2nd Sunday of Easter
"When evening came on the fist day of the week, whereas the doors of where Jesus’ disciples were bolted out of fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood there in their midst. He said to them :’Peace be with you!’ After saying this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were filled with joy in seeing the Lord. Jesus said to hem again : ’Peace be with you! As the Father sent me so do I send you.’ Having spoken he breathed upon them saying ’Recieve the Holy Spirit. Whovever’s sin you forgive they will be forgiven, whover sins you keep they will remain." Respecting our freedom, the Risen Lord Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit so as to fortify our responsibility, to enlighten our faith in the Resurrection. Believing that God’s Love is more fundamental than our capacity to make a success of our life by our own strength. To believe in the Resurrection means to believe in the unique value of our person. The resurrection speaks about the dignity and the importance of each human life, it affirms the primat of the gratuitous Love of God for us. The experience of the eleven apostles joins our own and enlightens our life. Jesus is alive, he is risen and gives a whole new meaning to our lives. We need to internalise God’s forgiveness. We have been marked in a very deep way by all inflicted wounds and those we gave. These germs of death will be transformed into germs of life in the mystery of Jesus’ resurrection. Hatred is dead, seperations have been taken away, brokeness are reconciled. All that is left is a Love which we must integrate so as to become love just as Jesus is Love. “Now, one of the Twelve, Thomas called Didymu (that isTwin), was not with them when Jesus had come to them. The other discipes said’We have seen the Lord!’ But he declared ’if I don’t see his hands and the trace of the nails if I don’t put my hand in his side, no, I won’t beleieve!” Thomas too needs to have an experience of the risen Lord. He wants an immediate contact with Jesus. What a path has been run by the apostles, and what a long path still has to be run! Despite all the apparitions Jesus has already brought about the apostles were fearful ’they had bolted the doors, for fear of the Jews.’ This is how the itinerary of our Chrsitian life stands out. We too have come to encounter Jesus little by little! A first encounter, then a second one and then again at other moments Jesus made himself present and we finally got converted! Within us there are thick layers of incredulity, of doubt, of non - faith : ’No, I won’t believe!’ This word of Thomas is our own experience at certain moments of our life. Jesus comes back to us, in his life which no longer dies which he can transmit by his Holy Spirit. This life is spread out, it brings to life the whole body of humanity so as to take it back to the Father. This life crosses through death, abandon, it has overcome all resistance, all sin, all fear, all contradiction. It carries with it joy, forgiveness, energy, hope, faith, charty, it takes us forward for a new existence. " A week later the disciples were there again in the house and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, whereas the doors were bolted and he was there in their midst. He said to them ’Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas’ Put your finger here and see my hands; bring your finger forward and place it in my side : don’t be incredulous but believe only." So then Thomas said : ’My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him ’Because you saw do you believe’ Blessed are those who believe without having seen.’ There are many other signs that Jesus did in the presence of his disciples and which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that in believeing you may have life in his name." Jesus reappears to Thomas by showing him his pierced hands, his feet that were transpierced by nails. He reveals his ever open heart. From here treasures of God’s love will flow : the waters of baptism, the Blood and the Eucharist. In the shining brilliance of these wounds Jesus’ Love conquers death, all violences and hell. In this way God reveals all the Love he has for humanity. ’My Lord and my God!’ cries out Thomas, as soon as he precieves the presence of the risen Lord Jesus. He proclaims his faith. Our faith joins us directly to Jesus- Thomas helps us to take up the right position. The Risen Lord Jesus establishes with each one of us a personal relationship, a relationship of Love and it is out of this Love that we live. The Eucharist has us experiment this New Love in faith! In this new touch of Love ’the Living Jesus’ appears. He gives us a new dimension which starts out from the most secret part of His Heart. In this way God wishes to give back the sense of the body to the whole of humanity. The Holy Spirit has become our Light and our Love! He has us share in divine life and to hope in the full realisation of Jesus’ promises.