Terrified by the execution of Jesus, the disciples take refuge in a house known. Are meeting again, but Jesus is no longer with them. In the community there is a void that nobody can fill. We need Jesus. Can not hear his words of fire. They can not bless him with tenderness to the unfortunate. Who will now?
getting dark in Jerusalem and also in his heart. Nobody can comfort your sadness. Gradually, the fear is taking over all, but do not have Jesus to strengthen his mind. The only thing that gives them some security is "closing the doors." Nobody thinks of leaving the roads to preach the kingdom of God and heal the living. Without Jesus, how can they spread the Good News? John the Evangelist describes in unsurpassed processing that occurs in the disciples when Jesus, full of life, is present in their midst. The Risen One is back in the center of his community of followers. This has to be forever. With him everything is possible: freedom from fear, opening doors and start evangelization.
According to the story, the first thing that Jesus gives to his community is his peace. Reproach for abandoning him, no complaints or disapproval. Only peace and joy. The disciples feel their creative spirit. Everything begins again. Driven by his Spirit, will continue to work throughout the centuries in the same project which the Father entrusted savior Jesus.
What the Church needs today is not only religious reforms and called to communion. Experience in our communities need a "fresh start" from the living presence of Jesus in our midst. Only he has to occupy the center of the Church. Only he can promote communion. Only he can renew our hearts.
our efforts are not enough jobs. It is Jesus who can trigger the change of horizon, the freedom from fear and suspicion, the new climate of peace and serenity I need to open the doors and being able to share the Gospel with men and women of our time.
But we must learn to accept in faith his presence among us. When Jesus returns to stand for eight days, the narrator tells us that the doors are still closed. It's not just Thomas who must learn to believe with confidence in the Resurrection. Also the other disciples are to go steadily overcoming the doubts and fears do they still live with the doors closed to evangelism.
"We have seen the Lord"
1.-Today we see the Lord
we felt we hope now that the scene is repeated. As the Day of Resurrection to his disciples: Christ stands among us, tells us, gives us his peace and sends us to be witnesses. Because Jesus had told us: "Where two or three are gathered in my name there am I with them." God is here at our Sunday Eucharist.
Today is Sunday. I like to remember the evangelist: "At dusk the first day of the week", "Eight days." Since that day, every Sunday, we evoke the risen Christ. A very long string of Sundays until today. Is it heritage we have received, and want to be faithful. Each Sunday, Mass is our first date. "Do not take away the Sunday Eucharist, we prefer to die" insisted those African martyrs.
2 .- Word
The Word of God is still watching the resurrected Christ. He always starts the play, takes the initiative and reaches out to yours. What a change, so fast and so deep, is set to the disciples. Were scared, until the doors had closed and bolted. Jesus comes and lights the scene: he speaks with affection, he shows them his wounds, and glorious, they "encouraged" ("he breathed on them"). And suddenly, if by God, men are transformed into resurrected. How well you draw San Juan: Raised in peace: "Peace be with you." Raised by joy: "They were filled with joy." Resurrected to witness: "As the Father has sent me, I send you." Resurrected by the Spirit of God: "Receive the Holy Spirit." Raised for forgiveness: "Those who forgive are forgiven." Raised, full of life: "For that, believing ye might have life." That is, everything that had promised a few days before the Last Supper.
Thomas was not the first day. Appears to eight days. His wavering faith begins and ends beautifully. He had been out of their group, their community. And when he returns, takes a cocky tone, "Unless I see the imprint of the nails, I do not." But soon the goodness of the brothers and the teaching of Jesus turn away. No reproach or complaint. His companions, rather than a reprimand - "Where you've been?" - Give you the good news: "We have seen the Lord" are all merciful. And Jesus, rather than afearle their unbelief, invited Thomas to that, as this would, see and touch his wounds. At last, could not be otherwise-the wayward disciple surrenders the Master: "My Lord and my God." Easy to doubt, easy to believe.
3 .- Life
Who among us does not require the presence of the Risen Lord in your life? Only he can change us, make us kinder, more full of confidence in him. If he is with us, we also touch your peace, joy, His Spirit, His forgiveness. If he is with us, we too will be resurrected men. Note that people in our lives that we follow the Risen Lord. Let us not look aggressive, sad, pessimistic. learn from Jesus and his disciples. The air of charity and mercy for all to Thomas, the doubting, can, even today, miracles. Many men and women "want to play", go looking for the truth of their lives are full of whys. They are sincere hearts, at last, fell victim to the mystery of God. The responsibility for us believers is very great. The arrogance, the theology of "no", the hardness of heart, judgmental word can never lead men to God.
Ultimately, we know that our approach and standard of living can only be Jesus. Jesus crucified and risen. The strategy of "closed doors", and act from fear or being defensive, leads to bitterness and sterility. At this time, the Church needs "breath" Passover of Jesus: more courage, more hope and courage. Open, not "close doors of fear." At the heart of God there is no death, only life.
And because today we begin the month of May, dedicated to Mother Mary, because it is the "Mother's Day, with Jesus sitting at the Mother of the Risen.
Like our ancestors, at the time of the Consecration, repeat the invocation of the Apostle: "My Lord and my God." And, to return to our daily lives, we cry, like the disciples: "We have seen the Lord."
Reading from the holy Gospel according to John (20.19 to 31):
the evening of that day, the first of the week, were the disciples in a house with the doors locked for fear of Jews. And Jesus came and stood among them and said: "Peace be with you."
And so saying he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus repeated, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. "
Having said this, he breathed breathed on them and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit, you forgive the sins, they are forgiven, who shall retain they are retained."
Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. And the other disciples told him: "We have seen the Lord."
He replied: "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, if not put my finger in the hole of the nails and the hand in his side, I do not. "
After eight days, were again inside and Thomas with them disciples. Jesus came, the doors closed, stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing."
Thomas replied: "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said: "Because I've seen you think? Blessed are those who believe without seeing. "
many other signs that are not written in this book, did Jesus view of the disciples. These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and that believing ye might have life his name.
Word of the Lord
COMMENT.
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, decreed by the Congregation for Divine Worship on 23 May 2000, at the direction of John Paul II: "The Feast of Divine Mercy is the main purpose to reach the hearts each person the following message: God is merciful and loves us all ... "And the bigger the sinner, the greater is the right of My mercy" (Diary, 723). In this message, that our Lord has sent us through Saint Faustina Kowalska, we are required to have full confidence in the Mercy of God, and to be always merciful to others through our words, actions and prayers ... "Because faith without works, however strong, is useless" (Diary, 742). "
We are on the Second Sunday of Easter, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. In a socio-religious study was done in the diocese for nearly 30 years, saw that there were more Christians, 95%, believers in the resurrection, 60%. It is difficult to accept the resurrection in real life. Today's celebration comes to say that it is difficult to believe in the resurrection out of the Christian community.
The Gospel tells us: "On the evening of that day, the first of the week, were the disciples in a house with the doors locked for fear of the Jews." The disciples were gathered together and Jesus appeared to them and tells them: "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." The mission of the Church begins after the resurrection. If Christ had not risen the apostles would have been locked up, scared, and would have preached the Gospel. In sending Jesus Christ which gives the Holy Spirit to accompany them in the mission, and the power to forgive sins.
after the Gospel says that "Thomas did not was with them when Jesus came. "One thing that is presented as the reason for the disbelief of Thomas. An interesting fact that comes to say that apart from the community you can not believe in the resurrection, in God. many people are who wants to live their faith freely, without having a relationship with the community, the church!
gospel continues saying: "After eight days were again inside and Thomas with them disciples." The change is noticeable now Thomas is with the community and so if you can recognize the Lord: "My Lord and my God."
The role of the Christian community, as a reference group to live the faith is essential. Look how he presents the book of Acts, the first Christian community, probably idealized description:
were constant listening to the teachings of the apostles.
were constant in the breaking of bread.
lived all together and had everything in common.
highlights three dimensions: evangelization (the teachings of the apostles), the liturgy (the breaking of bread) and love (living together). Three dimensions that we try to live in the church in each community: we catechesis to carry out the teachings of the apostles; we have celebrations of the sacraments and we Caritas institution to the extent possible, no needy among us. If the parish did not have in mind these three dimensions, fail their experience of faith.
personal level, in living faith, the same happens in the first communities. Faith has three dimensions: listen to the teachings of the apostles (training), to hold faith with the community (breaking of bread) and live the faith commitment (living together and had everything in common.) So if our personal faith lacks any of these dimensions, faith is shaken.
Some people need more training to take their faith a personal choice to follow Jesus Christ, because faith is primarily sociological, ie, have certain religious practices because it is a custom or tradition.
Some people need more to celebrate their faith in the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist, as they have some religious experience, but they forget to come by the church. For faith does not tilt need of the grace received in the sacraments.
Still others require more compromise their faith in daily life because they have a personal experience of faith and celebrate the sacraments, but not just to show their faith in the concrete circumstances of his life.
And we are all need to meet with the risen Christ and experiencing His mercy to bring such love to others.
May the Lord take hold our faith in the resurrection and increase our sense of belonging to the Christian community.
Sources: Divine Illumination
Conrado Bueno, cmf
Joseph A. Pagola
Pedro Crespo Arias Angel Corbalán
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