One week ago today, Saturday, during the vigil services, many men and women formally became members of the Roman Catholic Church. For most of these noble souls, one of the key aspects of the formation program is "belief." The decision to become a Roman Catholic required, I am sure, much consideration about personal commitment to a new belief system.
Today's gospel focuses on the issue of belief: (1) the reaction of the apostles in an upper room on the evening of Resurrection Day and (2) the disbelief of the apostle Thomas who was not with the apostles when Jesus first appeared to them.
To say "I believe" in the Resurrection, as a new Catholic or one who has been a Catholic for many years, brings with it serious consequences. For each of us to recite in the Creed "I believe in the Resurrection" also has consequences. Anytime that anyone of us "buys into something or someone" there are consequences. Perhaps you can liken it to hiring someone to serve you as an accountant or lawyer. You put genuine faith in that person to care for you business properly. You know that you will be asked to follow certain practices etc.. The same applies to our saying "I believe in Jesus Christ and his Resurrection."
What is it to "believe in someone" without adhering to that person's expectations? So, for us Catholics what are the consequences? Well, first of all it means living the Commandments and the laws of the Church. It means that we address our "illnesses," our sins. It means the we seek to eradicate their presence in our lives. That is one of the consequences of our creed. There are many others.
On Divine Mercy Sunday we confront one of those consequences. We believe that Jesus Christ suffered and died for my sins ... what each of us should say with genuine conviction.
Let this day be a time when we look seriously at the reality of our personal convictions!
