Second Sunday of Easter
What a difference faith makes! The faith of the early community of believers led them to rise beyond the selfishness that so many of us struggle with as they grew in communion with Christ and one another. Their selflessness was a living sign of the impact of their faith in Jesus Christ. They did not find the commandments burdensome, but rather centered their lives on the love of God and neighbor that Jesus taught through his life, death, and resurrection. It is good for us to remember that faith is a gift. The journey of faith is not always straightforward and is often marked by doubt and moments of weakness. The apostles’ faith grew as they experienced the risen Jesus. Jesus surely knew they needed the peace he offered and the presence of the Holy Spirit, as do we who have not seen the Lord and yet have come to believe in him.
FROM DOUBT TO BELIEF
The apostle Thomas will forever be remembered as the one who doubted. It is good that his experience is recorded in the Gospel of John. We all doubt sometimes, and “Doubting Thomas” shows us how to move from doubt to belief, knowing that the risen Jesus will be with us through it all. Thomas did not keep his doubts to himself, but instead voiced them aloud to his trusted companions. We can only imagine the conversations that took place between Thomas and the other disciples as they described the peace that they felt following Jesus’ time with them. Thomas’ doubts were put to rest once and for all when Jesus offered him physical proof of the Resurrection. We do not have the sort of physical evidence that was shown to Thomas, but we can perceive Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, in the words of sacred scripture, and in the presence and actions of others.
LIVING FAITH
The journey of faith often ebbs and flows, with times when our relationship with the Lord is the guiding force in our lives, and times when we are tempted to turn away from all we know to be true, good, and beautiful. In those moments when we find ourselves struggling with doubt or temptation, we can follow Thomas’ lead and turn to trusted companions, faithful and faith-filled family and friends, who will support us and show us the way from doubt to living faith. Like the disciples who were in the room when Jesus came among them, we too have received the Holy Spirit. Today, let us consider where we are on the journey of faith, turn to trusted companions and the Holy Spirit to strengthen us on the way, and know that the Lord is with us as we live and grow in relationship with Christ.
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