Second Sunday of Easter
Acts 5:12-16
Acts 5:12-16
April 15, 2007
“I love you”
We have a famous saying to see is to believe. We won’t believe unless we can see with our own eyes. Our skeptical minds require proofs, evidence or facts before we believe in something.
For instance, when a guy says “I love you” to his girlfriend or to someone he loves, naturally he has to prove his love not only in words but with his actions. To say “I love you” is so easy, but to make someone believe that you love the person is not easy. You need to prove it by actions. Saying “I love you” needs evidence of truth through ones patience, understanding, acceptance, readiness to bear pains, sacrifices and disappointments.
Christian faith
However, the saying “to see is to believe” doesn’t apply to our Christian faith. Because faith is something you believe the things you cannot see. As St. Augustine says, "Faith is to believe what we do not see; the reward of faith is to see what we believe." Faith does not require proof or material evidence. The words of Jesus in the Gospel echoes what our Christian faith should be.. “Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
Today’s Gospel reading, like all of St. John’s Gospel, contains several themes. It is not possible to follow up all the themes together; we must focus on one at a time, going deeply into it and allowing it to reveal some deep truth about Jesus, about ourselves and about life.
I invite you to focus on the apostle Thomas. Although the readings includes two of Jesus’ resurrection appearances – both of them are deeply moving… Let us stay with the dialogue of Jesus and Thomas…
Jesus Appears
After resurrection, the apostles were all excited when they saw Jesus, they ran to Thomas later on, as if telling him, “Hey Tom Jesus is alive, he is risen, and we see him with ourselves.” And Thomas says, “I won’t believe until I see the scars my self, until I see the scars from his hands, until I touch the scars at his side.”
We have been calling a doubting Thomas, and kind of picking on him as one who has little faith. Later on in the story Jesus appears to the disciples again but this time Thomas was with them. Jesus says to Thomas, “Thomas, here I am look see the scars on my hands, put your finger on my side.” Jesus doesn’t ridicule Thomas for such having a little faith…he embraces his skepticism.. He encourage him to test and see, and feel for himself.
There is a famous painting by Caravagio. In this painting Jesus is not only showing Thomas the scars but also he is taking his hand. And you could just almost see the love on his face. The disciples look like anything but holy men chosen by Christ. Thomas ashamed of even doubting starts to pull away and Christ has to grab his hand to steady him while the others look on in a kind of morbid curiosity. Jesus is putting his finger into his side, helping Thomas’ skepticism away and restoring his faith back. The face of Jesus seems to be in pain, but it must the pain that comes from Thomas’ doubt. He is please to give Thomas what he is looking for. He challenges him and us to look forward to the day when he will believe without seeing.
The Word of God always gives us hope and confidence. The first reading calls us to overcome our doubts and fear, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.” The Responsorial Psalm speaks the same message of assurance “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.”
God understands our skepticism. He knows that our human struggles on our faith, personal loneliness and pains. Some people will find it difficult to come into faith in times of trials or death just like the apostle Thomas. But there is one thing that we admire of Thomas. After Jesus shows him his scars and put his finger on his side, Thomas cries out, “My Lord, and my God.” Thomas was the first one to do that after his Resurrection. Thomas was the first one to recognise Jesus as not only Lord but as God himself. We call Thomas, the Doubting Thomas, but when he overcomes his skepticism and doubt, he was the one who truly recognise the Risen Lord!
Thomas’ doubt is also our doubt
Thomas teaches us the important lesson that we must not separate the resurrection from the cross, since we are called to be followers of Jesus. He also teaches us the church and of our individual spiritual growth. We cannot live the life of grace, the ‘risen life; authentically unless we bear in our bodies the wounds of the cross. This means being conscious that we develop to love and to be loved only by dying to ourselves.
Our wounds are also a constant reminder of our frailty, and that is God’s grace that raises us up to new life.
Summary
To see is to believe.
Saying “I love you” is more than words it means readiness to live with a wounded heart.
Faith is to believe that we are loved by Jesus, even in times of doubt, trial, suffering and even separation from our loved ones.
Prayer
"Lord Jesus Christ, through your victory over sin and death you have overcome all the powers of darkness. Help me to draw near to you and to trust in your life-giving word. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and strengthen my faith and my belief in your promises and my hope in the power of your resurrection." Amen.
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