Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/772

 The unbelief  of  Thomas  was  unreasonable,  and  was  therefore rebuked by  our  Lord. He ought  to  have  trusted  the  testimony  of  His fellow-apostles. Thomas, as  an  apostle,  had  himself,  to  be,  an  eyewitness of  the  Resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  as  an  eye-witness  can only give  evidence  of  what  he  himself  has  seen,  Jesus,  the  Good Shepherd, went  after  the  wandering  sheep,  and  appeared  to  Thomas to convince  him  of  the  reality  of  His  Resurrection,  so  that  he  might declare it  to  all  the  world,  as  an  eye-witness.

The unbelief  of  Thomas  has,  by  the  Providence  of  God,  been rendered very  useful  to  us. “By touching  the  Lord’s  wounds,  the  apostle has healed  for  ever  the  wounds  of  unbelief  in  our  hearts;  and  thus the unbelief  of  Thomas  is  a greater  help  to  belief  than  the  faith  of  the other apostles”  (St.  Gregory  the  Great).

Sunday. It  was  on  a Sunday  that  our  Lord  rose  from  the  dead; and on  the  following  Sunday  the  apostles  and  disciples  were  once  more assembled together. We can  see  by  this  that  from  the  very  beginning the faithful  kept  this  day  holy,  as  being  the  day  on  which  our  Lord rose from  the  dead. Again, it  was  on  a Sunday  that  the  Holy  Ghost came down  on  the  apostles. Thus Christians  have  always  kept  holy the Sunday  instead  of  the  ancient  Sabbath,  it  being  the  day  on  which God both  completed  and  confirmed  the  work  of  Redemption — the  new spiritual creation.

Our Lord  retained  the  marks  of  His  five  wounds  in  His  glorified Body, and  ascended  into  heaven  with  them:  1. as a witness  that  He rose  from  the  dead  with  the  same  Body  which  was  crucified  and  laid in the  grave;  2. as a sign  of  His  victory  over  sin,  hell,  and  death;  3. as a token of  His  everlasting  office  of  High  Priest  and  Mediator  with  the Father; for  His  wounds  are  ceaselessly  interceding  for  us  with  the  Father, and imploring  Him  to  have  mercy  on  us  for  the  sake  of  our  Lord  who suffered for  us;  4. as a proof  of  His  infinite  love  for  us. They are  a consolation  to  the  penitent  sinner,  but  a terror  to  the  impenitent,  for Jesus will  show  them  to  these  last  at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  and  will say to  them:  “All  this  I suffered  for  you,  but  you  would  not  love  Me nor  be  converted!”

The five  grains  of  incense  are  placed  in  the  Paschal  Candle  in remembrance  of  the  five  wounds  of  the  risen  Saviour.

Are you  one  of  those  ignorant  Christians  who regard the  Sacrament  of  Penance  as  a burden  rather  than  a boon? Did it  ever  occur  to  you  how  much  it  cost  your  Saviour  to  obtain the pardon  of  your  sins? Thank Him,  then,  from  the  bottom  of your  heart  for  having  instituted  this  Sacrament  of  mercy. Receive it with  the  most  careful  preparation,  and  never  neglect  to  make a fervent thanksgiving  after  receiving  it.