SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER (DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY)

A PERSONAL PROFESSION OF FAITH BEGETS RENEWED ENCOUNTER

1st Reading               Acts 4:32-35

Psalm                          Psalm 118:2-4,15-18,22-24

2nd Reading              1 John 5:1-6

Gospel                        John 20:19-31

Beloved, Happy Divine Mercy Sunday!

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter and it is dubbed “Divine Mercy Sunday”, a day on which we recount the merciful love of God and proclaim, further with the Psalmist, that “the Lord's mercy endures forever” (cf. Ps. 118: 1, Responsorial Psalm). 

The readings of this Sunday have been carefully  chosen with special regard for the season of Easter in which we are, and seconded by the acknowledgement of the Divine Mercy which gives ‘peace amidst fear’. Jesus' Heart is our home, our rest, the centre of reversal and replacement of virtues. This is the Heart from which gushed forth the Mercy of God and transforms finite states into infinite and eternal ones. 

Hence, we read three times in today's Gospel that Jesus offered peace in a time when the apostles were being sought after (cf. Jn. 20: 19, 21, 26). This is a time when fear has been peaked. The authorities were seeking the followers of Christ to deal with them for proclaiming Christ risen from the dead. The Lord appears and grants peace (ειρηνη -eirēnē) amidst fear (τον φόβον - ton phobov). 

Even when the doors were locked, probably from the inside, Jesus breaks through and grants what is needed at a crucial time; Peace. This peace has been promised them way before Christ's death (cf. John 14: 27). This indicates that a glorified body is not bound by the laws of ordinary matter. Peace is not serenity, neither is it quietism. It is now harmony, Christ's presence. Where Christ is, there is peace. 

The Gospel, in the light of contrasting opposites, presents, chiefly, the personality of Thomas. This apostle is popularly propagated as ‘Doubting Thomas’ on the grounds of his doubt of the Lord's Resurrection and appearance as he was not present when Christ first appeared to them all, not individually (cf. Jn. 20: 24). 

Thomas is seen in the light of faith and draws us to think that Faith in Christ is personal. Every one has to profess it personally. No one professes faith for another. 

Finally, an important description is given about the same Thomas who gives us a lesson of personal profession of Faith. He is called “Didymus” (δίδυμος). Some texts have “twin” as a substitute. Is he really a twin? 

Maybe not! Didymus clearly defines a ‘Di’, two or double. Thomas comes from the Hebrew (or Aramaic) 'Te'om' and means "the twin." Didymus is from the Greek 'δίδυμος' and means "the twin." It is likely that Thomas was born as a twin. 

Perhaps too often he halted between two opinions. He was of two sides. He does not take one stance. He doubts, he is skeptical, yet his skepticism is geared toward establishing a personal encounter and Profession of Faith. His skepticism makes him to identify Jesus with words rare to be used: ‘My Lord and My God!’ (cf. Jn. 20: 28). Personal profession of Faith in Christ enables us to speak forth about Christ in ways that seem new. 

A personal profession of Faith begets renewed encounter.