Easter: Pagkilala Sa Pag-Asa

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

John 20:19-31 NRSVUE

Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat. Kamusta kayo? Napansin niyo ba na parang ang haba ng Good Friday? Kahit Easter na, parang hindi natin maramdaman. Napakatahimik ng buong linggo. Pagod ang mga tao, walang gaanong sasakyan sa labas, at dahil na rin siguro sa mahal ng gas kaya nananatili lang tayo sa loob. Parang kailan lang nung kumanta tayo ng “Happy Day” noong Easter Sunday, pero heto na naman tayo, bumalik na sa tahimik at matamlay nating mga buhay.

Ito ang nais kong pag-usapan natin ngayon: kung paano natin matututunang mapansin ang mga “glimpses of Easter” o ang mga bakas ng pag-asa sa gitna ng ating pang-araw-araw na buhay na madalas nating binabalewala.

Ngayon ay ikalawang linggo na natin sa panahon ng Easter, at sinusundan natin ang naging buhay ng mga alagad pagkatapos mamatay ni Jesus. Sa ating pagbasa ngayon, makik