Fr Xavier Writes 7th April 2024
Happy Easter and best wishes for Divine Mercy Sunday. Herewith I shall give a paragraph of my background in each newsletter, since some of our parishioners were interested in knowing some details. As you all know, I am a diocesan priest of Kumbakonam in Tamilnadu, which is heading for its 125th year in September this year, with 262,462 Catholics (as at 2021), 4.4% of the total population, in 93 parishes having 174 diocesan priests and 94 religious priests, along with 647 female religious sisters working in the diocese.
There is an old French saying which states that ‘God often visits us but most of the time we are not at home’. In today’s gospel, when Jesus appeared to the apostles while they were at prayer, Thomas was not at home. The others tried to convince him, as best as they could, that they had seen the Lord, but his reaction was doubt. All that went on at the Last Supper and the death of Jesus on the hill of Calvary had crushed Thomas, leaving him disillusioned, angry and deeply wounded and not easily able to trust again without a proof.
It's consoling because our path of faith in the Lord is often a slow walk-through moment of doubt and confusion, creating a rift between ourselves and God. Is it any different from our reaction and lack of faith when our life is shattered by a death in the family, the loss of a job etc? The loud doubts Thomas echoes lurk in all of us. Jesus respected Thomas’ honesty and met him at the very point of uncertainty. God understands our situation, too, in moments of crisis and despair. Doubt for Thomas proved to be a growing point of faith, made stronger when tested.
As descendants of first believers, our faith should have life in his name, as it made real impact on the lives of early Christians. They took it to heart and reached out, related and encouraged one another in a prayerful spirit of neighbourliness. There is no greater example of faith than to live with others in a common spirit of friendship, harmony and love. May we strive our best to express our faith in love of our brethren.
Have a great Divine Mercy Sunday
