Gospel Lectio Divina for The Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy) - April 16, 2023
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
READ
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and 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 do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
MEDITATE
Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.
I’d like to focus on the last two sentences of this Sunday’s Gospel. The story told is well-known. Jesus appears to the apostles, but Thomas isn’t there, he demands proof when the apostles tell him, and Jesus gives him proof a week later. So much has been written about doubting Thomas, especially in our age when doubting the faith is so prevalent. That is why this one sentence that John shares is so important. The story of doubting Thomas is not given to us to prove that Jesus rose from the dead. If that were the case, why not tell all of the miraculous stories about what he did after his resurrection? If it meant that more souls would be saved, wouldn’t it be worth it? If all those souls needed were proof in order to believe, shouldn’t John have provided all the proof anyone could ever need?
Proof is not all someone needs in order to believe. Faith requires a change of heart. There are stories about Thomas’ doubt, how even once Jesus came to him and showed him his wounds after the Resurrection, Thomas still struggled. He was still reluctant because he knew he could not deny what he saw, but his heart was not completely ready. God called him anyway, and this is why so many people identify with Thomas. God called him to India, and–as Butler’s Lives of the Saints tells us–he really did not want to go. The reluctant apostle can be found in all of us. Perhaps that is why the people of India loved him so much. He was real with them. No matter how many miracles he performed, it was his authenticity that reached them. His struggle was their struggle.
So there was no lack of miracles and wonders to prove that Jesus was the Son of God. John does not tell us about all of them because it’s not about the miracles. This story is about how Jesus reached out to Thomas individually and spoke to his heart in his moment of need. The subtle reference to the other wonders Jesus performed shines light on the purpose of the Gospel. Jesus is looking to touch our hearts, not blow our minds. Changing a heart that is full of doubt by answering it with truth at just the right moment is infinitely more powerful than being some kind of miracle worker. Demons can perform miracles, but only God can change a heart with love.
But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
So, John focuses on this miracle because it highlights Jesus’ special relationship with his disciples. He didn’t appear to Thomas to show off, or even to prove that he was right all along. He did it to answer Thomas’ sincere prayer for answers. God will not always give us the proof we ask for in prayer, but when we are close to him he answers our prayers more often because our hearts are then open to receiving his answers. It’s not that God does not answer prayers when we are far from him, but when we are far from him we cannot perceive his answers.
Nevertheless, by “these” John is most likely talking about all of the things he recorded in his Gospel. He says he wrote them down so we may believe Jesus is the Son of God. His Gospel focuses on building a relationship with God, more than it does on the events of Jesus’ life. So John is more concerned about helping us build up that relationship in our own lives than he is about recording all that Jesus did during his life on earth.
Jesus continues to live in all of us who receive Communion. Our struggle with sin makes it difficult to hear his voice. The Gospel is given to us not simply to provide a good story that proves Jesus is God, but—more importantly—to help us stay on the path that leads to eternal life.
PRAY
Dear Lord,
I love your great deeds, but I love how you reach me in the exact way I need you to in my times of struggle. You know my heart because you created it. You knew Thomas' doubt, and you knew how legitimate it was. What kind of loving person would play with someone’s faith and loyalty and let it just hang on a string? Sometimes, I admit, it does feel like you are requiring me to do just that: hand on to the faith by a string. And sometimes my faith is stretched so thin that it takes everything within me to continue believing. It is in those moments that I should acknowledge that you are calling me to grow. Give me the courage to believe in you when it is most difficult. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
LISTEN
In the midst of doing what we can to hear and listen to God, it helps to remember that God listens to us. Even when our requests are outside of his will, I imagine it breaks his heart to tell us no–but he still listens. He listened to Thomas. He fulfilled Thomas’ request for proof. He knew that this answer would resonate through the ages for all those who ever doubt. His answer was for more than Thomas. It served as a truth that the entire world needs to know. When we are within God’s will, our requests—like Thomas’--align beautifully with the needs of others who are within his will. John speaks a great deal about abiding in the Lord, which means living within his will. When we do that, he hears us and we hear him.
Kilby is a freelance writer from New Jersey and managing editor of Catholic World Report. He received his undergrad degree in humanities and Catholic culture from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. In addition to working with the Knights of the Holy Eucharist (knights.org), he has served as a journalist for Princeton Packet Publications, and the Trenton Monitor, the magazine for the Diocese of Trenton. Some of his published work can also be found in St. Anthony Messenger, Catholic Herald (UK), and Catholic World Report. For the latter he is managing editor. Find more of his writing at ramblingspirit.com.
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