FROM DOUBT TO TRUST AND PRAISE
A Happy Octave Day of Easter & Blessed Divine Mercy Sunday. Today, the 2nd Sunday of Easter, celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday, invites us into the heart of the Risen Christ – not merely to rejoice in His victory over death, but to encounter the boundless mercy that flows from His pierced side, the “Fount of Mercy”. In His Heart, we find our unbounded & overflowing Easter Joy! The readings for Year A (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31) present a powerful movement: from fear to faith, from isolation to communion, and from doubt to a living trust in the mercy of God.
In the Gospel, we find the disciples locked in a room, paralyzed by fear. Despite having heard of the Resurrection, they remain unsure, hesitant, and hidden. Into this space of anxiety, Jesus comes – not with rebuke, but with peace: “Peace be with you.” (cf John 20:19) This greeting is not a mere formality; it is a gift from Jesus. It is the forgiveness of their desertion & abandonment at His crucifixion, the restoration of relationship, the healing of their fear, & the beginning of their mission.
Immediately, Jesus shows them His wounds. This is deeply significant. The Risen Christ does not erase His wounds; He glorifies them. The marks of excruciating (‘out of the crucifixion’ from the Latin word ‘excruciatus’) suffering become signs of love & channels of mercy. For us, this reveals a profound truth: our wounds, when united with Christ, are not meaningless – they can become places where God’s grace is revealed & shared.
Then Jesus breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them.” (cf John 20:22-23) Here, the Church receives the mission of mercy. Forgiveness is not an optional extra in the Christian life; it is central. The Risen Lord entrusts to His disciples – and to us – the responsibility to be instruments of His mercy in the world.
The Gospel this weekend doesn’t end there. It turns to Thomas, often remembered as “doubting,” but perhaps more accurately understood as searching. Thomas was not present when Jesus first appeared, & in his pain & trauma of seeing his Master crucified, he struggles to believe based on the testimony of others. His demand – to see & touch the wounds of Jesus – reveals a longing for a real, personal encounter.
When Jesus appears again, He meets Thomas exactly where he is. There is no rejection, no condemnation. Instead, Jesus invites him: “Put your finger here… reach out your hand … doubt no longer but believe.” (cf John 20:27) This is Divine Mercy in action. Jesus does not berate & shame Thomas for his doubt; He enters into it & transforms it.
Thomas’ response is one of the most profound professions of faith in the Gospel: “My Lord and my God!” This is the journey we are all invited to make & the profession of faith that flows from a heart & soul touched by Divine Mercy – from doubt & uncertainty to a personal, trusting & surrendered faith in Christ. Divine Mery moved St Thomas to bear witness to Jesus His Lord by bringing the Gospel to India & to finally lay down his life there for Jesus as a Martyr.
Do you sometimes feel yourself searching for Jesus & doubting His Love, especially in times of trial & distress? Then, take heart, & learn from the example of St Thomas, reach out with trust to Jesus, call on Him as your Lord & God & let His mercy transform your doubts into deep faith & belief.
Divine Mercy Sunday, established by St. John Paul II on 30 April 2000 & rooted in the revelations of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska, emphasizes that God’s mercy is greater than any sin, any failure, any doubt. The image of Divine Mercy – Jesus with rays of red and white light flowing from His heart –
captures this beautifully. The rays symbolize blood and water, depicting the sacraments of Eucharist (blood) & Baptism (water), the ocean of grace & mercy flowing in the life of the Church & continually being poured out upon all who seek the loving mercy of God.
The 1st Reading from the Acts of the Apostles shows us what a community transformed by mercy looks like. The early Christians are united, generous & devoted – to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of the bread, & to prayer. Mercy is not only something we receive; it shapes how we live together. Mercy breaks down barriers, fosters unity, and inspires radical generosity. Mercy moved the disciples in the early Church & spurs all of us disciples down the ages to sing & extol the Lord’s eternal & unending love & mercy, as we joyfully declare the Response to our Psalm “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.” (Psalm 118:1)
The 2nd Reading from the 1st Letter of St Peter reminds us that this new life is grounded in hope: “By His great mercy, we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (cf 1 Peter 1:3) Mercy is not sentimental; it is transformative. It gives us a new identity & a future that is secure in God’s love, even amid trials.
What is the invitation & the challenge for us today, this Divine Mercy Sunday?
First, it invites us to ask for & trust in God’s mercy. In the image of the Divine Mercy are the words that Jesus instructed St Faustina to write: “Jesus, I Trust in You”. Do you find that many of us carry hidden burdens—guilt, regret, or a sense of scarcity, lack & unworthiness? Like the disciples on that Easter evening behind locked doors, do you feel trapped by your past or your fears? Yet Christ comes into these very places and speaks peace. The question is: Will we allow Him in? Will we believe that His mercy is truly for us? Can we, like St Thomas, draw close to the pierced heart of Jesus & declare with trust what St Bernard of Clairvaux said in his Sermon No 61 on the Song of Songs, 4 & 5: "But as for me, whatever is lacking in my own resources I appropriate from the heart of the Lord, which overflows with mercy... My merits therefore is the mercy of the Lord.”?
Second, we are called to become bearers of mercy. In a world often marked by judgment, division & resentment, the Christian is called to be a witness of forgiveness, compassion & reconciliation. This is not easy. It requires humility, patience, & grace. But it is precisely here that we reflect the face of Christ & become a living example of Divine Mercy.
Finally, it challenges us to move from doubt to faith. Like St Thomas, we may wrestle with questions or struggle to believe. But faith is not the absence of doubt; it is the decision to trust, even when we do not fully see nor understand. Jesus’ final words in the Gospel of St John are directed to us: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.” (cf John 20:29) This blessing is an encouragement to persevere in faith, grounded not in certainty alone, but in our relationship with Jesus, our source of strength & hope.
As we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, let us come to the Lord with honesty and openness. Let us bring Him our fears, our wounds, and our doubts. And let us hear again His words: “Peace be with you.” May we respond, like Thomas, with a renewed and personal faith: “My Lord and my God.” And may our lives become living witnesses to the mercy that has first been given to us.
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead