He has you in mind. Do we think about that much? The God of the universe has us in mind, individually as persons and together as one human family. We hear this truth in today's Gospel story of Thomas. His doubt is likely familiar to us by now. "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."

Jesus is God. He could have risen any way he wanted. He could have risen perfectly healed, as a further sign of his power over death and suffering. But when Thomas encounters him, we see what Jesus chose. "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." In resurrecting his body, Jesus already has Thomas in mind. Jesus retains his wounds for Thomas, for the disciples, and for all who would doubt the sacrificial power of love. This intentional love of Jesus is echoed by John and his disciples, who authored this Gospel. "Jesus did many other signs...these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ...and that through this belief you may have life in his name."

From its earliest beginnings, the Church knew the power of sign and story. When they wrote the Gospels, they had us in mind. We are all Thomas from time to time. We need to see the mercy of God lived and real in our lives. This can happen throughout the circumstances of our daily comings and goings. It can also happen through meditating on the Scripture, through placing ourselves in the stories and listening to God's voice speaking. We don't get to see what the disciples got to see, but we know, through them, that God always has us in mind. As he reminds the disciples, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Segunda Semana de Pascua

El punto clave en este segundo domingo de Pascua llamado también de la Divina Misericordia, es que la Resurrección del Señor hace la diferencia en el mundo. El pecado es perdonado, la duda se aclara con la presencia del resucitado. El apóstol Tomás exclama lleno de arrepentimiento y gozo: "¡Señor mío y Dios mío!". La respuesta de Jesús nos llena de esperanza a todos los cristianos de todos los tiempos: "Tú crees porque me has visto; dichosos los que creen sin haber visto" (Juan 20:28-29). Lo que le paso a Tomás nos pasa a todos. Hay que proclamar al Señor como nuestro Dios, como el centro del corazón.

Hoy es el día de poner en práctica lo que escuchamos del Evangelio, lo que vemos alrededor nuestro, lo que sentimos y lo que creemos. Dar alcance con nuestro amor al necesitado. Los hechos cuentan tanto como las palabras y el acompañamiento. Jesús nunca nos ha dejado solos. Este domingo de la misericordia es para que nos transformemos en esa compasión de Cristo para los demás. El papa San Juan Pablo II nos dejo un legado de esperanza. Su mensaje aún resuena en el mundo:

Tanto los creyentes como los no creyentes pueden admirar en el Cristo humillado y sufriente una solidaridad sorprendente, que lo une a nuestra condición humana más allá de cualquier medida imaginable. La cruz, incluso después de la resurrección del Hijo de Dios, "habla y no cesa nunca de decir que Dios-Padre es absolutamente fiel a su eterno amor por el hombre. (...) Creer en ese amor significa creer en la misericordia. (Dives in misericordia, 7).

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