Second Sunday of Easter
Today is the last day in the Octave of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday. At the end of the Octave we still find ourselves at the beginning of the Easter Season. And so, if you haven’t made the most of Easter yet, there’s still a lot of time, in fact, longer than the season of Lent. Today’s readings really highlight the hope of the Easter season, both resurrection hope, but also the hope of healing.
In the Gospel reading for today, we find yet another account of Jesus’ resurrection appearance to His disciples. Here we see how Doubting Thomas comes to believe. We too may often be plagued by doubts, but unlike St. Thomas, we do not get to see and feel Jesus’ wounds in His resurrected body. We have to see with the eyes of faith, because we can’t see with our natural eyes. We have to walk by the light of faith. We will be counted among the blessed who believe even though we have not “seen.”
Our first reading from the Book of Acts shows the many signs and wonders the apostles worked among the crowds in the early church after Jesus had ascended to heaven. We see the apostles continuing the ministry of Jesus, bringing healing to those in need. This is our ministry too. As Christians, as disciples of Christ who have all been baptized and who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, we too are called to bring the healing of Jesus to others. Some among us might have the extraordinary miraculous gift of healing, but most of us will not have that gift. Although some among us might have different extraordinary miraculous gifts, most of us will not have any. Most of us will have the more ordinary gifts which remain graces from the Holy Spirit, which we are called to spread among others. We are all called to excel in the gifts of the theological virtues, faith, hope, and love.
Our love, our charity, our service to others, is one area in which we are all called to grow, regardless of whatever other gifts we may have been given. And it is precisely through our loving service that we are called to bring healing to others. Our calling as Christians is to spread the love of Christ among those we encounter in our daily lives, at home, at work, and abroad.
This Easter season, let’s ask God to help enlighten our minds so that we can see concrete ways in which we can grow in loving service to others, and thereby bring the love of Jesus to them. These need not be grandiose or heroic means of loving others. For most of us, there are an infinite number of small ways we can serve those we encounter. And it is by loving in the small things that we can help spread the Easter joy among our family, friends, coworkers, and strangers. Let us bring healing and love in the small areas of our lives where our fidelity and service our needed. For Christ is truly risen and will use us to bring His love to the world.
- Jeff Morrow