My Lord and My God

Second Sunday of Easter (B) -     

April 15, 2012:                          Thomas asked, “Lord, we do not know where you are

                                                        going. How can we know the way?” Jesus stated: “I  

                                                          am the way, the truth, and the life.”

            Today’s Gospel reading contains what scripture scholar Bruce Vawter calls “the most complete affirmation of Christ’s nature to be found on the lips of anyone in the gospel.” This precious affirmation is uttered by the apostle Thomas who should be better known as the “courageous Thomas” with his ready reaction of clearly speaking his views regardless of the pressures to agree or to remain silent.

His calm heroic strength is ignored by the Synoptic Gospels. Only John highlights a few incidents where Thomas’ courage shines forth. In John 11:16 when Christ’s life appeared to be in critical danger, Thomas urges the rest of the Apostles: “Let us go along and die with him.” In Jn 14/5, Jesus is telling the Twelve about eternal life, “You know the way that leads to where I go.” In reality they did not know what Jesus meant; only Thomas broke into the Lord’s dialogue and asked, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?” Jesus stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” A week later when Jesus invited Thomas to see and to touch his open wounds, the truth now became clear and Thomas said: “My Lord and my God!”

            Confident that God our Father welcomes our request, we now pray: “ALMIGHTY FATHER, GIVE US THE GRACE TO LIVE OUR TOMORROWS GUIDED BY THE CENTRAL MISSION OF JESUS. WE ASK YOU THIS THROUGH JESUS YOU SON OUR LORD. AMEN”