The doubting me. The doubting you. Many of us are like the doubting Thomas in today’s Gospel event (Jn. 20: 19-31). Inspite of our profession of faith in the Lord, we go through bouts of anxiety, fears, and doubts that are an intrinsic part of human nature. In faith, we know that for as long as we give and do our human best, the rest is in God’s hands. And since He is the all-loving and merciful God, His divine presence and providence will ultimately prevail, at all times, and in all places. “I am with you always, until the end of time.” (Mt. 28: 20).
The signs and proof of new life and resurrection are the scars and nail marks in our lives, as they were in the person of the Risen Christ. Our Good Fridays are the prelude to our Easter Sundays. “Our nail marks remind us that all pain and grief, all ridicule and suffering are transformed into healing and peace in the love of God we experience from others and that we extend them.” (From Connections for April 2010).
Last Holy Saturday, I went to the hospital to administer the Anointing of the Sick to a very dedicated member of our Marriage Encounter ministry. She was suffering from a very serious illness. Her situation of pain and crucifixion could not but end with one of two Easter experiences: a miraculous healing from painful illness to physical wellness, or moving on to a new life through mortal death. Both are Easter moments, and the Divine Presence is in each one of them. After the anointing, I embraced the grieving husband who was crying profusely, and so were their two daughters. My own heart was in deep pain, as I felt God’s presence within each one of us, and all around us. The Lord chose to take her to Himself. She passed away just a few days ago. She is resurrected, but we will miss her terribly.
Another situation, this time on a national level, is what we are going through as God’s people. The unjust poverty that so many of our poor Filipinos are suffering from is no less than a form of crucifixion. Now, this does not mean that God is absent. If we surrender ourselves to His presence and providence, then He will lead us to a new life of justice through love of God and neighbor. This can come about through the coming May elections. We will experience a national resurrection by electing a President whose heart is for God and God’s poor. But if we do otherwise, then our Good Friday as a nation will go on, until such time that justice for the poor is brought about, according to God’s design. This will be an Easter Sunday for us as a nation. Will this happen after our May elections? It depends on whom we vote for, through clean and honest elections. And even if we elect a President according to God’s will, it will take a long time and much political will to change our socio-economic system. In other words, we will have to carry our national cross with much faith and perseverance, until we reach that moment of national resurrection.
Moreover, the Paschal Mystery in our lives is not just one cycle of Passion — Death — Resurrection, period. Our individual lives as well as our life as a nation moves from one cycle to another.
As I have written in this column, our recent history as a nation has been a succession of such cycles. One such cycle ended with People Power I in 1986. Passion — Death — Resurrection as a nation. A second cycle of a similar nature ended with People Power II in 2001. And now, we are going through a Third cycle which I call People Power III. This is very complex and on-going. It will involve the national and local elections next month! In Article XV of our Constitution, Sec. 3 states that “The State shall defend the right of the family to a family living wage and income.” A family living wage and income, according to God’s design for mankind, is still very far from what the majority of our families actually receive. How long will it take the next regime to implement this seriously?!
If the next regime still does not succeed, then God must be telling us something that we should not run away from — a major change in our socio-economic system. From secular Capitalism to Christian Socialism. Such a major change will be part of our national cross that we must carry with humble faith and relentless perseverance, which will then lead us to a national resurrection.
But through the stages of each cycle, whether personal or national, the words of the Risen Christ must be constantly alive. “Peace be with you.” Jesus repeats this no less than three times in today’s Gospel reading. Inner peace can and should be present through all the stages of each one’s passion-death-resurrection, cycle after cycle. No more doubting Thomas. No more doubting you. No more doubting me.
“Peace be with you.” Amen.