April 24, 2022 - Devine Mercy Sunday | St. Paul Catholic Church

April 20, 2022

Even Thomas struggles to remove his boulder! Being very pragmatic and determined, he wants to see the risen Christ for himself! Thomas’s boulder is heavy with mistrust. Many of ours are too. A certain amount of skepticism is good, as it can save us from being duped or misled. But we can become so skeptical of things that it erodes our ability to trust anything we see or hear. Skepticism can actually be a well-disguised defense mechanism that we use to prevent us from being hurt or perceived as a fool. Having too much ego protection is a real risk. Thomas, because of the boulder blocking his vision, could not even trust the word of his friends.
Boulders are hard to move. It’s difficult to seek change or take a risk, especially when we are so afraid to be vulnerable or reluctant to trust another’s word. When we are closed minded, overly pragmatic, unwilling to see things in a different way, stubborn or defensive, it is difficult to be surprised by God and stretched. We need to be less guarded, self-assured, and self-absorbed. God cannot break into the ordinary moments of our lives and inspire us when we cling to doubt. If we are going to discover resurrection faith, we have to believe that what the witnesses say is true, especially when they are credible. We also have to trust that the risen Christ is alive in us, too!
While the first witnesses to the resurrection have faded into history, there are many others who have come after them. They continue to inspire by walking the talk of faith. They are the martyrs who offer their lives for the Gospel, the simple holy people in our communities who cling so steadfastly to their faith, those who have touched despair and found new hope and the ones who, even in spite of ridicule, still pursue their hunger and thirst for God. They are our friends, acquaintances, biblical heroes, and saints, and many others who are convinced that they have seen the Lord! The risen Christ may not surprise us with the same kind of visit as he did the first disciples, but God finds other ways. All we have to do is open our eyes, remove whatever is preventing us from seeing and believing and exclaim:
“My Lord and my God!” ©LPi