Fourth Sunday of Easter (C)

 

Fourth Sunday of Easter (C) [Jn 10:27-30]

11.05.2025

Jesus the Good Shepherd

Readings: (1) Acts 13:14.43-52 (2) Rev 7:9.14-17

1.    Theme in brief:

Relation of the ‘sheep’ (disciples) with the Shepherd (the Risen Lord)

2.    Focus Statement:

In order to be faithful ‘sheep’ (disciples) of our Good Shepherd (the Risen Lord) we have to listen to his voice by resisting other contrary voices and follow him, not anybody else.

3.    Explanation of the text

The kings who were the leaders of Israel were called shepherds. In the tenth chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus claims that the promise made by God through the prophets of OT to shepherd his people in a far excellent manner than some of the wicked kings of Israel, is being fulfilled through his own ministry. In this chapter Jesus portrays himself as the God Shepherd, that is, an ideal or noble shepherd who genuinely cares for his ‘sheep’ in contrast to those bad shepherds (bad leaders and kings) of Israel or maybe the scribes and Pharisees who were the religious leaders in his time. It deals with the characteristics or role of Jesus the Good Shepherd in relation to his ‘sheep’ (disciples or believers) and vice versa. Today’s gospel begins with the two important characteristics of the sheep or it speaks about the relation of the ‘sheep’ with the Shepherd: (1) their listening to the shepherd’s voice and (2) their following of him because of his intimate knowledge of them (10:27).

One of the important qualities of the faithful sheep and a proof of close relationship between the shepherd and the sheep is to listen to and recognize the voice of the shepherd by becoming familiar with that voice. In Palestine of those days and in our societies even today it is common to give names to domestic animals and they respond to their name by recognizing the familiar voice of their master. In John’s gospel, Mary Magdalene is portrayed as a faithful ‘sheep’ (disciple) who recognized the voice of the Shepherd ((Risen Lord) instantly when she heard him calling her by her proper name, “Mary” (20:15-16). Since she was familiar with his voice or attuned to his voice because of her close association with him, she immediately discerned (recognized) his voice. The synoptic gospels also speak about the need to listen to Jesus. At the transfiguration of Jesus, all the first three gospels record the voice from heaven urging the three disciples to listen to Jesus (Mt 17:5; Mk 9:7; Lk 9:35). Here “to listen” implies obedience and submission to his teaching and imitation of his example.

Secondly, according to today’s text, imitation of the Shepherd by the ‘sheep’ (Risen Jesus) and their deeper knowledge of him is the reason why they readily follow him. Instead of saying that his sheep follow him because they know him, in the present text Jesus says that his sheep follow him because he knows them (10:27). It is precisely because the sheep know that the shepherd knows them intimately, they follow him. Naturally, they will not follow a stranger whose knowledge about them is minimal. This word “to know" is used throughout the Scripture not for knowing something intellectually or theoretically or for knowing someone as an acquaintance, but to describe the most intimate, personal and experiential relationship that one can have. It means an act of knowing through experience. John in his gospel defines eternal life as this type of experiential knowledge of the only true God gained through a personal intimacy with Jesus Christ whom he had sent into the world (Jn 17:3).

Jesus further declares another quality of any faithful sheep, that is, to follow him closely (10:27). Again, “following” Jesus is a common theme in all the gospels. Following the Lord means imitating him or his model and ideals, walking in his footsteps, accepting his way of life (including the necessity to carry one’s cross) and submitting oneself to his Lordship or dominion.  In addition, John’s gospel speaks about the sheep following the shepherd because of their experience of his intimate knowledge of them and also because of the familiarity of his voice. Thus, following Jesus means entering into a life of intimacy with the Lord that results in the sheep’s faithfulness to the Shepherd to the point of laying down their life for his cause (Jn 10:15).

Further, Jesus promises to give eternal life to his ‘sheep’ (10:28). As the Good Shepherd, he continues to share with his ‘sheep’ (disciples) God’s own life (eternal life) so that they do not suffer from spiritual undernourishment. The sheep’s intimacy with the shepherd results in the flow of his divine (eternal) life into them.

Then come the two great assurances given by Jesus the Good Shepherd: (1) his sheep will never perish, and (2) nobody can separate them or snatch them away from his hands as well as the Father’s hands (10:28-29). Jesus gives the assurance that his sheep are absolutely secure because they are under the protection of both the Father and the Son. Though the sheep is entrusted to the shepherd’s care, the Father has not withdrawn his protective hold. Jesus wishes that just as he and the Father are one (Jn17:21), his sheep also be united with him (as the Shepherd) in a similar manner (10:30).

4.    Application to life

By faith we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. This bond of relationship established between Jesus and us from the time of baptism is deeply personal and intimate. Jesus compares this personal bond to the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep in his Palestinian milieu and says that it is based on the love that unites the Father and the Son (Jesus). Why should we take Jesus as our Shepherd? Jesus himself answers this question in today’s gospel: It is because he gives us (his sheep) eternal life; he promises that we shall never perish; and assures us (his sheep) that we are securely held by two protective hands – his as well as the Father’s. Jesus the Good Shepherd knows his ‘sheep’ very intimately, and wants that we remain as his faithful sheep.

How can we be his faithful sheep? Jesus says that we can be his faithful sheep (1) by listening to his voice and by resisting other contrary voices of the world; and (2) by following or imitating him closely and by resisting our tendency to follow somebody or something else more than we follow him. The implication is: if we really love the Lord, if we consider him as our Good Shepherd and want to remain as his faithful sheep, we (his sheep) have to listen to the voice of our Divine Shepherd (the Risen Lord). We have to be attuned to the sound of his voice. Only when we are attuned to his voice, we hear an inner voice that calls to accept the gift of salvation he offers to anyone who comes to him and believes in him, as Jesus insists again and again in the fourth gospel. We hear his voice telling us that God does not want to condemn anybody or does not wish that anybody should perish but all those who believe in him would be saved (Jn 3:16-17). We have to be familiar with his voice and recognize it amidst so many contrary voices of the world and wrong advice of our bad companions, or bad influence of the mass media. There is no dearth of misleading ‘friends’ or sycophants around us with ulterior motives who influence us to lean towards their selfish objectives or hidden agenda and tell us to forget our life’s purpose.

One of the essential attributes of true love or a close relationship between two persons is the ability to listen to the loved one. If two parties have to grow in a love-relationship, they have not only to speak but also listen to each other. Therefore, today’s gospel passage challenges us to become more and more a “listening sheep” of Jesus the Good Shepherd. In the midst of our busy schedule and the hustle and bustle of modern life, well equipped with the ubiquitous electronic media that are just a click away (such as mobile phones, TV, computer, internet), how can we actually get time to quieten our hearts and minds to listen to the voice of God? This is possible only if we live a life of self-discipline, set our priorities and try to live up to our life’s dream. Because of constant exposure to these media today, much more than bygone days, we are hungry for a message from God amidst our drooping spirit. When we listen to his Word in faith we believe that he speaks to us with a word of comfort amidst our frustrations and anxieties, a new insight, an enlightenment of the mind, a guidance to our confused state, a warning against our wrong choices and an awakening when we tend to our harden our conscience. This is exactly what we mean by saying the Lord ‘speaks’ to us and we listen to him with obedience of faith.

The Lord speaks to us not only through his Word but also through the guidance (good advice) given by our parents, good friends, teachers, spiritual guides, trustworthy counsellors, etc. The voice of the Risen Lord can be recognized also in loving relationships with those who are close to us because of which we share our problems/ struggles/ stress with them. They are God’s messengers through whom God may speak to us. If we stubbornly refuse to listen to the voice of trusted mentors, especially when they do it purely out of love for us, indirectly we fail to listen to the voice of our Good Shepherd himself, and become his unfaithful sheep. What will happen when the ‘sheep’ of Jesus turn to astrology and some dubious ‘babas’ (an Indian word for godmen) instead of listening to the Shepherd’s voice coming through his holy Word and messengers sent by him? We should keep in mind, if we totally harden our hearts to the voice of God and shut our conscience to the stirring of the Holy Spirit, evil or wickedness is just lurking at the door – just a click away like the electronic media.

Sin or self-centredness also makes us deaf to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Sin, especially when we justify it, shuts the inner voice of our conscience that pricks us when we do something wrong. When we deaden our conscience we tune in more and more to the seductive voice of the world coming from mass media, bad companions and corrupt practices. There is a lot of pressure on us from family members, companions, colleagues at our workplaces and neighbours to abandon our Christian principles and make compromises with the worldly standards. If we are really the Good Shepherd’s faithful sheep no one can drag us away from him, because the Father has entrusted us to his Son. Imitation or following of the Good Shepherd becomes a reality when we obediently conform our lives to his standards and resist strongly the worldly standards. Only when we strive to imitate him by following his ways including the way of the cross, we come to “know” who he is. We need to be sorry for the times we allowed ourselves to be swayed by the corrupt and dishonest ways of the world. As sheep, we have to be personally attached to him and his vision, and be highly motivated to imitate him even if it means going against the world’s standards widely propagated by the mass media and misleading companions.

Though the Risen Lord knows us so intimately, is it not so unfortunate to remain far away from him? In order to be familiar with his voice we need to know him as he knows us. Knowing him means to be intimate or transparent with him or to be in constant communion with him. This is possible only through a depth-level communication with him in prayer, meditation on the Word of God and recognition of him in all situations and among the needy and the suffering. The most supreme gift of the divine life (called “eternal life” in John’s gospel) which the Good Shepherd wants to give us (his ‘sheep’) cannot flow into us if we fail to be personally attached to him with a submission of faith. If we do so, we can experience here and now itself some glimpses of divine life possessed by Jesus as God’s Son (since John’s gospel speaks of eternal life in the present tense also).

Jesus assures us that we, as his sheep, are absolutely secure because we are under the protection of both the Father and the Son. The security that our Good Shepherd offers his sheep is in fact ‘insecurity’ from the world’s point of view, because those who follow him ardently may suffer opposition, persecution, intimidation and even death.  What is guaranteed by Jesus is not the security of trouble-free life, but security of eternal salvation. Are we happy with this guarantee? 

5.    Response to God's Word

What type of ‘sheep’ are we – faithful or unfaithful? Do we listen to his voice or listen most often to other contrary voices in the world? Do we recognize the voice of our Shepherd which comes through his Word, our own conscience and through the guidance of those who love us? Do we try to grow into intimacy with our Shepherd through prayer, reflection on the Word of God and active participation in the Eucharist? Do we follow our Good Shepherd or only other shepherds of the world (such as opinion polls, T.V. ads, misleading companions, peer pressure or other pressure groups, latest fads, etc.)? Do we feel secure under the protection of our Good Shepherd? What are the things, or what are the worldly standards, or who are the persons that are ready to snatch us away from the protective hand of our Good Shepherd?

6.    A Prayer

Risen Lord, our Good Shepherd, thank you for reminding us and making us aware that we have to be familiar with your voice and recognize it amidst so many contrary voices of the world. Grant that we may be able to recognize your voice in the Scriptures and in loving relationships with those who are close to us and guide us. Even though we may walk through the darkest valley, may your outstretched hands bring us to safety and security. Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter (C)

 

Third Sunday of Easter (C) [Jn 21:1-19]

04.05.2025

The Risen Lord Appears to Seven Disciples

Readings: (1) Acts 5:27-32.40-41 (2) Rev 5:11-14 

1.  Theme in brief:

Greater love generates faster faith and leads to greater responsibility

2.  Focus Statement:

Those who love Jesus more intimately, recognise his hidden presence even in the dark moments of their lives, and are given the responsibility to lead the community that demand painful sacrifices.

3.  Explanation of the text

There is a hint in today’s gospel that after witnessing the heartbreaking event of Jesus’ crucifixion, his disciples must have decided to give up their vocation to follow him and return to their previous profession of catching fish. Simon Peter took the lead to announce his desire to go fishing in the Sea of Tiberias and six other disciples agreed to join him (21: 1-3). When they failed to catch any fish in spite of whole night’s efforts (21:3), a ‘stranger'  appeared on the beach at daybreak (21:4) and advised them to cast their net to the right side of the boat (21:6). Though they did not know it was the Risen Lord (21:4), the familiarity of his voice and words such as addressing them as “children” (21:5) must have prompted them to accept his advice and try again. When they obeyed his instructions, they caught so many fish – actually one hundred fifty-three large ones – that they were unable to haul the net (21:6, 11).

Thus, today’s gospel text contrasts the utter failure of Simon Peter and his six companions to catch any fish “at night” (when the Lord was absent) with their marvellous success (when the Risen Lord was present with them as he appeared to them on the beach “at daybreak”, 21:4). Here, the evangelist once again applies his familiar or common theme of contrasting ‘darkness’ with ‘light’. In the ‘darkness’ of failure and frustration, the Risen Lord who is the LIGHT of the world (Jn 8:12) appeared to them at ‘daybreak’ – again, a symbol of light. At first all of them found it difficult to recognise the Risen Lord (21:4), but after seeing the miraculous catch of fish, it was the disciple whom Jesus loved who recognized him first (21:7).  This indicates that the one who loves Jesus the most recognises his presence and power first and fast when all the rest fail. It is clear that a disciple’s intimacy or closer communion with the Lord leads to deeper faith and faster recognition of his divine presence. They caught so much fish, not because they were lucky, but because they obeyed the ‘stranger’ whom later they later recognized as the Risen Lord (21:12). The message is clear: when the Lord is absent they could ‘catch’ nothing, but with his help, they could ‘catch’ people of all types (symbolically 153 types, 21:11) into the ‘net’ of the Church.

The evangelist mentions that the exact number of fish caught by the disciples was a hundred fifty-three (21:11), not because they sat down and counted them meticulously, but because of its symbolic meaning. St. Jerome mentions, according to popular belief in those days, there were153 different kinds of fishes in the sea. The text suggests that in Peter’s net there was a fish from each kind. This is a clear reference to the universality and inclusiveness of the Church. These fishermen who were called to “fish for people” (Mt 4:19) are now called to fish for all kinds of people, including repentant sinners and Gentiles. John writes that the net was not torn in spite of containing so many large fish (21:11) to indicate the necessity to maintain unity in the Church in spite of diversity of her members. Jesus’ invitation to his disciples to “come and have breakfast” (21:12) indicated his role as the Giver of Bread of Life that nourished their faith. Though this was not a Eucharistic meal, it had spiritual overtones because of the choice of two Eucharistic words: “Jesus took bread and gave it to them” (21:13). At this meal the disciples were re-commissioned and reminded that they should go back to their original call and mission – symbolically must get back to their “boats and nets” and try again to catch fish.

When they finished breakfast, Jesus seemed to have challenged Peter to a more mature and decisive commitment to him by asking whether he loved him more than ‘these’, that is more than his job and possessions, or more than anything and everybody else (21:15). He must have made him aware of the superficiality of his commitment when trials came, because he had denied him three times in spite of his assurance that even though everybody else deserted he would not, and would lay down his life for Jesus (13:38). This is the reason why many scholars connect Jesus’ threefold question to Peter whether he loved him and his threefold profession of his genuine love for the Lord (21:15-17) to his threefold denial of Jesus (18:17, 25-27). The connecting link is made further clear by stating that both these incidents took place around a charcoal fire (compare Jn 18:18 with 21:9). Now Jesus seemed to have reinstated Peter into the fold of disciples and challenged him to prove his genuine love for his Master by assuming a greater responsibility – to feed his lambs first (21:15, a symbol for the tender and little ones, the fragile and the vulnerable) and then tend his sheep (21:16, 17, a symbol for the mature and the strong ones). Finally, he was invited to follow his Master to the point of laying down his life for his flock (21:18-19).

4.  Application to life

Often we feel that we are toiling all night and are trying so hard to ‘catch fish’ but are catching nothing. The utter failure of the disciples of Jesus to achieve any result (fruit) in spite of the hard work at night, symbolizes the similar moments in our own lives when forces of darkness engulf us. We try so hard to come out of an addiction, resentment, unforgiving attitude, negativity, bitterness, bad habits or habitual sins but do not succeed. We have tried so many times to bring changes in our family relationships, in our children, in our communities, and solve our problems but without any visible result. It is during these moments of painful and humiliating failures, sometimes we hear an inner voice prompting us to try again, never to give up our efforts or good work. The same inner voice tells us never to abandon our life’s purpose, or never to allow our dream to die. We experience an inner force propelling us to hope against all hopes. Do we believe that it is the power of the Risen Christ or his creative Spirit that is available to those who recognize him in faith?

There are other circumstances when suddenly ‘night’ or ‘darkness’ descends on us: a tragic accident, a fatal illness, sudden death, a transfer to a difficult place, a false accusation, a court case, a big fight, etc. In spite of our best efforts, and ceaseless prayers, we see no improvement in our situation. No result, no fruit, no change, no job, no cure, no solution! It is during these or similar dark moments of our lives, our faith is severely tested. Sometimes we fail in this test by failing to recognize the hidden presence of the Living Lord. Though he is present, we fail or find it hard to recognise him, just like Peter and his companions at the Sea of Tiberias. If we downgrade our faith in the omnipresence of Christ because of his resurrection, we shall easily give up ‘fishing’ when we do not ‘catch’ anything and look for other lucrative jobs.

It is only when we firmly believe that the Living Lord does not abandon those who trust in him even in their emptiness and utter failures, we shall ‘catch’ plenty of ‘fish.’ Do we believe that without him we can do nothing (Jn 15:5) or catch nothing and with his strength we can do everything or gather more people into the ‘net’ of his gospel-values? Together with St. Paul we can always cry out: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). Next to faith and trust comes the necessity of obedience to Jesus’ word. Just as Simon Peter and his companions obeyed the word of Jesus to cast their net once again and trusted in his promise that surely would get some fish, this text calls us also to trustful obedience in Jesus’ words and promises. How much do we obey the Lord as he speaks to us in his Word?

What could be the reason for our little or superficial faith? How is deeper faith in the Risen Lord generated? Though there could be several answers to these questions, today’s gospel tells us in clear terms that in order to recognize him we have to be like the “disciple whom Jesus loved” (21:7). He is commonly known as “the Beloved Disciple of the Lord,” What is more important for us is not so much to know who exactly this unnamed disciple was, but to understand that each one of us is called to become a beloved disciple of the Lord and recognize his hidden presence quickly even in our dark moments.  How? It is by our passionate love for the Lord. Only those who are passionately in love with him which is cultivated by an intimate friendship with him, and are constantly seeking after him, are the first ones to recognize the Risen Lord. In other words, the one who loves Jesus the most recognises him first.

The Risen Lord does not impose on us a forcible appearance or vision as the evil spirits or ghosts do (according to popular beliefs). People say these ghosts impose their mighty appearance on their victims. So, recognition of the Risen Lord depends on how closely or intimately we are related to him. It is clear that deeper intimacy with the Lord leads to deeper faith in him or in his presence. This kind of close friendship or communion with the Lord in prayer and reflection on his Word makes us attuned to his presence or makes our mind alert to the signs of his presence in good and bad, happy and sad events/ moments of our life. Then we ‘see’ and meet the Risen Lord in all the situations of our life and its tasks. This type of personal faith motivates us to ‘cast our nets’ again and again into the sea even though we are fed up and do not see any visible success.

The threefold question asked by Jesus to Peter whether he really loved him (21:15-17) is also asked to each one of us. First, Jesus asks us as he asked Peter whether we love him more than “these” (21:15), i.e. more than our jobs, possessions, career and comforts, or more than our family and friends, or more than anything and everybody else.  This question also implies whether we are willing now to let go of all our self-sufficiency and self-reliance and put our commitment only and totally in Jesus’ love for us. Jesus asks us whether we are going to remain faithful to him in all the ups and downs of life. Like Peter he asks us whether we are ready to follow him on the basis of faith alone and not anymore on the basis of our talents, capabilities and capacities or knowledge of Scripture. Like him, as disciples of Christ, and more specifically as Christian leaders in families, society, Christian institutions, religious communities and the Church (that is, in our shepherding role) we are asked not to rely fully and totally only on money, resources, projects, budgets, job, bank balance, life insurance, degrees, status or rank, abilities and talents, but on our personal and faithful love for the Risen Lord. In all our leadership roles (beginning from parenting up to carrying our responsibilities as chief executives) the main criterion is not how much we know or are qualified, but how much we love the Lord.

Today’s gospel establishes a close connection between loving Jesus more than anything or anybody else and tending/ feeding his lambs/ sheep. To those who love him, he entrusts the responsibility of taking care of his lambs first, then his sheep. So if we say we love him the most, we need to show it in action. we are called to show a special concern or to have a ‘soft corner’ for the ‘lambs’, namely, the lost, the lonely, the rejected, the deprived and the vulnerable without neglecting the care of the ‘sheep’, namely, the mature and the strong disciples. Though we have a responsibility to shepherd (lead, guide, protect, feed, nourish, care for) the whole flock, our preferential love goes towards the ‘lambs’ after the model of Christ himself. The Church is called to follow Jesus' example by doing works of mercy for the ‘lambs’ first and then the ‘sheep’. Just as Jesus indicated to Peter about his future death in Rome by “stretching out his hands” on the cross (21:18-19), our love for the Lord is further proved by our willingness to make sacrifices for his mission (of feeding his ‘lambs’ and ‘sheep’) by taking up the crosses that come on our way when we do this mission.

5.    Response to God's Word

Which is our ‘night’ in the present life-situation? Do we recognize that the Risen Lord is present even at night? If not, why? Is it because we are far away from him all these days? Do we recognise his hidden presence even in dark moments of our life? Are we worthy of being called his beloved disciples? How is our relationship with him? Intimate or distant? As teachers in educational institutions, do we have special concern for dull students; as parents for disobedient children; as leaders for the weaker section; as medical practitioners for those who cannot afford costly treatment…? Besides taking care of these (which is easier), do we have a special concern for the ‘lambs’ (which is tough)? Do we feel for these lambs? What sacrifices are needed to ‘feed’ (take care of) them?

6.  A Prayer

Risen Lord, open the eyes of our faith that we may recognize you in our ordinary life and its tasks, especially when ‘night’ descends on us suddenly. In the dark moments of our lives, may we recognise you in faith and grow day by day in our vocation to become your beloved disciples by loving you passionately. Yes, Lord, we love you more than anything and everybody else.  Today we decide not to rely fully and totally only on money, resources, abilities and talents, but on our personal and faithful love for you. Grant that we may prove our love for you by remaining faithful to the responsibility of feeding the lambs and tending the sheep entrusted to our care by you. Amen.

Second Sunday of Easter (C)

 

Second Sunday of Easter (C) [Jn 20:19-31]

27.04.2025

The Risen Lord Appears to the Disciples

Readings: (1) Acts 5:12-16 (2) Rev 1:9-13.17-19

1.    Theme in brief:

Liberation from fears and doubts and mission-empowerment

2.    Focus Statement:

Faith in the power of the Lord’s resurrection can liberate us from our fears due to which we are shut in, and make us worthy to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit with whose strength we can carry forward his mission of peace and reconciliation.

3.    Explanation of the text

The sudden appearance of the Risen Lord in the midst of disciples on the evening of “the first day of the week” in spite of locked doors (“for fear of the Jews,” 20:19) and barriers of walls, shows that now he has transcended all the barriers and blocks established by humans due to their fears (real or imaginary, prejudices, narrow-mindedness and selfishness.

 

Further, this appearance has a double significance:

(1) He is now having a spiritual or resurrected body endowed with all the divine glory; hence he can pass through the walls and locked doors (20:19); he is not bound by space and time any more. (2) He is in close solidarity with humanity, offering them something they long for; that is, peace and joy (20:19-21). The scars of wounds on his hands and his side confirm that he is the same Jesus who was crucified (20:20). The joy of the disciples when they see him is only a fulfilment of the promise he made at the Last Supper: “I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you” (16:22).

According to today’s gospel, as the Risen Lord appears to his disciples, he imparts four precious gifts to them:

(1)   Peace, with his twice repeated words: “Peace be with you” (20:19, 21). In biblical language peace involves all-round well-being, harmony and building up of human relationships (20:19, 21). In the OT, peace is closely associated with the blessing of God and salvation to be brought by the Messiah. This peace restores them to inner security and fearlessness.

(2)   Holy Spirit, with the words: “Receive the Holy Spirit” and with the gesture of breathing on them (20:22). Since breath symbolizes life, it is clear that the Holy Spirit is the Risen Lord’s own breath or life. Just as God had breathed into the nostrils of the first man (Adam) the breath of life, and he had become a living being (Gen 2:7), so also Jesus breathes on his disciples in a similar fashion. By giving them the Holy Spirit he makes them a new creation or imparts new life into them leading to the birth of a new community, the Church. Breathing on them may also refer to prophet Ezekiel’s prophecy to the dry bones (37:1-14). The apostles are now like dry bones – lifeless and full of fear. Like the prophet, Jesus causes his breath or life (= Holy Spirit) enter into the dry bones and they begin to live (Ez 37:9, 14). The Holy Spirit regenerates or rejuvenates them in such a way that they emerge from their hideouts to become courageous witnesses of the Lord.  

(3)   Mission mandate, with the words: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (20:21). He sends them into the world to continue the mission for which his Father had sent him. This mission should be understood in terms of John’s main themes – to share God’s (divine) life, light and truth with others; to dispel darkness of sin and death and to lay down their life in humble and sacrificial service for others.  

(4)   Power to forgive or retain the sins of any (20:23). He gives them a share in his power to forgive sins so that they may proclaim the forgiving love of God and carry forward his own earthly ministry of reconciliation.

Though we come to know from the synoptic gospels also that many of Jesus’ disciples had doubted about his resurrection (cf. Mt 28:17), here in John’s gospel Thomas is singled out as a representative of all of us, who sometimes doubt in God’s work and demand physical proofs or spectacular miracles (20:25). The Risen Lord makes use of this episode of the doubting Thomas to point out the necessity of putting our faith in him without seeking for miracles or firsthand experience. He declares people who arrive at such faith based on the testimony of the firsthand witnesses as equally “blessed” (20:29).

4.    Application to life                     

The Risen Lord’s sudden appearance in the midst of disciples even when the doors were locked for fear of “the Jews” (that is, Jewish authorities), symbolizes his power: (1) to cross the limits of space and time; (2) to liberate us from our fears due to which we are shut in; and (3) to reassure us in our doubts of faith. By passing through the walls and locked doors of the house where the disciples had met, the Risen Lord makes it clear that now he is present in any situation and place if only we can ‘see’ his presence with the eyes of faith. He has transcended all the barriers and blocks established by human nature or culture such as distinctions of nationality, race, ethnicity, caste, class, kinship, group, party and religion. He can unlock the doors or break the walls erected by our prejudices, narrow-mindedness and selfishness.

In our social conversation normally we speak in these terms: “we" men and “they” women; “we" Christians and “they” non-Christians; “we" nationals and “they” foreigners; “we" locals and “they” outsiders; “we” tribals and “they” non-tribals; “we" lay people and “they” clergy/religious; etc. There is nothing wrong in these expressions as log as they are mere terms of reference. But we need to examine whether they go beyond normalcy and border on racism, casteism, tribalism, groupism, ethnic conflicts, prejudices or hatred or labeling of “those people there”, etc.

Worse still, if segregation/ discrimination/ ill-treatment based on these factors is practiced within Christian community which is composed of various ethnicities, races, castes, cultures and languages, we narrow down the Risen Christ’s presence to a limited place, group, culture or situation. This is equal to not believing that Christ is really risen from the dead. Let our attitude be like this: the Risen Lord is not “here alone” (that is in my kinship circles, ethnic community, caste, tribe or group alone) but equally present in all peoples, cultures and situations. If we really believe that Christ is risen from the dead, we cannot keep him confined to only our group/ tribe/ caste/ race or restrict him to one situation only. Secondly, if we believe so we begin to ‘see’ the presence of the Risen Lord not only in pleasant and joyful situations but also in sorrowful and painful ones. When sorrow comes, where is he? Can we say: “He is here in our sorrows because he is risen from the dead.”

Today’s gospel text highlights two important aspects of any believer’s life, namely, fears and doubts of faith. First, the text says that the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jewish authorities (20:19). Like the apostles, we are often tempted to lock our ‘doors’ out of so many fears in us – both real and imaginary. Just imagine the conscious and subconscious fears haunting the minds of many of us – fear of failure in an examination, of losing in a game or match, of being robbed, of being attacked by an enemy, of remaining unemployed, of losing a job, of being killed in a bomb blast or accident, of ridicule/ criticism/ negative remarks by others, of darkness, of public speaking, of dreadful sicknesses like cancer and heart attack, of being left alone in old age, of losing one’s dignity and reputation, of breakage of relationships, of our children getting into deviant or criminal behaviour, of natural or man-made calamities (like accidents, floods, earthquakes, cyclones), of untimely or unprepared death, etc. There are also fears of what others may think of us or say to us, especially when we try to behave a little different from the general trends in our society. Then of course, there is a fear of the unknown future.

When these fears (whether real or imaginary) take control of us and rule over our minds, they keep us chained and locked within the narrow space of our own souls. Instead of the Lord directing our lives, these fears become an independent force driving us where we may not like to go. The imaginary or unrealistic (baseless) fears are our worst masters who control or drive us to wrong directions such as depression, disappointment, meaninglessness, emptiness, etc. Robin Sharma rightly says: "We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when an adult is afraid of the light.” Quite often we are afraid of saying and doing what is right. The light of the Risen Lord can free us from the chains of fears (especially, imaginary or baseless ones), if we really believe in the power of his resurrection. If the Risen Lord is with us and for us, who or what can be against us (Rom 8:31-39)?

Armed with this firm faith, we need to admit our powerlessness to change the things we cannot, and surrender our lives into the hands of the living Lord. Our outer security may come from walled compounds, grill-gates, locks, bodyguards, bullet-proof vests, protective parents and companions; but our inner security comes from the power of the Risen Lord and his gift of peace – inner harmony. With his power we can overcome fear of hardship, distress, danger, persecution, peril and death. Let us place the bundle of fears before the Risen Lord and ask him to liberate us from all imaginary fears and give us the grace to face real fears with courage.

Secondly, after fears, come our doubts, epitomized by ‘doubting’ Thomas’ case in today’s gospel. They too are a part of every believer’s life. Like the apostles, we doubt whether all our efforts will be fruitful; whether our plans will succeed; whether there is a God who allows the just to suffer; and why does he allow it? We think, if God could prove his almighty powers through spectacular miracles and visions, all people of the earth could easily believe in him. Today’s gospel tells us that seeing extraordinary signs and miracles is not a guarantee of faith. When Thomas demanded such a proof from Jesus by showing the marks of nails in his hands and allow him to touch his wounds, Jesus gave him a chance to do so with another appearance (20:26-27). Today’s gospel does not tell us whether Thomas really touched Jesus’ wounds. Without arriving at a deeper level of faith, even if he had touched, he could have said that it was a ghost or just a hallucination. Unlike the apostles, our faith usually doesn’t come from direct encounter with the Risen Lord, but from the testimony of others. The action of the Risen Lord on our life is so mysterious that it cannot be seen. When unexpected, surprising and extraordinary things or events happen in our life, some believe in God’s mighty intervention and others do not. Faith in the Risen Lord leads us to a total surrender or submission to his plans and designs by acclaiming: “You alone are the Lord of my life; youy alone are my Higher Power. I bow down to you in total submission” (cf.20:28).

At baptism, the Lord had already breathed his Spirit into us and made us a new creation. In spite of that we become like dry bones lacking zeal in Christian commitment. In this Easter Season we must open our hearts to the Risen Lord and beg him to breathe his Spirit into us and renew/re-create us. With the empowerment of his Spirit, the Lord continues to send us even today with his mission – to share his peace where it is broken, to reconcile where there is disharmony, to breathe a fresh life where there is no life or where people sit in the shadow of death, to dispel the darkness of sin and to lay down their life in humble service for others. He opens the doors of forgiveness for us, so that we too can become agents of reconciliation. Let us ask ourselves whether in our families, neighbourhood and communities we are known as peacemakers or peace-breakers. Sometimes for the sake of peace and harmony we have to humble ourselves and accept our mistakes and renounce our views. Do we do it? If we do so, the winds of new life and joy, harmony and reconciliation – the breath of the Spirit of the Risen Lord - will blow over our families and communities. 

5.    Response to God's Word

What are our present real or imaginary fears? For the sake of peace and harmony, do we humble ourselves to accept our mistakes and bad behaviour? Are we known as peacemakers or peace-breakers? Does our faith in the Risen Lord enable us to recognize his universal presence in people outside our ethnic group and accept the truth from any person of good will? If we nurse strong prejudices and misconceptions about others’ religion, race, caste, ethnic background, past mistakes and bad record, what does it show? Do our occasional doubts of faith finally lead us to a faith-surrender to accept Jesus as our Lord and God? What makes us look like dry bones, lacking vitality?

6.    A prayer

Jesus, my Lord and my God, I offer you all my real and imaginary fears and doubts of faith. Be my driving force when I am plagued with fear of the unknown. When you, the Risen Lord, are with me and for me, who or what can be against me? I believe that in all my fears, doubts and perils I am more than a conqueror through you who loves me. Breathe into me the fresh breath of the Holy Spirit and re-create me. Here am I; send me with the empowerment of your Spirit to continue your mission of building up peace, harmony and reconciliation. Amen.