Faith is something that people can very easily take advantage of and if they do this we can claim that they didn’t actually have true faith to begin with. When the going is easy it is easy to have faith. When it seems that we are being tested and that everything around us is going against us it is easy to lose hope and abandon one’s faith. Again our faith cannot be dependent upon getting what we want when we want it, but instead it must be dependent upon Christ our firm foundation.
It is no secret that we are living in the midst of difficult times. Prior to this period of time people could easily frequent the Mass and the sacraments as they had wished, but now to do so is for the most part impossible for many. At this time there are also many who now face the uncertainty of future employment. There are also those who have lost loved ones and live in the fear of getting sick. There is also the reality of isolation which separates us from human interaction. Hopefully, as we face these many crosses in our daily life we will come to discover true faith and the hope that springs forth from it through Christ Jesus.
In our Gospel Saint Thomas came to behold the wounds of our Risen Lord and thus from his unbelief came belief. We must come to embrace these same wounds that Saint Thomas came to embrace. They serve as a reminder of our Blessed Lord’s abundant love for each of us as was poured out upon the cross and the hope of life which is to come through the Resurrection. In the midst of our unbelief we must come to behold these same wounds in order that we too may believe and have the virtue of hope that is necessary for us to carry on.
In the words of Saint Augustine: “So will Christ show His wounds to His enemies, so that he who is the Truth may convict them, saying: “Behold the man whom you crucified; see the wounds you inflicted; recognize the side you pierced, since it was opened by you and for you, yet you would not enter.”
Therefore, we receive an invitation to enter into these wounds of our Blessed Lord which have redeemed us. The Lord is indeed merciful and just, but do we want anything to do with this mercy? Do we desire to enter into these wounds and live as Saint Thomas came to enter into these wounds and live?
Today is also known to us as Divine Mercy Sunday. When we look at the image of Divine Mercy we will notice that He still bares these wounds which were encountered in the Gospels. These wounds serve as invitation of His mercy. He desires to pour out His rays of loving mercy upon us and upon the whole world.
With this invitation let us turn away from sin and place our trust in Christ. There is a lot around us that is ultimately out of our control and this should teach us that we are dependent upon Christ and His mercy. When things finally get back to normal let us take not this mercy for granted, but instead have the same faith that Saint Thomas exhibited. May we too venerate these Holy Wounds and “not be unbelieving, but believe.”
