杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

There鈥檚 more to the Apostle St Thomas than his famous doubts about Jesus鈥� Resurrection, 杏MAP导航 Francis said during the Regina Coeli on Divine Mercy Sunday.

The 杏MAP导航 began his on the day鈥檚 Gospel by noting that 鈥淭homas was not the only one who struggled to believe.鈥� But unlike his fellow Apostles, who closed themselves inside the Upper Room, Thomas 鈥渟howed he was courageous,鈥� he 鈥渨ent out, running the risk that someone might recognize, report, or arrest him.鈥�

When the other Apostles told Thomas that Jesus had appeared to them, he struggled to believe them, saying he will believe only when he can see and touch the wounds of Jesus.

Seeking Jesus in the Church

Thomas, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渨ants an extraordinary sign 鈥� to touch the wounds. Jesus shows them to him, but in an ordinary way, coming in front of everyone, in the community.鈥� Jesus makes Himself known in the community, and it is in the presence of the community that He shows the Apostles His wounds, 鈥渢he proof of his love, the ever-open channels of His mercy.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis explained that we, like Thomas, are invited to 鈥渟eek the Risen One鈥� not in 鈥渟ome spectacular or amazing religious manifestation, only at the emotional or sensational level,鈥� but within the community of believers, the Church. 鈥淒espite all its limitations and failures, which are our own limitations and failures, our Mother Church is the Body of Christ,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said. 鈥淎nd it is there, in the Body of Christ, that the greatest signs of His love can be found, impressed, now and forever.鈥�

And he invited us to ask ourselves if, 鈥渋n the name of this love, in the name of Jesus鈥檚 wounds, whether we are willing to open our arms to those who are wounded by life, excluding no one from God鈥檚 mercy, but welcoming everyone 鈥� each person like a brother, like a sister.鈥�