Isn’t there something refreshingly honest about Thomas in this Sunday’s Gospel!! He’s spoken about as Doubting Thomas but could equally be called Honest Thomas. He has the courage and honesty to express his doubts as he struggles to believe that Jesus has risen from the dead and has appeared to his disciples. Thomas has been devastated by the violent death of Jesus and like his companions has been living in fear.
Jesus is indeed risen and breaks through the darkness of fear and despair. No locked door can block the light and hope the Risen Jesus brings. He doesn’t come to judge or condemn his disciples for abandoning or betraying him; he greets them with peace. PEACE BE WITH YOU. He doesn’t condemn Thomas for his reluctance to believe. The suffering and death of Jesus on the Cross brought healing to humanity. After his resurrection Jesus carries the wounds of his suffering. His wounds continue to heal and bring Thomas from a place of doubt to belief.
We can at times be weighed down with doubts and fears. Our God understands us in these moments of struggles and reaches out to us with love and mercy. PEACE BE WITH YOU is the Lord’s loving message for each one of us and desires us to experience fullness of life. We come before the Lord as we are, with all our hopes and dreams, our doubts and fears. The light of the Risen Lord will always guide us out of darkness into God’s wonderful light. In this light we join with Thomas as we pray in faith MY LORD AND MY GOD.
Every good wish and blessing to all the children and young people returning to school this Monday. May God’s Spirit be with them all, their teachers and parents and all who support them at this challenging time in their lives.
We remember Matthew Ryan, Bridget McDonnell, Kathleen Weldon and George Robertson who died recently. May they rest in the light and peace of the Risen Lord. May God’s peace and comfort be with all who are grieving for them.
My Lord and My God