2nd Sunday of Easter – Year B
Acts 4: 32-35; Psalm 117;1 St. John 5: 1-6; John 20: 19-31
Read: Thomas responded: “My God and my Lord!” Jesus said to him: ”You believe because you can see me! Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe .”
Reflect: The Evangelist St. John presents to us St. Thomas as a symbol of every disciple who has difficulty in believing. St. John wants to teach the Christians of his time, and us, that the Resurrection means more than what we ourselves understand with our senses. The life of the Risen Christ is a life that we cannot touch with our own hands, nor can we see it with our own eyes. One can see it only with eyes of faith. A disciple cannot have faith in what he sees, because he sees this, but will need faith so as to believe what he cannot see. Otherwise, this will not be faith. Jesus told St. Thomas: “Blessed are those who do not see but believe”. “Blessed” because faith like this is the most genuine and pure. The words that St. Thomas says to the Resurrected Christ: “My God and my Lord” represent the point of at which the disciples reached their faith in him.
Pray: O Jesus most merciful, you are the Light of the entire world. Welcome in the refuge of Your Heart, full of mercy, the souls of those who so far do not believe in You. Make the rays of Your grace enlighten them, so that they too, along with us praise the wonders of Your mercy; and do not let them distance themselves from your Most Merciful Heart.
Act: Find a quiet place and close your eyes …. and now imagine yourself to be alone …… in a large field, full of green grass …… and big trees … imagine yourself walking with a stick in your hand …… you feel your mind at rest …. wishing to talk about many things …… but there is something which is annoying you a great deal: your relationship with God.
You wish that Jesus is near you, but …… and now you have a feeling all over your body ……. you are fearful but at the same time you hear someone saying: “peace be with you….!” Immediately you turn round and you see the Lord, with his hands wide open ready to embrace you …. Look into his eyes and let them talk to you …. they are eyes that are telling you that they love you, they are telling you that you are precious …. You feel you want to open your mouth to tell Him: ”My Lord and my God”…..
Continue talking to Him for a few moments …. tell him, don’t be afraid, what is troubling you …. because He will understand you…. He is able to help you in your lack of faith …