Hearing The Word

A weekly newsletter delivering context and insight into the Sunday Gospels.

April 27, 2025

Second Sunday of Easter


John 20:19-31


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 nailmarks

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.



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A VIEW FROM THE PULPIT ...

Encountering Peace


~ Rev. Jordan J. Kelly, O.P.

Chaplain to the Holy Spirit Adoration Sister at the Convent of Divine Love + Philadelphia, Pa.


Among the many emotions that mark our lives, one of the most crippling is fear. Fear paralyzes us. Fear robs us of the grace of Hope. And, fear convinces us of the greatest lie we are told by the evil one: that we are small, tiny people, completely incapable of anything difficult or great. Nothing could be further from the truth for those who have been claimed for Christ!


Today, the Octave Day of Easter, we encounter the risen Christ and the absolute antidote for fear: the gift of Peace. Gloriously risen from the dead, Christ brings us His Peace, no matter how closed the doors of our lives may be. Peace is the sign of reconciliation between God and his people. Christ’s Peace offers us the reconciliation that drives out fear, as through the Paschal Mystery we are joined to the Father and made the Father’s children in the New and Eternal Covenant instituted by Christ. As we encounter the risen Christ and his Peace, Christ fulfills his word spoken to us during the Last Supper, “I will come back to you and your hearts will rejoice.” Peace leads to rejoicing!


But what about Thomas? Incredulous Thomas offers the greatest profession of faith: My Lord and my God. Thomas recalls the titles that name God as the Lord, your God. This is no simple “credo”, but rather an address by which Thomas identifies the risen Jesus with the Lord God, YHWH himself. The vision of the glorified body of Jesus leads Thomas to the fullness of Easter faith.


As the disciples encountered the peace of Christ, He sent them forth in the power of the Holy Spirit. We receive the same commission when we abandon fear, embrace peace, and cry out, “My Lord and God”!


A VIEW FROM THE PEW ...


Seeing is believing the power of forgiveness

~ Cheryl Kehoe Rodgers

Saint Patrick Church + Norristown, Pa.


The obvious message in this week’s Gospel, in my mind, is “seeing is believing” when it comes to Thomas. The apostle doesn’t believe that Jesus, after his death, returned to the Twelve. Thomas had to “see” Jesus to believe that Christ really did rise from the dead.


But before we get to Thomas in John’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a life-saving gift – the sacrament of Confession. The apostles “receive the Holy Spirit” and Jesus says “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven.”


There’s a ton of power in that one simple sentence - “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven.” And when I read those words of Jesus, when I allow myself to really feel the power of those words, I can actually “see” that power and the relief they offer. I see how they transform my outlook, my perspective, my hope and, without question, my life.

  

I’m not embarrassed to admit I’ve messed up in my life – fallen a few times when I should have stood strong in God’s love. And as difficult as it was sometimes to confess those times I’ve fallen, the payoff was well worth it. I couldn’t “see” the actual forgiveness of my sins, but I sure could feel it. And no doubt, that was because of the foundation of my faith, and the belief I have in Jesus and his Divine Mercy.


When I leave confession, I feel relief and gratitude, but I also “see” a new path in my life. It may be the same exact path I was on before stepping into Confession, but it “looks” a bit different – brighter and more clear because God’s forgiveness is lighting the way.

 

God’s gift to us -- a way to make things right with Him -- allows me to see things – mainly my faith journey – more clearly.


And that’s a beautiful site…


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