Second Sunday of Easter

This Sunday, the Church celebrates the Second Sunday of Easter. In this Easter celebration, we proclaim our belief in Jesus, who rose from the dead, even though we have not seen the Risen Jesus. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus appeared to His disciples after His Resurrection. The disciples were filled with joy, but whether they truly believed in what they were seeing is another matter. They told Thomas, who was not with them that day, that they had seen the Lord. They didn’t seem convincing to Thomas, and he responded that he would not believe unless he could physically touch the wounds of Jesus. Thomas may be called “Doubting Thomas,” but it was he who proclaimed his faith in Jesus when he said, “My Lord and my God.”
Through Thomas, Jesus gave us a blessing when He said: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Indeed, we are blessed because, though we have not seen the Risen Lord, we believe in the Resurrection by faith. If it is said that seeing is believing, then for us Christians, in believing, we will see, and we will see what God wants to show us.
It has been a rough journey during the time of COVID-19, and now, with inflation and the increasing cost of living, it is difficult to find a job. But we have kept the faith and held on to hope. We see God’s blessings in what we have right now and in how we have passed through all the difficulties that life has thrown at us, day by day. Therefore, let us believe, and we will see the signs and wonders that God wants to show us.
Today, the Church also celebrates Divine Mercy Sunday. Let us ask the Lord for His mercy and forgiveness so that we may be at peace with God, with others, and with ourselves. It is through God’s mercy that we can live in peace.