A number of years ago I was at Mass in Lourdes. I was there as a nurse on the Diocesan pilgrimage. Mgr. Wilson (who is now the Archbishop of Southwark) was the Diocesan Administrator as at the time we did not have a Bishop. To be honest I was not paying too much attention to the gospel, but I heard the words of this Sunday's gospel “as the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you”. For some reason that phrase seemed to have some kind of particular meaning for me, though I wasn’t sure what. My life was good. I had a nice home and a great job. But I felt unsettled that in some way I was being pulled away from what I knew into something unknown. A feeling that would not go away. I was not happy. I spoke with Father John and over three years later I entered the seminary; from my own home to a small single room, shared bathrooms and toilets, with a group of men I had not met before. Paying attention to God can be a dangerous thing, but a beautiful thing too!

Today we hear of Jesus being with his disciples on the evening of the first day of the week. Last week we heard of people going the tomb in the early morning of the same day. That very morning Peter and the other disciple (most likely the author of the Gospel, John) had seen the empty tomb. Mary Magdalen also said that she had seen Jesus and passed on his message to them. But it is clear that they were all trying to process what had happened only that very morning. You can imagine the mixture of puzzlement, perhaps, for some, doubt (particularly Thomas), also for others belief. But fundamentally are still locked away, physically, out of fear for their lives, but perhaps fear in their hearts, their emotions and their souls too. Maybe a combination of confusion with hope against hope that their friend, master and Lord was alive after his brutal torture and death.

And there is Jesus. His sudden appearance behind a locked door, like his emergence from the tomb, showed them, and shows us today, that the resurrected Jesus is not bound by earthly limitations. Put yourself in the picture. How would you have responded? Perhaps you would be thinking about how you abandoned Jesus in his hour of need, particularly if you were Peter after your denial of the Lord. Perhaps you are deeply ashamed. What would you imagine that Jesus would say to you? Maybe telling you that you are an unbelieving coward, perhaps that he wants nothing to do with you.

And yet, Jesus does two things, he shows that he is alive. He removes any doubt that he is really and truly alive. He turns their sorrow and guilt at this death into joy at his resurrection. Perhaps most importantly, immediately and unconditionally, he restores their fractured relationship with him by four simple words “peace be with you”, simple words from which mercy flow; words of love and mercy that echo across time, offered to you today, here; now; always, particularly on this Divine Mercy Sunday.

Jesus wants us to share the joy of his resurrection, also the mercy he offers, and the peace he brings to our hearts and souls, to others. His divine mercy endlessly overflows into our broken world and broken lives. We are invited to make the profession of faith of Thomas “My Lord and my God!”. Why would we keep this to ourselves? The disciples couldn’t so why should we? Jesus’ mission is for all of us, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you”. I invite you to go out spread the good news of salvation and bear fruit, fruit that will last into eternity.

With every blessing and the assurance of my daily prayers for your needs and intentions.

Fr Chris