Second Sunday of Easter [B] – Divine Mercy Sunday

April 11, 2021

John 20:19-31

Thomas, one of Jesus’ apostles, was celebratedly called ‘the doubter.’ His skeptical attitude sprang when he was absent from the Sunday’s gathering, and he missed the most important event that took place on Sunday: Jesus’ resurrection. From here, we can learn an important lesson: do not be absent on Sunday’s mass!

Being skeptical or doubtful is part of our human nature. In fact, a certain level of skepticism is healthy and necessary. When we encounter unusual claims or information, we do not immediately trust them and put a certain skeptical distance. The doubt invites us to investigate and verify the veracity of the claim. When all reasonable doubts are removed, we can be sure of the truth.

Specific claims indeed must not be accepted at face value and be verified. If a man is accused of stealing, he has the right to the legal proceedings, and based on the evidence, the competent judge will pronounce the verdict. Not only in the court of law, fields of science also have rigorous methods to prove a hypothesis. The Church also adopts the same attitude. When the Church receives a claim that a person has seen the Lord or the Blessed Virgin Mary, she will investigate it. Is the person having a mental problem or simply hallucinating? Is the evil spirit involved? Is the private revelation going against the Church’s teachings? After clearing the reasonable doubts, the Church shall declare her position on the claim.

Going back to Thomas, at first, Thomas’ doubt seemed to be a reasonable one since he heard a spectacular claim from his brothers. As a Jew, Thomas may believe in the resurrection of the dead, but this would take place at the end of time. Jesus’ resurrection was unexpected. Thus, Thomas demanded proof, and it was given. However, if we see Jesus’ words to Thomas, “…do not be unbelieving [Gr. apistis] but believe [John 20:27].” Jesus pointed out that what happened to Thomas was not a simple and honest doubt but willful disbelief. While genuine doubt can be removed through reliable processes to achieve an objective truth, belief, on the other hand, is a free decision to accept that specific claim to be true. The problem is that what one believes does not always correspond to the objective truth.

Thus, when someone already decided to accept a particular claim as his subjective truth, he will not give up on the claim, however erroneous it is. Ideally, our belief corresponds to the objective reality. St. Thomas Aquinas puts it that the truth is the correspondence between the mind and reality.

After Jesus showed Thomas His wounds as evidence of His resurrection, Jesus moved to the next and most crucial step. He asked Thomas to believe. Thomas eventually accepted the truth of resurrection as his own. Jesus is indeed Lord and God, but only when Thomas received the truth as his own, could he say, ‘my Lord and my God.’

One way or another, we may reflect Thomas. We may learn the Catholic faith’s truth since we are young, but do we honestly believe them? We may confess Jesus is our God, but do we trust Him in times of trials and difficulties? We may say that God has redeemed us, but do we live more like the redeemed people?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP