Easter Week 2 . Year 1 30th March, 2008

Easter – Sunday Week 2. Year A .

The Risen Lord twice says the words “peace be with you.”   Jesus is offering us true PEACE….   and it is something we desire very deeply…..     Jesus appears to his disciples to reassure them of the reality of the forgiveness he has won for us by his death and resurrection….. we can truly be at peace and trust in Jesus’ promise that he does mean to free us from our burdens and forgive us our sins…..    this is a message of enormous hope….  

 

He implores us….  doubt no longer… but believe…. trust in my love….    trust in my forgiveness…..    believe that I do offer you the means to real and lasting peace in life….  

 

Also, the gospel today ends with the writer of John’s gospel saying….   there are more things that happened in relation to Jesus….    but they are not all written here…..    WE, these many, many years after Jesus walked the earth…..   we too are witnesses to what jesus continues to do in our world even now…..   we are called to be ministers of reconciliation, ministers of forgiveness…. and ambassadors of Christ’s peace…..  

 

The importance of the community cannot be understated either……   in the first reading we hear of an ideal community…. they pray together… they learn together… they share their resources to help and support eachother….     our faith community exists so that we might assist, build up and strength each other…. especially those most in need, most struggling……   Jesus calls us to be a community of disciples looking outward towards the world and ready to make a difference for good….

 

Our faith tradition tells us that to understand and believe in Christ, we must read the Scriptures and meditate on them.  We must also come to know other
believers and listen to each other’s  experiences.  Christianity is a religion that preaches Jesus crucified and risen, but always in the context of the community of those who believe in Him.

Today let us ask Saint Thomas to intercede for us that we can believe more deeply in the great mystery of salvation.  Let us be patient with our
doubts and keep looking for the truth of Christ's presence amidst the everyday events and people of life.  Most of all, let us rejoice in the Lord who loves us and invites us deeper into these mysteries.

 

May we continue to be build up by the risen Christ to be disciples who rejoice in being a community for the good of each other and for the common good of all……    ministers of Jesus’ graciousness and care…..Jesus brings us peace and immediately commissions us to go out and put his message into action, by acts of charity, love and support for all we meet….