THE DOUBTING THOMAS OR DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

Second Sunday of Easter: Acts 4:32-35; 1Jn5:1-6; Jn20:19-31

The doubting Thomas

Today is Second Sunday of Easter. And this Second Sunday of Easter is called the day of the Doubting Thomas. It is because every year during this Sunday, the gospel being used is about Thomas who doubts that the Lord is raised from the dead. He doubts about this fact. It is because when the other apostles report to him that the Lord is risen and they have seen him, he said that unless he sees the mark of the nails in His hands and put his finger into the nail marks and put his hands into His side, he will not believe. His way of acquiring knowledge is that of experiencing.

Divine Mercy Sunday

This Sunday is also called the Divine Mercy Sunday. It is because during the canonization of St. Faustina on the 30^th April, 2000, in his homily, Pope John Paul II declared: “It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter which from now on throughout the Church will be called ‘Divine Mercy Sunday.’ So therefore, in May 23rd, 2000 the Congregation for Divine Worship decreed that, “throughout the world, the Second Sunday of Easter will be called the Divine Mercy Sunday, an invitation to the Christian World to pray, with confidence in a special way for divine benevolent mercy.

In today’s gospel we find two themes: the first one is about peace. Jesus said: “Peace be with you”. Why Jesus did say this? Did he forget what they did to Him during His hours of need? After all those things they have done to Him, he was able to say, “Peace be with you”? After Peter denied Him for three times, after the people have shouted at him, ‘Crucify Him;’ after the disciples had fled away and abandoned Him; he just said to them, ‘Peace be with you’? Is He out of His mind? What an absurd person. What a foolish attitude. May be if we are the one being done like this, I don’t know what are we going to do?

That is the nature of Jesus, a forgiving and loving person especially towards his enemies and that is our nature too, to forgive and love the person who hurts us. I would like to mention some important notes about peace. When we are asked what do we mean by peace. We immediately answered: “Peace is the absence of war.” In Hebrew, the word peace is shalom, taken from the root word Slam which basically mean, “to be safe.” It also includes that when you say, “shalom”, you are wishing that person health, prosperity, security, political and spiritual well being, absence of war and also it connotes salvation.

During this mass, the priest will say to you later, “Peace be with you,” and you will respond, “And also with you.” Later, you will say to one another “Peace be with you”. In that sense you are wishing the person the same things that Jesus said.

The second theme is about the doubt of Thomas. Yes, the remaining eleven disciples, including Thomas are saddened by the death of Jesus. When all the disciples gather together, as believers of Christ, what do we notice, Thomas is not there. Where is Thomas? He is nowhere to be found. The difference is that even if the other ten are saddened, they remain together. On the other hand, Thomas detaches himself from the group. That is why when the Lord appears to them in order to be with them and strengthen them in their hour of fear, Thomas is not with them. He does not enjoy the presence of the Risen Lord because he withdraws from the community of the disciples.

Initially all the disciples had their doubts. But because of their encounter with the Risen Lord in their Sunday gathering, their doubt was turned into faith. Thomas missed that experienced. The story of the appearance of Jesus to the disciples was passed down through their sharing of the story. In John's version, Jesus appears to the disciples while Thomas is absent. Jesus gave the disciples the evidence they needed to see he was indeed real. He showed them his hands and his side. However, Thomas was not present. We don't know where Thomas had been or what he was doing. He has trouble believing their story. Whether he believes they were the product of a mass hallucination, wishful thinking, or just a bad joke, we do not know. He wants proof. He wants irrefutable proof that Jesus is alive. For this reason he has received the name "Doubting Thomas"

If the story stopped here we would spend our time talking about Thomas' doubt. We could say he was not a true believer. We could say he was over wrought with grief and was not thinking. We could expound on the various definitions of the words belief and doubt. As a result we would waste a great deal of time. For while Thomas is a major character of this story, the main point is not Thomas or his supposed doubt; the main point in the story is the action of Jesus Christ.

After Thomas' return, the disciples tell him what happened. In return, Thomas says the fateful words, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my fingers in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." Thomas needs proof. The action of Jesus is not to berate Thomas for his need of proof. The action of Jesus is to give Thomas what he needs to enhance and encourage Thomas' faith. Jesus does not appear and chastise Thomas. Jesus offers himself to Thomas. Thomas has what he needs to believe that Jesus has risen from the dead.

After Thomas has seen Jesus, Jesus asks Thomas if he believes because he has seen. Then, Jesus says the next line, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet come to believe." This line is directed to the followers of Jesus today. This line is directed to all future disciples of Jesus. It is directed directly at us today. Do we have to touch and see Jesus in corporeal form in order to believe? What do we need from God in order to believe? 

Nevertheless, Thomas was afforded another opportunity because the God of mercy, who was so vividly revealed in the person and mission of Jesus, is a God who comes, not just once but repeatedly, to save sinners from themselves.

The testimony of the other disciples had left Thomas unconvinced. But Thomas needed to see and touch and know for himself. Through Thomas, the evangelist makes a case for the place of doubt and the necessity of questioning one’s faith. Thomas’ incredulity should not be understood only as stubborness but as a valid human effort to struggle with the difficult issues. Because his doubt is this: is Jesus really risen from the dead? Has he really conquered death, with all that such conquest means? Or is the claim that he is risen just the deluded wish-fulfillment of a few men and women made unstable by grief, needing to fabricate a resurrection to console themselves, to vindicate their naïve faith?

 “The goodness and love of Jesus, of God, for hardheaded people is all too evident in this little exchange. It is reassuring that the Lord will reveal himself, will give an unmistakeable sign to those who want to believe and who do not shun the fellowship of believers even though they have grave and serious doubts”. In Thomas we learn that even doubts can eventually be resolved if one does not fragment oneself from the community but remains within it; through the cooperative efforts of the Spirit-filled assembly, authentic faith is more clearly discernible and more capably lived.
Thomas’ profession of faith is the ultimate christological proclamation of the fourth gospel. “My Lord (Kyrios) and my God (Theos)” revealed the late first century church’s realization that Jesus was equal to and one with the eternal creator of the universe and of all humankind. Thomas’ proclamation gave voice to the community’ growing awareness of the mystery of the incarnation. The great God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the God who redeemed Israel, first from Egypt and then from Babylon, the God of the covenant, had become flesh to make good on the promises to the patriarchs, to redeem all people from sin and death and to make a lasting covenant through the blood of the Son.
This is the meaning of this Sunday, meaning of the doubt of Thomas, meaning of the Divine Mercy for us. That, after all the stories of the appearances of the risen Lord, we may reach a level to profess like Thomas: “My Lord and My God”. The story of Thomas is not about doubting. The story of Thomas is about a merciful and loving Jesus. He is so merciful that He will come to us and give us what we need to believe.

I’m hoping that during this mass, when we say “Peace be with you” we have to mean it. Then, let us ask ourselves these questions: What gives me inner peace? What makes me happy? Do I practice my kindness and generosity to my fellow human being?

Confronted with the real person, there was no more need for Thomas to touch, to feel Christ’s side. Instead he fell on his knees and cried: “You are My Lord and My God.”

Faith involves a decision to move beyond what can be proven and to TRUST God’s words. Hence, Christ says in this Sunday’s gospel: “Blessed are those who have not seen but believe.”

There’s a story about a young man who went out hiking in the mountain. While passing over a precipice, he slipped and rolled down fast. It meant sure death, but fortunately, he was able to grab the branch of a tree. Hanging precariously with the branch cracking, he prayed aloud, “Lord, if You are up there, save me!”

A booming voice answered, “Yes, this is God.”

“Dear God, please help me,” said the man desperately.

“Yes, I’ll help you,” replied God. “But first, do you trust Me?”

“Of course, Lord, I trust you,” the man pleaded.

“Then LET GO (of your hold)!” God said.

“I’m begging the Lord to save me but He tells me to ‘let go.’ What a nonsense!” muttered the perplexed young man to himself. So he looked up again and hollered, “If there is anybody else up there... help!”

Poor guy! He could not accept God’s will. So he switched loyalty; in local parlance, “nag-balimbing!”

There are times when God tells us to “let go,” to trust Him even when the situation looks hopeless. It can be the untimely death of a young son, a fourth-stage cancer, an unjust treatment, a financial crisis.

What’s my attitude when such trying moments strike? Do I lose faith, and even feel bitter and resentful? Or do I reflect that, perhaps, the fault lies in me, as for instance, I got lung cancer due to cigarette smoking? Or, as a nation, we’re bogged down economically due to corrupt leaders?

“Letting go” means getting rid of our negative attitudes and practices that block personal and collective progress.