Homily Second Sunday of Easter Year A New life
Homily
Second Sunday of Easter Year A
Reading
1: It is not enough to say I believe or even to believe. Our new relationship
with God through baptism must impact and transform our lives. We see what
happened to the initial believers in Christ as Lord and Savior. They devoted
themselves to a new way of life. They wanted to know more about Jesus and his
teachings. “They devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles.” They
entered into a relationship with God and with one another through prayer, both
private and communal. This was essential in deepening their relationship with
God.
They
devoted themselves to the breaking of the bread. The Eucharist was essential to
their new way of life, both as a sign of their gratitude to God for their new
life and as a sign of their union with God through sharing in the Lord’s Body
and Blood. They shared life in common, supporting and encouraging one another
in their new community as brothers and sisters of the Lord.
Their
personal and communal lives were not only internally directed but externally as
well. They shared with others what God had done in their lives and signs and
wonders confirmed their testimony. Their faith was evident and effective. They
were a people of great joy and love which others witnessed and sought. Is the
same true about us?
Gospel:
Jesus’ first appearance to the Apostles on Easter was a transforming moment of
grace. He could have reprimanded them for abandoning him in the time of his
greatest need. Instead, Jesus shows them his love and mercy by extending them
peace.
Then
he commissioned them. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” He empowered,
as he was anointed, by imparting to them the gift of the Holy Spirit. He
extended to them the power to forgive sins in his name. The focus was not to
relish in his resurrected presence but to be apostles, sent to bring the gift
of new life to others, beginning with the forgiveness of sins.
The
second part of today’s reading was the importance of believing without seeing,
believing in the power of Jesus without always seeing the results. Thomas was
not present when Jesus appeared to the others on the day of his resurrection.
When told what Jesus said and did, Thomas would not believe, because he needed
personal evidence.
When
Jesus appears to Thomas and challenges his unbelief, Thomas is the first to
publicly profess that Jesus is Lord and God.
Sometimes,
we have a hard time accepting the plan of God. Like Thomas, we have our own
conditions before we have that conversion experience of total submission to God’s
plan. We still are living out of our human framework, rather than yielding to
the plan of God. Jesus could have easily dismissed Thomas for his unbelief. But
he doesn’t. Jesus reminds Thomas and us of the greater faith than seeing him
with human eyes. “Blessed are they who have not seen and still believe.” We have
not seen the risen Lord with our human eyes but have seen him with the eyes of
faith. As Paul says: “We walk by faith and not by sight.”
Reading
2: Peter is writing to Christians years after the event of Easter and
Pentecost. Even though they had never seen Jesus, they believed in him and were
baptized in his name. Their new life in Christ was real. In the midst of their
trials and sufferings, their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior sustained and
strengthened them.
Peter
said in his great mercy God gave us a new birth to a new life because of the
death and resurrection of Jesus. In that gift we were given the promise of
sharing with God forever in glory, if we remain faithful to God.
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