A week after the Resurrection, the doors are still locked. Fear lingers, doubt remains. Into that closed room, Jesus enters once again- not with condemnation, but with peace. “Peace be with you,” He says, and then turns to Thomas with a tender invitation: “Put your finger here… do not be unbelieving, but believe” (John 20:27).

Thomas’s journey is deeply relatable. We want to believe, but we wrestle with questions. We long for proof, yet Jesus calls us to trust. And in the end, Thomas’s doubt is transformed into one of the most profound confessions of faith in Scripture: “My Lord and my God!” His encounter reveals the heart of Divine Mercy- a Savior who meets us where we are and offers peace instead of judgment, presence instead of reproach.

Jesus’ response to Thomas echoes across centuries: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (John 20:29). That blessing is for us- for everyone who walks in faith without physical proof, who holds fast to hope in the midst of confusion, fear, or pain.

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday, a celebration of the unfathomable mercy of Christ. In His first appearance to the disciples a er the Resurrection, Jesus not only brings peace but gives them the power to forgive: “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them” (John 20:23). Mercy is the very heart of the risen Christ- freely given, never earned.

St. Faustina, the apostle of Divine Mercy, wrote in her Diary, “The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy.” This is not an invitation to take sin lightly but to run to the Lord with confidence, knowing His heart is always open.

In the first reading, the apostles- now transformed by the Spirit- heal the sick and proclaim the Good News boldly. The same disciples who once hid behind locked doors now walk in the freedom of the Resurrection. This is what mercy does: it unlocks hearts, casts out fear, and sends us forth with courage.

Today, let Jesus breathe His peace into you. Whether you come like Thomas with doubts or like the other disciples with fear, the Risen Lord meets you there. And He speaks the same words: “Peace be with you.” Receive His mercy, believe in His love, and be a witness of that mercy to the world.

Fr. Augustine Acheme, VC

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