Proof of Love

Divine Mercy Sunday
11 April 2010


The Lord has truly risen, alleluia.


First reading Acts 5:12-16 3
The faithful all used to meet by common consent in the Portico of Solomon. No one else ever dared to join them, but the people were loud in their praise and the numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily. So many signs and wonders were worked among the people at the hands of the apostles that the sick were even taken out into the streets and laid on beds and sleeping-mats in the hope that at least the shadow of Peter might fall across some of them as he went past. People even came crowding in from the towns round about Jerusalem, bringing with them their sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were cured.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 117:2-4,22-27

Second reading Apocalypse 1:9-13,17-19
My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure. I was on the island of Patmos for having preached God’s word and witnessed for Jesus; it was the Lord’s day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet, ‘Write down all that you see in a book.’ I turned round to see who had spoken to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands and, surrounded by them, a figure like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a golden girdle.
When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, ‘Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and things that are still to come.’

Gospel John 20:19-31
In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.
‘As the Father sent me,
so am I sending you.’
After saying this he breathed on them and said:
‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
For those whose sins you forgive,
they are forgiven;
for those whose sins you retain,
they are retained.’
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘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.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him:
‘You believe because you can see me.
Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’
There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.

Reflection
By Grace Madriñan

I used to feel bad whenever I have some doubts. I was hard on myself thinking how faithless I was, and how undeserving I am to receive blessings from Him. But later on, I was able to use these doubts to my advantage. These doubts become my triggering point, telling me that my spiritual guards are down and that I need more time to reflect and analyze where it was coming from and then resolve it. I pray more, read the Bible more religiously and flood my soul with inspirational music until all doubts are turned into faith.

In today’s Gospel, I am seeing two angles of the story. Perhaps, Jesus knew beforehand that Thomas was the doubting one among His apostles, and He wanted to test him. He may have revealed Himself to the apostles without Thomas intentionally to teach him an important lesson. Thomas needed more nudging before he could totally believe. Had Jesus did not do this, Thomas would still be wandering half-hearted with his faith. And when He showed Himself personally to Thomas, all doubts were erased and Thomas finally believed.

On another angle, perhaps Thomas believed in his heart that the apostles may be telling the truth, that they had seen the Lord and that He is risen. But there was a question that held him back. “Am I not one of His disciples?” he may have asked himself. “Why did He not show Himself to me as well?” Like the rest of the apostles, he may have wanted the same privilege to see Him personally. He may have doubted himself more than He had doubted the Lord. And when he saw the Lord finally with his own two eyes, and touched His wounds, his faith is complete. Much more than that, Thomas confirmed his place in Jesus’ heart, that He loves him despite his short of faith.

But may it be the first angle, the second or both, what is important to note is that Jesus remained faithful to all His disciples, including Thomas. Jesus did not hold it against Thomas if he was doubtful at first. He even showed Himself personally to Thomas to give him the proof he needs so that he may fully believe. Likewise, this Gospel was written in order for us to erase our doubts – to believe in Jesus fully. Like Thomas, we have a place in Jesus’ heart and He loves us despite our shortcomings. Besides, what proof can best define love than that of Jesus, who died on the cross to save use all.

Father, we are no different from Thomas, yet You love us fully and unconditionally. May You fill our hears with the Holy Spirit so that we may see You beyond what the eyes can see and feel You beyond what our hands can touch. Amen.

Next week on God-speak
Pureness of Heart