Dear Friends in Jesus Christ…,

The celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday is an invitation to each one of us from Jesus to his Most Sacred Heart. The apostle Thomas went from doubting Jesus’ Resurrection to professing his faith in Jesus and declaring Jesus’ divinity, with the words, “My Lord and my God.” What happened? He encountered the love of Jesus. We could say he encountered the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Jesus said, “…bring your hand and put it into my side…” (John 20:27)

Did you ever have a bad weekend? Just think of what kind of weekend the apostles had on that first Easter weekend. They must have been suffering from a severe dose of depression since Good Friday. Jesus was dead. The crowd that welcomed Jesus with palms as he entered Jerusalem turned against him on Good Friday morning calling for the release of Barabbas and the death of  Jesus. The apostles, now afraid of the crowd, had shut themselves in for their own protection as we heard in the Gospel (John 20:19). There were ten of them gathered in this state; Judas was no more and Thomas was temporarily absent. Jesus came with his healing, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19) And how much peace they must have felt within now; as well as shock and doubts. But this meeting with the Risen Jesus certainly brought peace to their troubled minds and hearts. That was Easter Sunday evening, the crisis was over, but what a long three days it had been since Friday morning.

Thomas came back then and they tell him Jesus is alive, they have seen him. Jesus came in, even though the doors were all locked. Thomas thinks this is   adding insult to injury. You can imagine what he would have said to them. “You saw his body when it was taken down from the cross. You know he was not breathing. You know there was no blood left in his body, you know his heart had been pierced with the soldier’s lance. You are all raving mad! It’s getting to you. Get a grip on yourselves!” We heard in our Gospel that Thomas demanded proof, “Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to     believe.” (John 20:25) The following Sunday Jesus came again even though he doors were closed. Again Jesus wished them peace and provided Thomas with the proof that his reason and logic desire for a  scientific answer needed, “Put your finger here. Look, here are my hands. Give me your hand and put it into my side. Doubt no more, but believe.” Thomas said, “My Lord and My God.” Now when Thomas sees the wound in Christ’s side he is overcome. The physical wound which Thomas saw was only the gateway to the love of Jesus’ Sacred Heart. What Thomas really saw was the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for him.

Thomas is overcome because he sees a heart that is wounded, wounded out of love for humanity, the Sacred Heart that took the sin of humanity upon itself. That is what love does, love suffers for the other and Thomas now sees this suffering wounded love before his eyes in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Thomas sees the pain in Jesus’ heart caused by man’s ingratitude and lack of belief. Thomas sees Divine Mercy in the physical form. Divine Mercy takes the sin of mankind upon its own heart, instead of inflicting on humanity the just punishment for sin. Divine Mercy forgives, heals and restores. Jesus invites Thomas, “…bring your hand and put it into my side…” (John 20:27). Thomas is invited, as it were, to touch the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As Thomas encounters the Sacred Heart of Jesus he is forgiven, healed and restored. His heart is also changed into a heart of love. He can only respond, “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28) Christ’s Sacred Heart which raised up Thomas from despair to faith, is ready to raise each one of us from any despair we may have to Christian hope. Christ invites each of us to “…bring your hand and put it into my side…” Christ invites each of us to touch his heart, to allow our hearts to become hearts to love. As we look on Christs’ Sacred Heart, we see Jesus’ love forgive us, heal us and restore us. The physical wound in His side is the only gateway to the love of his Sacred Heart.  (Courtesy of Fr. Tommy Lane)

Let us accept God’s invitation to celebrate and practice mercy. One way the Church celebrates God’s mercy throughout the year is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Finding time for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another good way to receive and give thanks for Divine Mercy.  It is mainly through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that we practice mercy in our daily lives and are enabled to receive God’s merciful judgment. Let us ask God for the Faith that culminates in self-surrender to God and leads us to serve those we encounter with love. Living Faith enables us to see the Risen Lord in everyone and gives us the willingness to render to each one, our loving service.

God Bless You,

Fr. Tom