‘The doors were locked, for fear of the Jews.’ The disciples did not fully understand their faith. That is the reason why, while Jesus was under persecution, they abandoned him. They left him alone. Then, after his death and burial, they stayed away from the public eye and locked themselves in. They were paralyzed by fear.
Then, ‘Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them,“Peace be with you.” Jesus showed his understanding and compassion. Instead of blaming them, he showed them his mercy.
Like the disciples, we too are afraid. We are afraid of our enemies. We are afraid of those who have no faith. We are afraid of the cross. We are afraid to follow Jesus. Yet, Jesus comes and stays with us. And he brings peace. This is the message of the feast, the Divine Mercy feast.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw Jesus. They recognized Jesus through his wounds. He showed them his hands and his side. Then he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Our country is poor. Economically, it is one of the poorest. This is not the way it should be. Our country is blessed with both human and natural resources. We are a talented people. Our natural environment is one of the richest in the world. There should be no reason for us to be poor. But the cause of our economic poverty is our own spiritual poverty.
Our faith is a blessing. Yet, we continue to be half-hearted about it. We are not ready to take up our cross. We want a faith that is light and bubbly. In a similar way, our democratic form of government is a blessing. And yet, we also continue to be half-hearted about it. We do not want to be responsible for our government. We allow political dynasties to continue to rule our lives. By our own inaction, the people’s will has lost its supremacy. We have silenced our own voice.
Election is near. We ought to cast our votes. Voting is a sacred act of every citizen. It is not for sale. It is a bricklaying for the future of our children. In that vote, our true identity as disciples of Jesus must be evident. That vote must have a soul, and that soul must be our faith.
The door is locked because of our fears. Easter breaks that door. The risen Christ sets us free. Let us engage in political action. Easter empowers us to fully engage in the public square. We have to bring Jesus there, front and center.
This coming election, let us cast our Catholic Vote. It must not be locked in. It must be unleashed. It must resonate. That vote is an embodiment of the gospel. That vote is powerful. It can make a difference. It has the power of Easter.
