4th Sunday of Easter, Year A – April 26, 2026

 4^th Sunday of Easter – April 26, 2026

Acts 2:14a, 36-41; 1 Peter 2:20b-25; John 10:1-10

 

Theme: We are Both the Sheep of Jesus and Good Shepherds for our Brothers and Sisters

 

A.    A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Jon 10:1-10

 

1.       Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage is the first part of the “Good Shepherd Discourse” in John’s Gospel. The story of the Healing the Man Born Blind (9:1-41), which immediately precedes our text, constitutes its background. In that story, Jesus cured a blind man from birth, but the Pharisees excommunicated the cured man because he did not give false testimony against Jesus as they requested of him. After all, they planned to accuse Jesus and have him arrested and condemned. That story ended up with Jesus addressing the Pharisees about their spiritual blindness because they did not recognize they were sinners and needed Jesus. Our Good Shepherd Discourse continues Jesus’ address to the Pharisees and serves as a commentary on the entire story of the Healing of the Man Born Blind. Our passage is immediately followed by the second part of the Good Shepherd Discourse (10:11-21) and the story of the Feast of the Dedication (10:22-42), which ends this chap. 10.

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

Our Gospel is an allegorical discourse structured into two movements. In the first movement (vv. 1-6), Jesus speaks of himself as the good shepherd; in the second movement (vv. 7-10), he says he is the gate for the sheep. 

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Our text serves as a commentary on the story of the Healing of the Man Born Blind (Jn 9). The sheep are the people of Israel, represented by the man born blind. The sheepfold (a low stone wall open to the sky)^[1] is Israel.

Vv. 1-6. The good shepherd who enters through the gate, meaning who obeys God’s commandments, is Jesus. The people of Israel, represented by the cured man born blind, hear the voice of Jesus, who calls them by name and leads them out because they belong to him. Jesus walks ahead, and they, recognizing his voice, follow him. In contrast, the Pharisees are the “thieves, robbers, and strangers.” They climb over the sheepfold, which means they do not follow God’s commandments. The people of Israel will run away from them because they do not recognize the Pharisees’ voice. The narrator comments that the Pharisees do not understand Jesus's message. 

Vv. 7-10. Jesus identifies himself as the gate, first, for the shepherd (himself) to come to the sheep (7-8), and second, for the sheep to come in and go out safely and find pasture (vv. 9-10). The Pharisees’ mission is to steal, slaughter, and destroy as they threatened to excommunicate anyone who would acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah (see 9:22) and applied this threat to the cured man born blind (see 9:34). In contrast, Jesus’ healing of the man born blind testifies that his mission is to offer abundant life to the people who believe in him.  

 

4.      Synthesis

The Pharisees, who excommunicated the cured blind man because he acknowledged Jesus as he is from God (chap. 9), are identified as thieves, robbers, and strangers. Their mission is to steal, slaughter, and destroy. The people of Israel will not listen to them because they do not recognize their voices. Jesus is the good shepherd and the gate for the people to come in and out safely. People listen to him because they recognize his voice. His mission is to give life abundantly to those who believe in him.

 

B.     Pastoral Implication

 

1.      Liturgical Context

This Fourth Sunday of Easter is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. It is also called “The Good Shepherd Sunday” because, in all three Liturgical Calendars, we read the “Good Shepherd Discourse” in chap. 10 of the Gospel of John (Year A: vv. 1-10; Year B: vv. 11-18; and Year C: vv. 27-30). Today's Gospel reminds us that we simultaneously are Jesus’ sheep and shepherds for our brothers and sisters. We should then know our mission as Jesus’ sheep and as good shepherds for others. As Jesus’ sheep, when we suffer and are treated unjustly, Peter, in our second reading, calls us to imitate Christ, who returned no insult when insulted and did not threaten when he suffered. Our mission as good shepherds consists of calling our brothers and sisters to repentance and teaching them to believe in Jesus as the Lord and Messiah, as Peter did in our first reading.

 

2.      What the Church Teaches us Today   

Today’s liturgy teaches us to know our mission as Jesus’ sheep and the shepherds for our brothers and sisters. First, as Jesus’ sheep, the Gospel teaches us to do three things: hear the voice of our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, recognize his voice, and follow him. (1) We are called to hear Jesus when he speaks to us in the Scriptures, the Church teachings, our hearts, and through our brothers and sisters. To hear Jesus means to obey him.

(2) We are called to recognize his voice. Many voices of the “bad shepherds” deceive us in this world. Jesus identifies them as “strangers, “thieves,” and “robbers.” To recognize Jesus’ voice, among many others, we need to hear him regularly when he speaks to us and become familiar with him. Attending Mass regularly, praying outside of Mass, and reading the Bible are essential for becoming familiar with Jesus’ voice.

(3) The Gospel asks us to follow Jesus. Being a Christian is being Jesus’ follower. The author of our second reading teaches us what it means to follow Jesus. For him, following Jesus, which is our calling, goes together with suffering and the grace of God. “If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this, you have been called…” (v. 20b-21). He exhorts us to be patient and imitate the example of Jesus (v. 21b). To follow Jesus means to follow in his footsteps, doing what he did. Our second reading gives us some things that Jesus did that we need to imitate. He says, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.” (vv. 22-23). So, to follow Jesus is to do what he did in all circumstances. Let us always hear Jesus whenever he speaks to us, become capable of recognizing his voice, and finally be his followers.

Second, in addition to being Jesus’ sheep, we are also called to be the “Gate” and “Good Shepherds” for our brothers and sisters, as Jesus is the “Gate” and “Good Shepherd” for us. Jesus declares that he is the gate for the sheep, and whoever enters through him will be saved and come in and go out and find pasture (see vv. 7-9). Jesus is the gate that protects the sheep from the “false shepherds” and the gate that leads them to salvation. As the “gates” and “good shepherds,” our mission in this Church, our families, and wherever we live is to protect our brothers and sisters and ensure they are in good relationships with God and one another. Also, the way we all must pass through Jesus, the gate that leads to eternal salvation, is the same way that Jesus exhorts us to be the “gate” for others so that through us they may know him and be saved. Let us be the “gate” that protects and leads our brothers and sisters to Jesus.

To accomplish this mission of being the “gate-protector” and the “gate leader” (the Good Shepherd), we need to be spiritually strong. A protector is supposed to be stronger than the enemy who attacks, and a leader is supposed to know very well the road to which he leads others. Because sin weakens and blinds us spiritually, we cannot protect and lead people to Jesus unless we use the sacrament of confession regularly. In our first reading, Peter calls us to repent whenever we commit sins. He tells us that when we repent, we receive the forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit (v.38). Therefore, repentance strengthens us and enables us to be the “gate-protector” and the “gate-leader” for our brothers and sisters.

On this World Day of Prayer for Vocations, let us pray for the religious priests, brothers, and sisters that God fill them with all the graces they need to continue to be the good shepherds of the people they serve. We also pray for the men and women in the religious formation training for the priesthood, brotherhood, and sisterhood that the Holy Spirit guides them in this crucial stage of the discernment of their lives. Let us also pray for our youth, asking God to inspire them so that they become familiar with Jesus’ voice, hear him when he calls them to the religious life, and decide to follow him as religious priests, brothers, and sisters. Finally, we pray for all of us, laypersons and clerics, to be the obedient sheep of God and good shepherds for our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

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[1] NABRE, note to Jn 10:1.

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B - April 19, 2026

 

3^rd Sunday of Easter, Year B - April 19, 2026

Acts 2:14, 22-33; 1 Peter 1:17-21; Luke 24:13-35

 

Theme: The Risen Lord is the Motivation of our Christian Faith

 

A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Lk 24:13-35

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

The story of Jesus’ appearance on the road to Emmaus is unique to Luke. It is the second of the five stories in Luke’s resurrection narrative section (24:1-53). It is preceded by the account of the women at the empty tomb (24:1-12) and followed by Jesus’ appearance to the disciples in Jerusalem (24:36-43), Jesus’ final instructions (24:44-49), and the Ascension (24:50-53). Luke places all of Jesus’ appearances in and around Jerusalem and describes them as having occurred on Easter Sunday. In our passage, as in this entire section of the resurrection narrative, Luke aims to inform his readers that Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection fulfilled Old Testament promises and Jewish hopes.^[1]

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

Luke narrates this story in both catechetical and liturgical forms. Vv. 13-16 can be viewed as an introduction, while vv. 33-35 serve as a conclusion. The body of the text can be structured into two movements based on the two topics developed in this passage: The interpretation of the Scriptures (vv. 17-27) and the breaking of the bread (vv. 28-32).

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 13-16. Emmaus is likely the hometown of these two disciples. They lived in Jerusalem because they followed Jesus. Now that Jesus is dead, everything seems finished; there is no longer any motivation or reason for them to stay in Jerusalem. Disappointed, sad, and confused, they are on their way back to Emmaus to resume their former lives. Jesus appears to them, but they do not recognize him. One of these disciples, Cleopas, is not well known among Jesus’ disciples. Some Bible scholars suggest that he might be the same person as Klopas mentioned in John’s Gospel, whose wife, Mary, stood by the cross of Jesus (see Jn 19:25) because these two names, Cleopas and Klopas, are similar. If this is the case, then the unnamed second disciple of Emmaus could be his wife, Mary. The exact location of Emmaus, seven miles (sixty stadia) from Jerusalem, is disputed. Some biblical scholars believe that this Emmaus could be the traditional site at “Amwas” on the Jerusalem-Jaffa road or the village of el-Qubeibeh. However, the former place is twenty miles away, and the latter is eight miles from Jerusalem, not seven miles, as Luke mentions.^[2]

Vv. 17-27. These two disciples discuss Jesus’ Passion and Death. Jesus joins their conversation with a question: “What are you discussing as you walk along?” His question seems bizarre to them because everyone in Jerusalem knows what happened to Jesus. They tell him the whole story, revealing their disbelief in Jesus’ Resurrection. Jesus interprets the Scriptures that refer to him and helps them understand that his Suffering, Death, and Resurrection fulfilled Old Testament promises (vv. 25-27).

Vv. 28-32. The Scriptures that Jesus shared effectively prompted them to invite him to stay with them that night. The Breaking of the Bread is the second step in Jesus' plan to help these disciples believe in his Resurrection. Jesus’ actions over the bread, “he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them,” are similar to the actions he employed over the bread in the Last Supper (see Lk 22:19). This signifies that Jesus shares the Eucharistic Bread with these two disciples. Through these two methods, the Interpretation of the Scriptures and the Breaking of the Bread, these two disciples recognize Jesus and believe in his Resurrection.

Vv. 33-35. These two disciples were heading to Emmaus to return to their former lives because they were disappointed by the death of their Master, Jesus. Now, believing that Jesus is alive, their motivation for discipleship is reactivated. Consequently, they return to Jerusalem to continue their discipleship.

 

4.      Synthesis

These two disciples were on the road, returning to their home village of Emmaus to resume their former lives because Jesus, whom they had followed in Jerusalem, had died, and there was no longer motivation to stay there. Jesus appeared to them, but they did not recognize him. He employed two methods to open their spiritual eyes and help them believe in his Resurrection. In the first method, Jesus interpreted the Scriptures that referred to him, teaching them that his Suffering, Death, and Resurrection fulfilled Old Testament promises. In the second method, Jesus shared with them the Eucharistic Bread, “his Body.” These two methods enabled the disciples to recognize him and believe in his Resurrection. As a result of their belief, they decided to return to Jerusalem and continue their discipleship.

 

B. Pastoral Implications

1.      Liturgical Context

What should motivate our discipleship? Some believers' motivations for being active Christians come from their loved ones, their ministries in the Church, or certain circumstances. Once they lose these motivations, they leave the Church or stop praying to God. Today’s Bible readings teach us that Jesus’ Resurrection should motivate and inspire our discipleship, just as it did for the disciples of Emmaus after they recognized Jesus (Gospel) and for Peter in our first and second readings.

 

2.      What the Church Teaches Us Today

In the Gospel, the disappointed disciples of Emmaus were on the road returning to their village when Jesus appeared to them. Leaving Jerusalem indicates they have abandoned discipleship, as they believe Jesus, their motivation, is no longer alive and that everything seems finished. Returning to Emmaus signifies a return to their former lives. Many Christians act like these two disciples when facing suffering. We abandon our Christian faith and revert to our previous lives without Jesus. Our Holy Mother Church encourages us to recognize the presence of Jesus, who always wants to join us in our daily struggles, just as he did with these two disciples.

The two methods Jesus employed with these two disciples, which enabled them to recognize him and believe in his Resurrection, constitute the two parts of our liturgy of the Mass. In the first method, Jesus interpreted the Scriptures for these disciples, helping them realize that his Suffering, Death, and Resurrection fulfill Old Testament promises. Peter also used this method in our first reading. He referred to David in the Old Testament and quoted him when he called his audience to believe in Jesus’ Resurrection. Likewise, at each Mass we attend, we first listen to Jesus, who, through the lay and ordained ministers, reads and interprets the Word of God for us. In the second method, Jesus shared the Eucharistic Bread with these disciples. He does the same with us in the second part of the Mass. He shares with us his Body and Blood in Holy Communion. These two parts of the Mass, the celebration of the Word of God and the celebration of the Eucharist, open our spiritual eyes and enable us to believe that our Lord is alive.

As a result of their belief, these two disciples returned to Jerusalem and continued their discipleship. The Church calls us to do the same. Each Mass we attend transforms us and makes us pursue our discipleship with courage and faith, conducting ourselves with reverence during our earthly sojourning, as Peter exhorts us in our second reading (see 1 Pt 1:17).  Amen.

 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD-USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

 

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[1] NABRE, note to Lk 24:1-53.

[2] Carroll Stuhlmueller, “The Gospel According to Luke” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymon E. brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer and Roland E. Murphy (Englewood Cliffs, New Jessey: Prentice-Hall), 163. 

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, Year A - April 5, 2026

 

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, Year A - April 5, 2026

Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9

 

Theme: The Mystery of the Empty Tomb: “He Saw, and He Believed”

 

1. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of John 20:1-9

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

The evangelist placed this story about the Empty Tomb immediately after the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial (19:17-42) and before a series of stories detailing Jesus’ appearances (20:11-29). Before announcing Jesus’ resurrection through these appearances, the sacred author wanted his readers to first consider some facts proving the resurrection of Jesus. The evidence that Peter and the “other disciple” found in the tomb, including the empty tomb, the burial clothes, and the cloth that covered Jesus’ head, which was rolled up in a separate place, serves as sufficient proof that Jesus has truly risen.

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

The Gospel passage is a narrative story structured in two parts: Mary Magdala experiences the rolled stone at the tomb’s entrance (vv. 1-2), and Peter and the “other disciple” experience the empty tomb (vv. 3-9). 

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 1-2. Mary of Magdala goes alone to visit Jesus’ tomb (Matthew states there were two women [Mt 28:1], while Mark and Luke mention three women [Mk 16:1; Lk 24:1, 10]). It was on the “first day of the week,” Sabbath (Sunday for Christians), a day after the Jewish Passover. Regarding the time, the four Gospels do not agree. Matthew describes this time as “dawning” (Mt 28:1), according to Mark, the sun had risen (Mk 16:1), and for Luke, it was at daybreak (Lk 24:1). John states that it was early in the morning when it was still dark. He emphasizes “darkness” here because throughout his Gospel, he contrasts darkness with light in various contexts. Here, the “darkness” symbolizes the absence of faith in Jesus’ Resurrection. Thus, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, still not believing in Jesus’ Resurrection. She finds the heavy stone that covered the entrance to the tomb removed, but she does not go in. Her spontaneous reaction is to run back home and report to Simon and the “other disciple whom Jesus loved.” (Most biblical scholars think that this “other disciple whom Jesus loved” is the apostle John, son of Zebedee. However, they have debated the authorship of the Johannine books, including the Gospel of John, the three Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation.) In her report, she does not mention the Resurrection because her faith in Jesus’ Resurrection is still in “darkness.” She states that the Lord has been taken from the tomb by an unnamed plural pronoun, “they.” Additionally, she uses another plural pronoun, “we,” in her subsequent statement, “we don’t know where they put him.” With the plural pronoun “we,” it remains unclear whether she refers to Peter and the “other disciple” or perhaps to another woman (or women) who were with her but not mentioned in v. 1. By using “we,” Mary of Magdala includes others in her “darkness of faith.”

Vv. 3-9. The narrator contrasts two directions of running: Mary of Magdala ran from the tomb (v. 2), while Peter and the other disciple (the one Jesus loved the most) ran toward the tomb (vv. 3-4). The “other disciple” runs faster than Peter. This may indicate his love for Jesus, which is a response to Jesus’ love for him, making his faith run faster. Alternatively, it could be attributed to his younger age compared to Peter, enabling him to run faster than Peter.

This “other disciple” is the first to arrive at the tomb, but he waits for Peter to enter before him because he respects Peter’s leadership. Both disciples see the same evidence (the burial clothes and the cloth that had covered his head rolled up in a separate place), but the narrator mentions only the “other disciple” who believes; he says nothing about whether Peter believes or not. The narrator comments in v. 9, “For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” Does this comment contrast understanding and believing, reason and faith? Which one comes first, believing (faith) or understanding (reason)? Reading v. 8 in parallel with v. 9, we find that the “other disciple” believed before he understood the Scriptures. He first used his faith in Jesus before he could intellectually figure out how Jesus’ Resurrection could be possible.

 

4.      Synthesis

On the Sabbath day, after the Jewish Passover feast, Mary of Magdala went to the tomb alone early in the morning while it was still dark, indicating her lack of faith in Jesus’ Resurrection. Upon realizing that the stone covering the tomb had been removed, she did not experience the empty tomb since she did not enter it. Instead, she ran back home and announced to the disciples that Jesus’ body had been taken from the tomb by an unknown plural pronoun, “they.” She employed another plural pronoun, “we,” associating others with her lack of faith when she said, “[And] we don’t know where they put him.” By using this plural pronoun “we,” perhaps she included Peter and this other disciple or another woman (or other women) who may have been with her at the tomb but were not mentioned in v. 1. The two disciples ran toward the tomb. The “other disciple” ran faster than Peter (perhaps because of his great love for Jesus or his young age) and arrived first, but he let Peter enter the tomb before him, possibly out of respect for Peter’s leadership. They both saw the same evidence of the empty tomb: the burial clothes and the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head rolled up in a separate place. The “other disciple” believed even before understanding, but the narrator said nothing about Peter, whether he believed or not. 

 

2. Pastoral Implications

 

1.      Liturgical Context

Today’s Scripture readings testify that our Lord has risen and is alive. The Gospel recounts Peter and the “other disciple’s” experience at the empty tomb. In the first reading, Peter summarizes Jesus’ life and calls us to believe in Jesus’ Resurrection in order to receive forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ name. Since we are now raised with Christ and beginning a new life with him, Saint Paul, in our second reading, urges us to seek and focus on what is above, not on what is on earth.

 

2.      What the Church Teaches Us Today

Mary of Magdala did not allow the “darkness” of her lack of faith in Jesus’ Resurrection, along with the darkness of fear, doubt, worries, and uncertainties, to prevent her from visiting her Lord Jesus. Her love for Jesus was greater than the “darkness” of her life. Likewise, we cannot let the dark moments of our lives prevent us from coming to Jesus, especially for Sunday Masses. Instead, let us use the love that Jesus has for us and our love for him to motivate us and enhance our faith in his Resurrection, believing even before we try to understand it, just as the “other disciple” did in our Gospel.

Since we have experienced the empty tomb and believed in Jesus’ Resurrection, our Holy Mother Church now asks us to share our personal experiences of Jesus’ Resurrection with our brothers and sisters, as Peter did in our first reading. Understanding the context of our first reading is essential for comprehension. Our first reading is a speech attributed to Peter during his visit to the home of a Roman Centurion named Cornelius (see Acts 10:34-43). This Gentile, Cornelius, was a generous supporter of the Jewish community in Caesarea. One day, while praying, he had a vision and was instructed to invite Peter to his home (10:1-8). Peter also had a vision while praying. In that vision, God told him to cancel specific food prohibitions that kept Jews and Gentiles separated from one another. It is important to note that these prohibitions prevented Jews and Gentiles from entering each other’s homes (10:9-16). The Spirit of God instructed Peter to go to the home of the Gentile Cornelius (10:17-23). Therefore, Peter, a Jew, entered the home of Cornelius, a Gentile, and engaged with many other Gentiles present, including Cornelius’s household, relatives, and friends. The first thing Peter did was acknowledge in their presence that Jews (including himself) were not supposed to associate with or visit Gentiles. However, in the vision, God revealed to him that no human being is to be considered “profane or unclean.” Thus, Peter broke the tradition that kept Jews and Gentiles apart (10:24-29). In turn, Cornelius explained his vision to Peter and the reason he invited him (vv. 30-33). Our first reading story continues from here.

Peter delivers his testimony to the Gentiles and to each of us about the central mystery of the Christian faith. The first words of Peter’s speech are found in vv. 34b-35, which the lectionary omitted from our first reading passage. In these words, Peter encourages unity between Gentiles and Jews, as well as between us and our fellow parishioners, family members, and everyone else. He says, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.” (10:34b-35). The message of the Resurrection of Christ that we bring to our brothers and sisters should be one of unity, not division. The new life that the Risen Lord offers us is a life of togetherness. Let us break down all barriers of division that separate us from one another and start a new life of unity with Christ. Peter continues his speech by summarizing Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Jesus went about doing good and healing all the oppressed people. He was crucified and raised by God. He appeared to the apostles as the witnesses chosen by God in advance. Jesus commissioned them to preach and testify that he is the one God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. Those who believe in Jesus will receive forgiveness of sins through his name (vv. 37-43). Here, our Holy Mother Church reminds us that we, Christians, are the successors of the apostles who witnessed Jesus’ events. As he did with his apostles, Jesus commissions us today to go wherever we live, teach the people, and testify about the mystery of the Empty Tomb. Jesus is risen; he is alive, and everyone who believes in his resurrection obtains forgiveness of sins. This is what Saint Paul means when he invites us, who are raised with Christ, to seek not what is on earth but what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Col 3:1-3). Let us bring the message of hope from Jesus’ Resurrection to everyone, especially those who are desperate.

May the mystery of the Empty Tomb that we celebrate in this liturgy fill our hearts with the joy of Jesus’ Resurrection. Amen.

Happy Easter!

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD-USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

2nd Sunday of Easter & Divine Mercy Sunday, Year A - April 12, 2026

 

2^nd Sunday of Easter & Divine Mercy Sunday, Year A - April 12, 2026

Acts 2:42-47; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31

 

Theme: “Whose Sins You Forgive are Forgiven Them”

 

1. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of John 20:19-31

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

This Gospel narrates Jesus’ two appearances to his disciples, with Thomas absent at the first and present at the second. The context of this text is to testify to Jesus’ Resurrection and signify the conclusion of his earthly life and the beginning of the Church age. Before this text, the author had already shared the stories of the Empty Tomb (20:1-10) and Jesus’ Appearance to Mary of Magdala (20:11-18). Immediately following our Gospel passage is the Epilogue, in which the evangelist recounts the story of Jesus’ Appearance to the Seven Disciples in Galilee (21:1-25).

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

The Gospel text presents a narrative account structured into three movements. In the first movement (vv. 19-23), Jesus appears to his disciples while Thomas is absent. The second movement (vv. 24-29) recounts Jesus’ second appearance to his disciples, this time with Thomas present. The third movement (vv. 30-31) serves as the initial conclusion of the entire book.

 

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 19-23. “On the evening of that first day of the week” is the evening of the Sabbath day (Sunday for the Christians). The ten disciples (minus Judas and Thomas) were in one locked room, presumably in Jerusalem, out of fear of the Jews. They feel as if they have wasted three years following Jesus, who is now dead, and everything seems finished. Furthermore, they are experiencing great fear and confusion because they believe that the people who crucified their Master Jesus are also looking for them to crucify them. Amid this disappointment and anxiety, Jesus appears and stands in their midst. Jesus’s resurrected body enters the room without opening the locked doors.

Jesus does five things here. (1) He wishes them “peace.” This peace differs from the ordinary peace the Jews use to greet each other. It echoes Jn 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” (NABRE). Jesus knows their fear, so he starts by filling their hearts and minds with the peace of the resurrection, which revives their hope, courage, confidence, and faith in him. (2) Jesus shows them his hands and sides as evidence that he is alive. Luke speaks of “hands and feet” based on Ps 22:17 (see Lk 24:39-40). The fearful disciples rejoice now because the living Lord is among them. (3) He sends them on a mission just as his Father God sent him. This means the disciples are commissioned to continue Jesus’ mission. (4) He fills them with the Holy Spirit by breathing on them. This recalls the story of creation in the book of Genesis when God created the first human being. Adam was not a living being until God breathed the breath of life into his nostrils (see Gn. 2:7). By using his breath to give the Holy Spirit to his disciples, Jesus recreates them. (5) He empowers them with the authority to forgive and retain sins. Previously, this faculty was reserved for Jesus alone. Here, he shares it with his disciples.

Vv. 24-29. Thomas conditions his belief on physical proof: to see the marks of the nails on Jesus’ hands and to touch Jesus’ side and nail marks (vv. 24-25). When Jesus appears to them for the second time, he provides Thomas with the proof he requested and exhorts him to believe. The narrator does not disclose whether Thomas touched Jesus’ hand and side; he only mentions Thomas’s profession of faith, referring to Jesus as “My Lord and my God.” Jesus’ declaration in v. 29 is a beatitude for future generations who will not see him physically but will believe in him and his Resurrection.

Vv. 30-31. These two verses form the first conclusion of the Gospel of John. The evangelist affirms that his book contains only a few of the many signs (miracles) Jesus performed in the presence of his disciples. He reveals the purpose of writing his Gospel: to have his readers “come to believe” (or continue to believe) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Through this belief, the readers will have life in Jesus’ name. 

 

4. Synthesis

Jesus appeared to his fearful disciples two times, entering the room without opening the locked doors and wishing them peace three times. In the first appearance, when Thomas was absent, Jesus showed them the marks on his hands and side as physical evidence that he was alive. The disciples rejoiced at seeing him. Then, he commissioned them to continue the same mission his Father had given him. He filled them with the Holy Spirit by breathing on them, which recreated them. He finally empowered them with the authority to forgive and return people’s sins. Thomas, who missed Jesus’ first appearance, requested physical evidence (to see and touch Jesus’ nail marks and side) before he could believe in Jesus' Resurrection. When Jesus appeared to them for the second time with Thomas present, he provided Thomas with the physical proof he requested. Thomas believed by professing his faith in Jesus: “My Lord and my God.” Then, Jesus, referring to future generations, called “blessed” all those who would believe in him without seeing him physically. The narrator concludes his whole book by affirming that he did not write down all the signs (miracles) Jesus performed in the presence of his disciples. The purpose of the few signs he wrote was to help his readers come to believe (or continue to believe) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and through this belief, his readers have life in Jesus’ name.

 

2. Pastoral Implications

 

1.      Liturgical Context

Since the year 2000, the Church has designated the Second Sunday of Easter as “Divine Mercy Sunday.” The background of the Feast of Divine Mercy centers on a devotion stemming from the private revelations of Saint Faustina Kowalska. To make these private revelations official, Pope John Paul II, in 2002, added “Plenary Indulgence” to Divine Mercy Sunday. “Plenary Indulgence” is a complete pardon that Jesus grants to us, as he revealed to Saint Faustina, “I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My Mercy.” (Diary 1109). In the liturgy of this Mass, the Church invites us to contemplate our Risen Lord as the Ambassador of Mercy. Through Jesus’ Resurrection, we have peace and forgiveness of sins; we are re-created, filled with the Holy Spirit, and commissioned to continue his mission wherever we live (Gospel). Thus, we are called to devote ourselves to attending Mass regularly and to communal life (First Reading) as we hope for an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance kept in heaven for us (Second Reading). 

 

2.      What the Church Teaches Us Today

Jesus appears to his frightened disciples amid their fear, disappointment, and confusion, without opening the doors of the room they have locked themselves in. Many of us today are going through similar crises. Anxieties, worries, and numerous sufferings that we face daily create fear and force us to close ourselves off in our minds. The way Jesus stands before his fearful disciples, he and his mercy also stand before us today. He first wishes us peace because he knows our anxieties very well. This is not the regular peace we use to greet each other. Instead, it is the peace of the Resurrection. It resurrects the hope, confidence, and courage that we lost because of the fear caused by the sufferings of this world. The disciples rejoiced in seeing the Resurrected Lord. Let us also rejoice because our Lord is alive.

Jesus’ Resurrection entails a mission. Our Risen Lord sends his disciples and us on a mission as his Father has sent him. This means he calls us to continue the mission he started. In our mission, we will not work alone. Jesus fills us with the Holy Spirit, who will assist us. We receive this Holy Spirit through the breath of Jesus, recalling the story of creation in the book of Genesis when God created Adam. This first human was not yet a living being until God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (see Gn. 2:7). By breathing on us on this Divine Mercy Sunday, Jesus recreates us. We have a new life, a life of the Resurrection. Let us go out on the mission, lay and ordained ministers, each with our specific calling. This mission consists of assisting our fellow humans, especially those who still isolate themselves due to fears caused by the suffering they endure. As Jesus asked Thomas to touch the marks on his hands and side as evidence that he is alive, he invites us today to touch and feel the marks on our fellow humans who suffer and assist them. Let us share the peace of the Resurrection that Jesus has given us with them and encourage them to join us in the Church. Together, we devote ourselves to the teaching of the Church, communal life, and regularly attending Mass as the early Christians did in our first reading. Let us exhort them and ourselves to continue hoping for the eternal salvation of our souls despite suffering, as Saint Peter teaches us in our second reading.  

Jesus’ mission is also to forgive the sins of the people of God, the power that Jesus gives to the Church through the ordained ministers: “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn 20:23). Let us encourage our brothers and sisters, including ourselves, to regularly use this wonderful Sacrament of Confession.

We seek three things when we go to confession: forgiveness of our sins, reconciliation with God and the fellow humans we have offended, and the healing of the spiritual, emotional, or psychological wounds that sin causes. First, in confession, we implore Jesus to forgive our sins. Just as we go to our shower rooms to clean our bodies of any dirt, we need to approach the confessional room to take a spiritual shower and cleanse our souls of any sins. On the day of our baptism, we wore a white garment and received a lit candle. We were told to keep this white garment (which represents our souls) unstained and to keep our souls' lamps always lit until our Lord Jesus returns. To achieve this, we should frequently use the sacrament of confession to ensure we are ready to welcome our Lord whenever he comes back or calls us to him.

Second, in the sacrament of confession, we seek two reconciliations: vertical reconciliation (with God) and horizontal reconciliation (with our fellow humans). Note that the priest who listens to our confessions plays two roles. First, in vertical reconciliation, the priest represents Jesus, who stands on behalf of God the Father, whom we offend through our sins. When we confess our sins to a priest, we confess to Jesus, our mediator with God the Father. The priest who acts in persona Christi accepts our confession, absolves our sins, and reconciles us with God. Second, in confession, we also reconcile with our fellow humans whom we offend. For some reason, most of the time, it is difficult and even complicated to meet all the people we have hurt, to ask for forgiveness, and to seek reconciliation with them. That is why, in confession, the priest stands for all the people we have offended by our sins. He listens to us, accepts our apologies, forgives us, and reconciles with us on behalf of these people. Hence, we should not feel afraid or shy to confess our sins to the priest. Instead, we tell him our sins with the attitude as if we were telling the people we have offended. So, confession restores our relationships with God and our brothers and sisters.

Third, in the sacrament of confession, we seek multiple healings. Because sins can cause emotional, psychological, or spiritual wounds, we need God to heal us. We consult doctors, psychologists, or counselors for healing; similarly, we need to talk to a priest to seek emotional, psychological, and spiritual healing through confession. Sometimes, the healing process takes time. In this case, I advise us to continue the process in a spiritual or psychological direction, with the same confessor-priest or, if needed, a professional psychologist. Let us take advantage of this beautiful sacrament of confession that Jesus instituted to forgive our sins, to reconcile us with God and with our fellow humans, and to provide us with the spiritual, psychological, or emotional healing we need.

May the liturgy of this Divine Mercy Sunday inspire us to become Jesus’ missionaries who encourage our brothers and sisters, including ourselves, to always believe in Jesus’ Resurrection, promote unity, hope for eternal salvation, and regularly partake in the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession to receive Divine Mercy. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD-USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator