The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
It is so fitting that God, through Sts. John Paul II and Faustina, desired the feast celebrating His infinite and unfathomable mercy to be the book end of the octave of Easter. It is a very easy case to make that the entire story of salvation is not only one of God's mercies to humanity, but that it culminates in the greatest act of mercy in all of existence. In His great love, God shows us that He not only wants us to be saved and redeemed by His sorrowful passion, but that he wants us to remember that we are forgiven and we can let go of the guilt and shame that prevents us from receiving His love and peace. Indeed, the Divine Mercy devotion became central to my spiritual life in part because of how hard it was for me to forgive myself and how enslaved I was to my guilt and shame from the past.
It is equally fitting that, every year on Divine Mercy Sunday, the gospel that focuses on "Doubting Thomas" is read. Not only because of its chronology relative to the resurrection, but because of the powerful and important themes it speaks to that we find on a daily basis in our spiritual and ordinary lives.
A phrase that is central to the Divine Mercy devotion is, "Jesus, I Trust in You." It seems ironic, then, that this particular gospel that highlights the doubtfulness of one of Jesus' closest followers is the one tied to this specific feast.
Upon further reflection, however, it couldn't be a more perfect match, especially when you come to realize that trust (or faith) requires opportunity for doubt! After all, what need is there for trust in something that is certain? We don't need to trust that the sky is blue or have faith that water is wet. But when we lose our job, or someone close to us suddenly dies, or any number of trials and difficulties come our way that fill us with doubt, trust becomes the vital element that prevents us from despair. And after St. Thomas' faith and trust in the Lord was restored, he never doubted again even to the point of being martyred for his great faith.
On this magnificent feast, be assured of God's great love and mercy for you. And when fear and doubt arise in your life, remember to cry out, "Jesus, I trust in You!"
Andrew Montpetit is a Motion Graphic Designer/Animator in West Michigan. He greatly enjoys good films and deep, substantive conversations about beauty and its pursuit. You can find his work on his website and on Instagram.
