‘My Lord and my God! Help me to be one with You in all that I am and do in thought, word and deed, and in faith, hope and love. Help me, an unworthy servant, to be worthy.’
I further affirm my belief at the raising of the Chalice of His Precious Blood when I say:
‘Thank you for these thy gifts which I am about to receive. Help me, an unworthy servant, to be worthy.’
My hope with these prayers is that God will accept my baptismal promises to love Him and all He has created as Jesus loves us by His death and resurrection to set us free from death for everlasting life as a faithful follower. I also realize that in my humanness my sin nature will often separate me from being in relationship with God causing me to be unworthy and that I need His help to return to a path of righteousness.
In St. John’s Gospel today we read or hear the greatest confession of faith in all of the Gospels: “My Lord and My God” as voiced by St. Thomas. Though these words follow skepticism of believing by sight, they are the ultimate reminder to us of what Jesus suffered in His humanity that need to be recognized by every human, whether a follower or not. St. Thomas should not be remembered so much as a doubter but as someone who embraces a faith that in addition to words also takes action for all in need.
That is why Jesus breathed on the Apostles in His first visit like God did when He created humans. It is the life-source for supernatural life that is given as a new recreation so we can do the work of God on earth. Though used in the Sacrament of Reconciliation for forgiveness of one’s sins, it also is how we need to practice love, mercy and forgiveness in our lives as God taught us.
Catholicism is an active faith that requires we interact with others, believers and non-believers. This is the purpose for which God created us when we talk about loving God and others. We need to take the gifts we are given and find the path which best leads us and others to follow God to everlasting life. We do not need to be ordained or belong to a religious community to reach out. Everyone has the ability to share a personal story about what God has done in their life to proclaim: “My Lord and my God”!
During this Easter season, let us reach out to those we have not seen or talked with for a period of time. It may be with a person that we have not been close to because of a difference that happened or just someone we have not contacted in a long time. It is by such an action that we believe and all are blessed and happy because of it.
Reading 1: Acts 5: 12-16
Reading 2: Revelation 1: 9-11a, 12-13, 17-19
Gospel: John 20:19-31
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