Inbox Inspiration: April 19, 2020: Special - 10 Second Sunday of Easter

Special – 10
Second Sunday of Easter 
Gospel: John 20:19-31   
 

Some time ago, I read a report asserting that almost 80% of what we know comes from believing.
It does not come from direct experience or logical reasoning.
For example, most of us have never visited the Great Wall of China, but we believe what historians or travel guides tell us about it.
There are two conclusions I want to draw from this.
First, on these Sundays after Easter, the Scriptures call us to believe in the risen Christ. In today’s gospel, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who do not see but still believe.”
So, just as we accept so many other things by trusting and believing, we are also to accept the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of our own resurrection in this way. This is the first invitation of the Easter Season.
And second, we are to act on what we know through faith. If someone tells us that the woman who lives a few houses away is feeling lonely and down and we believe that, we will probably connect with her in some way and let her know we are there for her.
In a similar way, we are to act on what we know from our faith in the dying and rising of Jesus. So, we may die to our desire to verbally strike back at someone who has offended us, because we believe that if we do that, we can come to a greater personal fullness and maybe even to a better relationship with that person.
So, some lessons on faith on this Sunday after Easter!

Father Michael Schleupner

In addition to the usual Wednesday edition, I began these Special Inbox Inspirations on Fridays and Sundays when the Coronavirus Crisis began. On Fridays, there is a prayer related to the crisis and on Sundays, a reflection on the Sunday gospel. I hope these are helpful.