God Gives Us What We Need

Homily for the Second Sunday in Easter

Today’s Gospel text from John begins with the disciples having locked themselves in the Upper Room as they were afraid of being harmed by the angry mob who had recently crucified Jesus.  They were bound together by their fear of the unknown.  Perhaps they would have been attacked for the allegiance to Jesus; perhaps there was nothing to fear.  Fear is not a rational reaction, yet fear can feel so overwhelming.  Fear leaves us unable to move forward in a productive way.

Jesus comes into the locked room and tells the fearful disciples, “Peace be with you!” as he shows them his hands and sides for reassurance that he really is Jesus.  The sight of Jesus brings joy and relief to the disciples. Being together in a group most certainly helped the disciples understand what they were seeing and hearing. Thomas was not with the disciples during the first appearance of Jesus and expressed a healthy skepticism. Jesus knew that Thomas was not doubting his faith, but was rather protecting the integrity of the disciples by wanting to confirm this amazing story. When Jesus appears again, rather than shaming or scolding Thomas, he simply gives Thomas what he needs to believe… the opportunity to examine Jesus’ wounds. How can we hear this story and not be assured that Jesus always gives us what we need when we are open to believing, especially when we have a healthy skepticism?

The first two readings today build on Thomas’ “leap of faith.” The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles reminds us that a community of believers can be of one heart and mind.  Certainly, witnessing the physical resurrection of Jesus bonded the disciples in an extraordinary manner.  They were a true community by ensuring everyone had what they needed. Yet as Jesus taught the disciples in the Upper Room, faith is available to all, not just those few who had the opportunity to touch the wounds of the resurrected Jesus. As a community of believers, we have the responsibility to care for each and every member of our community.

The second reading from John centers us on the major tenants of our Christian faith: Jesus is the son of God, following God’s commandments is not burdensome, we love God and all God’s children, our faith conquers the world.  It all seems so simple in this powerful reading.  But how quickly the burdens and distractions and fears of our daily life get in the way of living these simple and profound truths.

Rather than being bound together by our common faith, humankind seems to be moving into a kind of radical individualism. We recently experienced a time when we could not come together because of a pandemic that disturbed every one of our lives. The scars that were left behind by that time of disease and death are still very evident in today’s world. However, the pandemic was not the only influence that has disturbed our way of life. Everyone seems to carry a cell phone - an instrument that was meant to foster communication but which has instead isolated us from one another as we find ourselves gazing at a blue screen for hours at a time. Social media has also brought isolation into our lives. It is now possible to pollute our conversations with screeds and rants and name-calling without consideration because social media makes it possible for us to do this anonymously.

In the midst of this move toward individualism, Jesus enters into our gathering this morning and bids us peace. Just as he did for the first disciples of Jesus, he will give us what we need if we are open to faith and if we pledge ourselves to taking care of the needs of all in our community. Rather than simply sitting back and wishing that things were as they were before, we need to put in the hard work that builds community, that builds fraternity, that tears down the walls that isolate us from one another.

Today, the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart come together to celebrate their General Chapter, a meeting that takes place every five years. During this coming week, the sisters will examine their lifestyle and will explore ways in which they can live out their communal lifestyle while providing for the needs of those to whom and with whom they minister. Just as the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles and sent them forth to preach the Gospel to all nations, we invoke the Holy Spirit upon their meeting this week to guide them with wisdom and knowledge. They ask us for our prayers for them this morning and for the rest of this week of discernment. We ask that God give them the same kind of faith that was given to St. Thomas. We are fond of calling him “doubting” Thomas; however, Thomas is the only person in the entire Gospel of St. John who calls Jesus his Lord and his God. I wonder sometimes whether he simply did not respond to the story of resurrection as it was expressed by his fellow apostles because they were still hiding in the upper room even though Jesus had given them the gift of the Holy Spirit and had sent them forth to preach repentance. He was probably thinking, “Why are you still hiding here? Why haven’t you begun to do as he asked you to do.

As we profess our faith together in this community, let us also resolve to be open to the gift of faith in the resurrection of Jesus and to reach out to all those in our midst who are in need. Jesus greets us today just as he greeted his apostles on that first day of the week with the words “Peace be with you.”