The amazing stories of encounter and of resurrection continue, and more and more of his followers claim to have seen and talked to him. But it is all so strange, it is all just too much to believe so Thomas proclaims that not until he sees, not until he touches, will he believe this outrageous resurrection story! Can you blame him? Imagine being there at the very beginning, being amongst the first to whom Jesus appeared and who were told about Jesus’ appearances! It must have all been so frightening and bewildering. Thomas and others must have felt overwhelmed by it all, and so no wonder he doubted and demanded to see and touch for himself! And Jesus appears and offers Thomas his hands and his side to touch and see, that yes, indeed, it is he, he has risen and he is alive! How even more disorienting THAT must have been!
And when Jesus appears to the disciples even though most of them had deserted him and some had even disowned him, Jesus shows no anger or resentment but only offers his peace and forgiveness…his mercy! That mercy and forgiveness falls upon us gently as the rain even in the midst of this pandemic, even in the midst of our fear and anxiety, even in the midst of our sense of lostness and distress the risen Christ walks through this dark night with us, by our side, and to him we may cling just as Mary did when Jesus appeared to her.
Let Christ be our light in the midst of this dark night. And as we celebrate the resurrection, God’s gift to us of eternal life, we celebrate God’s mercy; God’s love and forgiveness which falls upon us as gently as the rain, neither earned nor measured, freely given, for us to take and receive. For or from what in my life might I need forgiveness? Is there someone I need to offer forgiveness to? How is God’s mercy present in my life? How might I be the light of Christ to someone living in the darkness of loneliness, need, fear or other suffering?
Easter Blessings,
Fr. Tim
And when Jesus appears to the disciples even though most of them had deserted him and some had even disowned him, Jesus shows no anger or resentment but only offers his peace and forgiveness…his mercy! That mercy and forgiveness falls upon us gently as the rain even in the midst of this pandemic, even in the midst of our fear and anxiety, even in the midst of our sense of lostness and distress the risen Christ walks through this dark night with us, by our side, and to him we may cling just as Mary did when Jesus appeared to her.
Let Christ be our light in the midst of this dark night. And as we celebrate the resurrection, God’s gift to us of eternal life, we celebrate God’s mercy; God’s love and forgiveness which falls upon us as gently as the rain, neither earned nor measured, freely given, for us to take and receive. For or from what in my life might I need forgiveness? Is there someone I need to offer forgiveness to? How is God’s mercy present in my life? How might I be the light of Christ to someone living in the darkness of loneliness, need, fear or other suffering?
Easter Blessings,
Fr. Tim
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