April 27, 2025
2nd Sunday
Easter
FOCUS: God grants us countless opportunities to meet him each day.
Thomas was not present with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them, and thus he insists he will not believe without seeing Jesus for himself. Jesus comes again and says, Put your finger here … believe. In myriad ways, God makes himself known to us each day, offering us innumerable chances to meet him. Lord, give us eyes to see you and the courage to respond like Thomas, in faith, My Lord and my God!
What's in Your Heart
The apostles entered very exciting and chaotic times after the death of Jesus. The risen Jesus breathed new life into their mission, and they found in themselves astonishing strength and power and a sprinkle of doubt.
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Saint John’s visions of Jesus in his glory came to him when he was suffering greatly for his faith. How have your struggles to remain a faithful Christian affected your relationship with Jesus?
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What authority do you feel is rightfully yours as a follower of Christ?
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How do treat the doubters in your community? What role has doubt played in your own faith life?
Homily Stories
Home field advantage. They talk about the importance of fans in football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, and other sports. In fact, in football, the so-called “13th” player is the noise and the roar of the fans in the stands. Fans and team become one.
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After Jesus’ Resurrection, the disciples were still on their opponent’s home field. That’s why they hid themselves in the upper room, afraid that what happened to Jesus might also happen to them. But when Jesus appears to them, the game is changed forever. Peter, who denied Jesus not too many days before, now walks through Jerusalem preaching and healing and bringing converts to the “Way.”
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Because we have not seen the physical, resurrected Jesus, we might be tempted to make Jesus’ Resurrection more of a theological concept rather than the core of our lived-out faith. Thomas, who missed Jesus’ first visit to the disciples, upon seeing him exclaims that Jesus is for him both Lord and God.
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As the numbers of believers continued to grow from within the circle of disciples and from those who heard the message preached to them, the pendulum would swing. Using the growing numbers and the events of history like the fall of Jerusalem, the church would soon grow to be a living presence of Jesus in our world. And it has remained that presence even until today.
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