Beloved in Christ,
“My Lord and My God!” (Jn 20:28). The first time I heard those words of Thomas called Didymus was from the lips of my parents after consecration at Mass. As a young child at Mass with my parents, I would often hear them say with faith and gaze on the raised consecrated host, "My Lord and my God!" Since then, I have never failed to make this act of faith at the elevation of the Consecrated Host and Chalice at Mass. However, this act of faith by Thomas in the divinity of the Risen Christ flows from a beginning rooted in doubt and uncertainty; hence the term, "Doubting Thomas." Thomas wanted proof, or is it evidence, that Jesus has indeed risen. The Bible says that on the evening of the first day of the week, Jesus appeared to the apostles, who locked themselves up in a room out of fear of the Jews. He showed them his hands and side as proof that it was his resurrected, glorified body, and they believed with their eyes. Thomas was absent and would not believe the disciples' words unless he saw the marks of the nails in his hands, put his finger into the nail marks, and put his hand into his side; he would not believe (see Jn 20:19-25).
There is a lot of unbelief that attends to the revealed truth of faith in our time. Within and outside the Church are people who will not make an act of faith unless they see, touch, and verify. Some people consider the scientific method the only acceptable way of knowing. Many will not believe the doctrines of our faith, such as the Real Presence in the Sacred Host, unless they can verify the facts behind them; they need materialist proof. They exclude faith as a way of knowing when faith itself is involved, even in scientific methods. Facts do not exclude faith. Faith is always a way of knowing. We do not have to see, observe, and experiment to believe in the reality of a claim, especially the mystery of faith.
We believe and exercise faith in the revealed truth about the resurrection of Jesus from the dead without falling into the notion of blind faith. Our faith also has evidence to back it. We are even better off for believing without seeing. We believe based on trust in God's love for us. From Scripture and Christian living, we know that God is faithful to his promises and cannot deceive. We have to nourish our faith daily through prayer, meditation on the Scriptures, and action in faith.
On this Divine Mercy Sunday, we are called to affirm our faith in the Divine Mercy that flows from the side of Jesus on the Cross and the wounds from his risen body. Today, we pray the Divine Mercy and perform the required acts of faith to receive a plenary indulgence, remitting all temporal punishments due for our sins. God has provided a fountain of mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation. Let us receive it frequently in faith.
We will conclude the Octave of Easter with the communal praying of the Divine Mercy chaplet at 2:30 pm here in our church. The Novena to Divine Mercy, begun on Good Friday, ends with the outpouring of God’s ocean of mercy into our souls. Let’s come in our numbers to partake of this superabundant grace of mercy.
Please note that the bowl of water on a decorated stand at the entrance to the church narthex is taken from the water blessed at the Easter vigil. Its purpose is to highlight the centrality of baptism in Eastertide and our Christian life.
In Christ’s Mercy,
Fr. Alayode, OP
“My Lord and My God!” (Jn 20:28). The first time I heard those words of Thomas called Didymus was from the lips of my parents after consecration at Mass. As a young child at Mass with my parents, I would often hear them say with faith and gaze on the raised consecrated host, "My Lord and my God!" Since then, I have never failed to make this act of faith at the elevation of the Consecrated Host and Chalice at Mass. However, this act of faith by Thomas in the divinity of the Risen Christ flows from a beginning rooted in doubt and uncertainty; hence the term, "Doubting Thomas." Thomas wanted proof, or is it evidence, that Jesus has indeed risen. The Bible says that on the evening of the first day of the week, Jesus appeared to the apostles, who locked themselves up in a room out of fear of the Jews. He showed them his hands and side as proof that it was his resurrected, glorified body, and they believed with their eyes. Thomas was absent and would not believe the disciples' words unless he saw the marks of the nails in his hands, put his finger into the nail marks, and put his hand into his side; he would not believe (see Jn 20:19-25).
There is a lot of unbelief that attends to the revealed truth of faith in our time. Within and outside the Church are people who will not make an act of faith unless they see, touch, and verify. Some people consider the scientific method the only acceptable way of knowing. Many will not believe the doctrines of our faith, such as the Real Presence in the Sacred Host, unless they can verify the facts behind them; they need materialist proof. They exclude faith as a way of knowing when faith itself is involved, even in scientific methods. Facts do not exclude faith. Faith is always a way of knowing. We do not have to see, observe, and experiment to believe in the reality of a claim, especially the mystery of faith.
We believe and exercise faith in the revealed truth about the resurrection of Jesus from the dead without falling into the notion of blind faith. Our faith also has evidence to back it. We are even better off for believing without seeing. We believe based on trust in God's love for us. From Scripture and Christian living, we know that God is faithful to his promises and cannot deceive. We have to nourish our faith daily through prayer, meditation on the Scriptures, and action in faith.
On this Divine Mercy Sunday, we are called to affirm our faith in the Divine Mercy that flows from the side of Jesus on the Cross and the wounds from his risen body. Today, we pray the Divine Mercy and perform the required acts of faith to receive a plenary indulgence, remitting all temporal punishments due for our sins. God has provided a fountain of mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation. Let us receive it frequently in faith.
We will conclude the Octave of Easter with the communal praying of the Divine Mercy chaplet at 2:30 pm here in our church. The Novena to Divine Mercy, begun on Good Friday, ends with the outpouring of God’s ocean of mercy into our souls. Let’s come in our numbers to partake of this superabundant grace of mercy.
Please note that the bowl of water on a decorated stand at the entrance to the church narthex is taken from the water blessed at the Easter vigil. Its purpose is to highlight the centrality of baptism in Eastertide and our Christian life.
In Christ’s Mercy,
Fr. Alayode, OP
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