mamabishop: Second Sunday of Easter

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Second Sunday of Easter

Second Sunday of Easter April 27, 2025

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. John 20:19-31

Thomas, often referred to as "Doubting Thomas" is one of the most honest characters in the Gospels. The readings for Easter remind us that all of the disciples doubted the story the women told them. They probably called them hysterical, emotional women. It took seeing Jesus for those disciples to believe. We don't know why Thomas wasn't with the original group. We just know he had a hard time believing, after watching his friend and teacher die a horrible, torturous death. The disciples lived in fear, being locked behind closed doors for fear of reprisal and suffering the same fate as Jesus. I am grateful for Thomas, who was honest about his own shattered heart and who needed the intimacy of the presence of Jesus to truly believe. Thomas went on to be a beloved preacher and evangelist, bringing the Gospel message to far off locations, including India and modern-day Turkey. He was braver than the rest, for he spoke out loud, confessing his doubt and concern. His heart had been broken by the gruesome crucifixion, and it took and encounter with Jesus to repair his heart.

A Litany for the Second Sunday of Easter

Wondrous Creator, you made us with compassionate hearts

which often break with the circumstance and world affairs

yet you are always seeking us out so our hearts can be mended.