Introductory Prayer: Mary, aware that you are bodily present in the Kingdom of Heaven at this moment, I ask you to please place upon my heart the burning desire to follow your Risen Son and by actually doing this, reach his internal serenity.

Petition: May I become so intensely aware of the Risen Christ that I will allow serenity to seep into my soul in spite of any difficulty.

Gospel: Jn 20:19-31

In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, "Peace be with you", and, after saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord, and he said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so am I sending you." After saying this he breathed on them and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyones sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyones sins, they are retained." Thomas, called the Twin, who was 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 answered, "Unless I can see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe." Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. "Peace be with you", he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, "Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving any more but believe." Thomas replied, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him: "You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." There were many other signs that Jesus worked in the sight of the disciples, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.

1. "Peace Be with You."

The apostles were disturbed, prisoners of fear. There can be no peace in our soul when we live in fear. There can be no peace among men when their relations are premised on fear and the power to do ill that generates it. There can be no peace in our spiritual life when our relationship with God is dominated by fear.

Of course, we ought to be afraid when we consider who God is and how our sins, the sins I commit offend him. But that is not the whole picture. The Risen Christ is here. He has taken upon himself our sins and won our forgiveness. Our sins, our unworthiness are not the last word. Christ has overcome sin. With him, accepting his grace, allowing him into my life as my Savior there is no need to fear sin. There is no need to fear God the Father, for he is the Father of Mercies.

Look at what Christ has done for you. Let him show you his hands and his side. Make a clear act of faith every time you go to Communion. Leave your fears aside. Open the doors of your heart and your life to him. Then you too can be filled with joy like the Apostles when you recognize that it is the Lord!

2. "As My Father Sent Me, So Also I Send You."

We are also afraid of the mission. The Apostles had seen what happened to Jesus, it would be dangerous to continue his work. That is because, like Peter on the water, we keep on looking at our own abilities and powers to decide what we can or cannot do. Jesus gives them the power to do the impossible, "Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them." No man has that power, only Jesus himself.  

So, when Christ tell us to be Light to the World and Salt of the Earth, he has not chosen us because of who or what we are, but because in him who gives me strength I can do all things, to use Paul's words.

Stand before Christ. He gave his Church the power to be faithful to his message, the power to preserve his Presence despite every human weakness. He gave the priest you received Communion from this morning the power to turn bread into his Body. He is the one who wants to send you. He is the one calling you. He does leave those he calls on their own. Speak to him.

3. Christ, the Patient and Persevering Good Shepherd.

Thomas was not there the first time, yet Jesus wanted Thomas to receive his Spirit and be his Apostle. Jesus returns. He has much to give Thomas, but he cannot give it to him unless Thomas opens the door of faith to let Jesus act in his life. Thomas has to do this personally, being one of the group was not enough.

Jesus understands. He knew what was in the heart of man, and in Thomas heart there was goodness. His difficulties did not destroy this goodness, he was not proud. Jesus understands him.  Thomas said he needed to put his fingers into the nail-holes in Jesus hands in order to believe, but he didn't as soon as he saw Jesus and Jesus spoke to him (Jesus words told him he knew what Thomas had said and the condition he had placed) he made his humble and total declaration of faith.

4."Blessed Those Who Have Not Seen and Yet Believe."

This same faith, the ability to believe without seeing, is necessary if we are to let God do what he wants in our life. What he wants to do, his plans are in the future. Thomas is a good patron to have when we have to break out in faith and take a definitive step in our life, answer a call, start a mission, do an apostolate, undertake a responsibility.

Peter had this same faith when Jesus told him to let down his nets for a catch. In your name I will let out my nets.

Speak to Christ and ask him what he wants of you, without fear.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my strength. You bring peace, security, confidence, hope into my life. With you all things are possible. You know my fears and my hesitation. You know my weakness even more than I. Yet you call me.  Show me your way.  Help me overcome my fear and trust in you with complete faith, for you could never and would never deceive me.

Questionnaire:  This optional questionnaire is intended to help you evaluate your life in light of the inspirations God just gave you in these moments you spent with him in prayer.

1. Is there anything I am afraid of? What takes my peace away?

2. What do I think Christ is calling me to do right now? What is holding me back?

3. What do I do when I have difficulties? Is my heart honestly and truly open to God's solutions?