Homily from the Parish Priest for the Second Sunday of Easter

Locked down.  We know a bit about that from the experience of this past year.  Fear, anxiety, much suffering and grief.  These emotions were those too of Jesus’ followers in this Sunday’s Gospel.    The doors of the first Christians are locked in fear of the Jews.  They fear death, they fear suffering, and they are in confusion about where we go next.   

 And it’s right now as the doors are closed that through the locked door in walks Jesus.  And this is not just a physical unlocking.  It is an unlocking of the interior heart as well.  Jesus unlocks Thomas’ heart because he knows that experience of lockdown well.  He has been there in the depths of anxiety, fear, going all the way to the Cross and through the tomb, the depths of despair.  And through this encounter Thomas is able to come out of himself and simply recognise “My Lord and my God”.   

 But what did - what does that mean ?  Well, what we’re celebrating at Easter is the power of God’s love for us – of God’s wanting to bring us freedom, salvation, meaning in our lives, calling us to closer friendship with him and lives of closer service of him – and opening for us the gift of eternal life – yes, in the resurrection of Jesus Christ – God made man – we see the power of the love of God, that total love which goes all the way through the cross, through the tomb, and is resurrected and glorified not despite but through those wounds.   

Everything is changed for Thomas.  Everything is changed for the Christian.  And yet the truth is also: nothing has changed. “My Lord and My God” is not the end of the drama – rather it can only be the beginning – the preface to – all too soon – walking out that door into the city, to taking the risk of humiliation, of capture, and ultimately for Thomas of martyrdom – the tradition of course was that Thomas went to the Asian subcontinent, to India, where he was put to death for following the Lord.  From now on in his life, however, after this conversion experience, he had a special strength which would overcome all his fears, doubts, worries.   

The Lord and God we discover is not God despite of but through his wounds – and through this experience we are given strength.  No one would surely want to say the pandemic has been a testing ground for our faith as willed by God for our good.  But the experience of these last twelve months has changed us and our world.  Times of upheaval challenge us to soul searching.  When we are most in despair we learn what it is to truly hope.  In our greatest weakness we discover our greatest strength.  And the Christian message of hope is all about this, is all about the power of transformation in the wounds of Christ.   

I invite you to go back to this Gospel this week. If we can place ourselves in it as Thomas or one of the other disciples.  Look at Jesus closely as he looks at you lovingly.  Feel our own doubts, fears, confusion.  And look at the wounds.  And ask for the grace to see, ultimately, in them the promise of new life, of a true resurrection faith which proclaims the Jesus right here among us who will, as with Thomas, ultimately break through that door to bring renewal to a world groaning to hope in new life. 

Fr Dominic Robinson SJ