Easter Experience: Seeing and Believing

02nd Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday: April 27, 2025

Readings: Acts 5:12–16; Psalm 118:2–4, 13–15, 22–24; Revelation 1:9–13, 17–19; John 20:19–31

 To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/IGY8y4JNIVU

We are in the Easter Season. A Season to rejoice and be glad because Jesus is Risen! The Easter joy continues to permeate our lives as we enter deeper into the mystery of Christ's resurrection. Without death, there is no resurrection and without resurrection, there is no joy. Easter joy is the answer to our suffering lives. New vigour and enthusiasm filled the early Christians, and the experience of the Risen Jesus continued to enthrall them, which must be ours as well. Even though we might not have witnessed the apparition of our Lord, we firmly believe from the lens of faith that Jesus is alive and active today and every day of our lives. Faith is a journey, and doubt is part of it. The liturgical readings of this day are a witness to this experience of the disciples of Jesus. The Resurrection of Jesus is not just an event of the past, but a living reality that continues to shape our faith and our response to life.

1. Locked Doors and Opened Hearts

The Gospel of John 20:19-31 is rich with meaning and emotion. It narrates the first encounters of the disciples with the Risen Christ. These are not merely stories of supernatural appearances; they are transformative moments that changed frightened, doubting, and disillusioned followers into courageous witnesses who shaped the early Church.  The disciples were locked in, paralyzed by fear and confusion. However, Christ meets them in their fear and confusion.

This is the same group who had followed Jesus with hope but had now seen Him crucified. Their dreams had died with Him. But in the midst of that fear, Jesus appears. Not with condemnation, but with peace. His first words are not a rebuke but a gift: “Peace be with you.” This is the first meaning of the Resurrection: Jesus enters even our locked spaces—the rooms of fear, guilt, trauma, and doubt—and breathes peace. He doesn’t wait for us to be worthy or ready. He comes to us as we are, bringing life into the places of death.

2. Wounds That Heal and Breaths New Lease of Life

The Risen Christ still bears the wounds of His crucifixion. This detail is not accidental. It reminds us that resurrection is not about erasing the past, but transforming it. The pain and suffering are not denied; they are now redeemed. His wounds are no longer symbols of defeat but of victory.  This means that our own wounds—our past hurts, failures, betrayals—can also become channels of grace. We need not hide them. The Risen Christ embraces woundedness, and in doing so, invites us to do the same.

This is a new creation. Just as God breathed life into Adam in Genesis, Jesus now breathes the Spirit into His disciples. This is not only about the forgiveness of sins. It is about new beginnings, new identities, and a new mission. The resurrection is not just Jesus rising from the dead; it is about us rising into a new life with Him—empowered, forgiven, and sent out.

3. Easter: The Journey from Doubt to Faith

The Christian life is, therefore, not a nostalgic clinging to the past or a fearful waiting for heaven. It is about being people of the Resurrection here and now, people who are sent into the world as bearers of peace, mercy, and healing. Thomas, the disciple of our Lord, represents all of us. We all wrestle with doubt. But Thomas’ story is not one of rebuke; it is one of mercy, in fact, of divine mercy. Jesus meets him where he is. He invites him to touch, to see, to believe. For him, seeing is believing. The Risen Lord is not scandalized by our doubts; He walks with us through them.

There is great excitement in the Easter season because the Resurrection means that love has triumphed over death, that forgiveness is stronger than sin, and that God’s promises are real. This joy is not naive; it is born from facing suffering and still choosing to hope. With the words “My Lord and My God!” Thomas moves from skepticism to surrender. It is the invitation of Easter: not merely to believe that Jesus rose from the dead, but to encounter the living Christ and give Him our hearts.

Questions for self-reflection

1. What are the “locked doors” in my life—fears, doubts, or past experiences—that I need Jesus to enter through?
2. Do I allow the Holy Spirit to guide my decisions and shape my heart each day?
3. How can I live more fully as a person of the Resurrection in my relationships, work, and prayer?

Prayer

Lord, this is the day You have made, and I choose to rejoice in Your mercy. When I was weak, You became my strength. When I was falling, Your hand held me up. On this Divine Mercy Sunday, I rest in the love that flows from Your wounded heart. So today, I place my trust in You—quietly, completely, and with hope. Jesus, I trust in You. Like Thomas, help me to move from fear to faith, from seeing to believing, from knowing about Christ to declaring, “My Lord and my God!” I make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

April 25, 2025

Easter: The Triumph of Life Over Death

Easter Sunday - The Resurrection of the Lord: 20 April 2025

Readings: Acts 10:34, 37–43; Psalm 118:1–2, 16–17, 22–23; Colossians 3:1–4; John 20:1–9

 To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/YNaQR314D4E

Today, we celebrate in the joy of the Resurrection. Easter is the summit of the Christian faith, the day when we declare with deep conviction: "Christ is Risen!" This proclamation is not just the retelling of an ancient event but the heartbeat of Christian hope and identity. The Resurrection of Jesus is the definitive moment where God, in His boundless love, rewrites the destiny of creation. It is an event that sets a new era in the history of humanity as well. From the disciples, we learn that seeing and believing is a powerful model of faith.  The Resurrection gave a hope-filled assurance and new meaning to the lives of Mary Magdalene, Peter, John and others. We, too, are invited to deepen our encounter with the Risen Lord in our daily lives—through prayer, moments of grace, or through time spent with loved ones. 

1. The Meaning of the Resurrection

Resurrection according to the scriptures (Bible) refers to the belief that Jesus Christ, after his crucifixion and death, rose bodily from the dead on the third day. This event is the cornerstone of Christian faith, symbolizing victory over sin and death, and the promise of eternal life for believers. The New Testament presents the resurrection as a spiritual experience and a historical, transformative event witnessed by Jesus’ disciples. The Gospels narrate the empty tomb and post-resurrection appearances (Matthew 28:5-7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5-7; John 20:1-18), a change in the behaviour of the fear-stricken apostles and the founding of the Church and its perpetual continuity, as well as the continuation of Jesus' mission even today. 

Good Friday: The Silent Triumph of Truth

 Good Friday of the Lord's Passion: 18 April 2025

Readings: Isaiah 52:13—53:12; Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25; Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Philippians 2:8-9; John 18:1—19:42

Today, the Church stands still at the foot of the Cross. The wood that bore the body of a man executed like a criminal two thousand years ago still stirs hearts, challenges minds, and unsettles the world's fragile certainties. Good Friday is not just a memorial of Jesus' death; it is an unveiling of the human condition and the quiet, enduring power of truth. This day presents a paradox like no other in the Church year.  The power of profound injustice stemming from blind authority, in which a good and innocent man – indeed, the God-Man – is sentenced to crucifixion by a Roman governor named Pontius Pilate, who suppressed the truth.  It is a day of brutality, cruelty, and suffering.  Raw power is deployed in a way that is almost unthinkable, except we know that such power is still at work in this world.  And yet we call this day Good.

With the following words, we adore the suffering servant of Yaweh.

Behold, behold, the wood of the cross

On which is hung our salvation

O come, let us adore.

1. Power Speaks but not for Salvation and Truth

The liturgical readings for this day lay bare the paradox: the Just One, the Innocent One, is condemned, not for his guilt, but for the discomfort his truth caused. Isaiah’s prophecy (52:13—53:12) tells of the Suffering Servant, one who "had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him," yet he carried the weight of the world’s brokenness on his shoulders. The world’s ego, its addiction to control, and the schemes of jealous hearts could not tolerate such a man.

Maundy Thursday: The Eucharist and the Mystery of Love

Maundy Thursday - Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper: April 17, 2025

Readings: Exodus 12:1-8,11-14; Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13: 1-15

 To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/pDXOP0LHmQo

On Maundy Thursday, the Church invites us to enter deeply into two profound gestures of Jesus: the washing of His disciples' feet and the institution of the Eucharist. Both moments, while distinct, reveal the same mystery at the heart of Christian life: self-giving love. On this day, we gather around the altar to solemnly commemorate the Lord’s Last Supper — the night before His Passion, when Christ gave Himself to us in the mystery of the Eucharist. The readings for this liturgy draw us into the heart of the Christian mystery: the covenant of love sealed by sacrifice, the call to remembrance, and the profound gesture of service. To receive the Eucharist is to receive the very life of Christ into ourselves. But to share that life authentically means imitating Christ’s posture: the willingness to wash the feet of others, to serve, to lower oneself in love.

1. Eucharist Makes the Chruch, and Church makes the Eucharist

This night draws us deep into the Eucharistic mystery, and few theologians have expressed its significance as beautifully as Henri de Lubac. In his profound reflection on the Eucharist, de Lubac emphasized that the Eucharist is not merely something the Church celebrates; it is what the Church becomes. He writes, “The Church makes the Eucharist, and the Eucharist makes the Church.”

From Palms to Passion: Walking with the Suffering Servant

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion: April 13, 2025

Readings: Luke 19:28-40; Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24.; Philippians 2:6-11; Philippians 2:8-9; Luke 22:14—23:56

 To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/dOrS5SF3Pso

What would be your situation if your are praised to the sky for the person you are and then you were seen as wicked and people plotted to kill you? Often, the human tendency is to look at the exterior and follow the crowd without critical thinking.  Palm Sunday is a day of profound contrasts. The liturgy begins with jubilation as Jesus enters Jerusalem, hailed as a king by the crowds waving palms. Yet, it soon shifts into the solemn narrative of His suffering and death. This is no ordinary procession. This is a journey into the heart of God’s redeeming love — a love that does not cling to glory but empties itself for the sake of the world.

1. A Paradoxical Kingship

Palm Sunday sets the precedent for the days ahead. It invites us to walk closely with Jesus through the upper room, the garden of Gethsemane, the trials, the cross, and ultimately, the empty tomb. It asks us: What kind of king are we following? What kind of kingdom are we seeking? As we enter Holy Week, let us not merely observe the Passion from a distance but participate in it by embracing our own crosses, our own paths of surrender and love. Let our Hosannas echo not just in words but in lives that reflect the self-giving love of Christ, who humbled Himself to lift us up.  

Jesus the Face of Mercy and Compassion: Living Our Faith with Passion and Holiness

05th Sunday of Lent: April 06, 2025

Readings: Isaiah 43:16–21; Psalm 126:1–6; Philippians 3:8–14; John 8:1–11

 To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/Goc6_7dhTiM

Who is perfect? Who is sinless? Often, people know more about us than we do ourselves! They have their own versions of us. They wear coloured glasses and see us. Despite knowing that a human person is such a complex being, people underestimate the person. Each one has his or her own inadequacies and vulnerabilities. However, people live with prejudice, malice, wickedness, and evil tendencies. It fills their stomachs. As a result, they might not see any good in others. Unfortunately, they are incapable of self-reflection. In this context, we have beautiful liturgical readings on this Sunday, especially the Gospel reading. Jesus saves a woman from being stoned to death. His simple questions put the would-be murderers into shame and regret. Moreover, the woman becomes an ardent disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

1. Jesus, the Face of Mercy

As we journey deeper into Lent, the Gospel of John 8:1–11 presents a powerful invitation to experience God’s mercy and renewal. This passage is not merely about the woman caught in sin—it is about all of us, sinners standing before a merciful Savior. It is about encountering Jesus in our brokenness and walking away transformed.  The scribes and Pharisees bring the woman before Jesus, eager to condemn her according to the Law of Moses. Yet, their real motive is not justice but to trap Jesus. If He spares her, they could accuse Him of disregarding the Law; if He condemns her, He would contradict His own message of mercy.