Jesus appears to his disciples

It's the Second Sunday of Easter and since 2000, then Pope John Paul II (now St. Pope John Paul II) declared that the Sunday after Easter is "Divine Mercy Sunday." Of course, Pope John Paul II only acceded to the request of our Lord Jesus Christ to St. Faustina Kowalska when he appeared before her in Krakow, Poland, prior to World War II. Yes, in that place in Poland, they produced three saints who lived all within a hundred kilometers of each other. The other is St. Maximillian Kolbe.

Today's gospel is the first appearance of our risen Lord before his disciples in the Upper Room where he passed through a locked door. You can read it in John 20: 19-31.

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27 Then he said to Thomas "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." 28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

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When Jesus appeared before his disciples, his greeting was "Peace be with you" or "Shalom" in Hebrew. He had to appease them with such a greeting because he knew that they locked the door for fear of the Jews. This is why the Lord repeated his greeting before them because he appeared before them without knocking or breaking down the door and appeared before them passing through solid walls and a door. Surely, that startled his disciples.

Then the Lord Jesus told them, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." If you recall in Matt.16: 19 at the confession of Peter, the Lord also gave the same authority to Simon Peter, but that was personal to him, which is why he is dubbed as the First Pope.

However, this time, Jesus delegated the Divine authority to forgive or not to forgive sins to his disciples because this is the work of the Church that the Lord said in Matt. 16:19 that he would build. This is why I pity many Catholics who say that they have no need for priests because they can confess directly to God.

So for those confused Catholics, I urge you to take refuge today as it is Divine Mercy Sunday. Go to confession and take Holy Communion and as Jesus promised St. Faustina, your sins will be forgiven. Remember this offer happens only on Divine Mercy Sunday so embrace this rare opportunity to cleanse yourselves!

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