Thomas was not with them when Jesus appeared, and he did not believe the others when they told him Jesus appeared to them. Thomas doubted, and even challenged that until he put his hand on Jesus’ side, he will not believe. Kung ako si Jesus, nakakainis. Wala ka na nga nung nagpakita ako, then instead of saying sorry I wasn’t one with the apostles, nag doubt pa. Diba? But Jesus, unlike most of us, uttered greetings of peace when he returned. Special mention pa si Thomas, pinahawakan pa nya yung sugat nya. This experience led to Thomas saying what we still proclaim everytime we go to mass. “My Lord, and My God” – an unbeliever proclaiming and professing that Jesus is his Lord and his God. Bumawi si Thomas, sabi nga nila =)
I believe Jesus also gives us his peace. He reminds us of his peace in today’s readings.
Jesus gave them his peace, the same way he is giving us his peace. Jesus gives us his peace, first to experience it within our self. He gives us peace from all the sins we have committed. He gives us peace for all the times we doubted him, for all the times we chose not to follow His will and stick to what we want. He gives us peace from all our shortcomings and failures. He gives us peace from the circumstances around us, that even if there are a lot of things happening and that there are a lot of things you cannot control, He gives us his peace to calm us down amidst the storm. (Philippians 4:7)
As we experience Christ’s peace, we are encouraged to give it away as well. Like in love, we are able to love because Christ loved us first (1 John 4:19), we too are capable to forgive and give peace because we experienced it first from God. There are people who knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously, hurt us even if we did not deserve to be hurt. Well, Christ forgives us, even though we do not really deserve forgiveness. It’s time we forgive others as well.
The first reading says that we are a community built around Christ. We are one household, getting strength from God, and God could only dwell in us, God could only work through us, if we rid ourselves of everything that is not of his and if we have peace among ourselves, despite the differences. As we focus on Christ and put him in the center of our lives, we will slowly die of ourselves and our concerns, and let him with his love and peace reign among us.
What is peace to me? Do I realize we all need to give and receive peace, or am I too proud to see and accept it? Do I need to make peace from someone whom I hurt with my words and actions? Do I need to forgive someone who has hurt me? What is stopping me from giving or receiving Christ’s peace?
Dear God,
I praise and adore you for all that you are. Thank you for continuing to surprise me and for continuing to make your love very much alive in my life. Lord, I ask that you probe my heart. Make me realize what I need to do. May I be open to giving and receiving your peace, just as you have always been generous in giving me peace, when I ask for it when I confess, but especially when I don’t ask for it. May I have a heart like yours and put others first, and as I do, I know that I will slowly be moulded to be like you. This I ask in Jesus name, Amen.
Have a blessed day!
In Christ,
-g-
PS
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