jesus is appearing to them and is assuring them of peace,
Jesus in giving peace to the disciples he meant them to have first and foremost
the peace of mind and heart, he wanted them also to extend that peace to the
ends of the earth. Jesus in saying “Peace be with you” to his disciples he
meant reconciliation and forgiveness to his disciples who failed to believe
about what he foretold them, (passion, death and resurrection). The disciples
after that came to recognize that they were forgiven and thus were filled with
the joy and the Holy Spirit. Having received this power to forgive, they are
commissioned to extend the same power to the whole world. Having meditated on
the gospel reading today, thus it is a call to each one of us to meditate how
many times do we receive the sacrament of reconciliation? We are all invited to
partake in this ministry of the sacrament of reconciliation.
As the disciples locked
themselves in their hiding places, we can also find ourselves in a situation of
those disciples locked in their hiding places, the challenge here is that have
we unlocked our hearts to let the risen Jesus transform us and thus become new
creatures through our baptismal commitment? Like the disciples in the gospel we
can also find ourselves in a situation tempted to give up on our faith journey.
The will to
self-preservation, will to power, and pride can be obstacles preventing us to
welcome the risen Lord into our lives. The bad past memories are the obstacles
that may make us to give up in our faith Journey. The gospel today suggests a
way out for self imposed confinement, it suggests to each one of to let go all
which seem to be the obstacles in following and welcoming the risen Lord in our
life, if the testimony of Mary Magdalena concerning about the risen Lord is not
yet accepted, yet we are given an opportunity again/ has not make any impact on
us, then the risen Lord will find another way to get into our lives to fill us
with new energy and strength for his service. Neither locked doors nor locked
hearts will keep him out of our lives. The Lord is prepared to meet us in our
own grounds be in the public offices, families, communities always the Lord is
with us, and from there he will speak to us. The Lord is ever with us in places
of fear, and uncertainties.
As Jesus being sent by
the father on earth, likewise, he sends his disciples to continue the same
mission father in heaven entrusted him. Jesus breathed the holy spirit in his
disciples to give them strength, courage, power and joy to accomplish his
mission.
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