Because I Love You

Divine Mercy Sunday Homily 2026 – Because I Love You

In an alcove along the side wall of Immaculate Conception Church in Elkton hangs a beautiful, nearly life-sized mosaic image of the Divine Mercy of Jesus, a “portrait” made of tiny tiles that come together to reveal the Love of the Risen Christ as shown to St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun of the early 1900s to whom the Lord revealed the depths of His merciful Love for the world. 

At some point in my tenure here as pastor – I know not when it started – every time I pass the image I place my hand on the Sacred Heart from which the rays of mercy emanate and whisper the prayer,” Lord Jesus, hold us in Your Heart,” and then move my fingers to the little visible scar etched into the Hands of Christ and pray: “Heal our wounds in Yours.”

Besides the Mass, it may very well be the most important prayer I pray.

There’s something about the Heart and Wounds of Christ that keep calling out to us, and I believe the Gospel story of Thomas’ faith journey after the Crucifixion speaks to both the mystery and reality of our need for those very gifts in our lives as well.

I always believed “Doubting” Thomas received the disadvantage of an unfair nickname, like the third-grader eternally called “Klutz” for the one time he dropped the 32 birthday cupcakes down a flight of stairs or the high school girl called “the Ghost” because of her fair complexion. Thomas, in all fairness, didn’t doubt any more than the others did, and besides: who can blame him? Would you immediately accept the story told by others that the beloved rabbi whom you saw crucified was now appearing to your friends outside of tombs and along dusty roads leading away from Jerusalem?

So, no, I don’t think Thomas deserves the title we’ve saddled him with. But his journey does teach us an important lesson about a deeper conversion to the gift of Divine Mercy, one which all of us are invited to receive.

Thomas after Calvary was lost and broken, away from the others. That’s not a minor detail to the Resurrection account. He wasn’t out buying groceries or running some pointless errand while the others were locked in the room, afraid for their lives following the Crucifixion. Rather, Thomas chose not to stay with them. To which we must ask: why?

Now I don’t know for certain, but here’s a powerful insight I had as I was offering Bible Study during the Lenten season. The final time we hear from Thomas before Jesus is arrested in the Garden was in John’s Gospel when Thomas confidently claims before the others: “Let us go and die with him.” It was bold and brave. It was a zealous rallying cry of love that was willing to self-sacrifice for the One these disciples were clinging to as their hope for a true Messiah.

Except, when all is said and done, Thomas was nowhere to be found when Christ needed him on Calvary. In fact, Thomas did nothing to rally his brother-disciples to stay united to Jesus in the time of great upheaval and chaos. He who boldly proclaimed “Let’s do this!” instead slunk away like a coward. He couldn’t face them much less the Resurrected Savior they were claiming they now encountered.

Imagine being Thomas at this point, how broken his heart and conflicted his thoughts. He, like Peter and most of the others, has failed royally, and he too is burdened by shame. It is the voice that keeps playing over-and-over in his head: “I let God down. I let my team (disciples) down.” It is a voice that haunts one’s waking thoughts and becomes the echo in one’s nightmares, and it is exactly where Satan wants us to be – trapped by the should’ve and could’ve prison bars.

I know there have been times in my life where those voices of shame have chased me and weighed me down. I suspect most of us can say the same, as well. Why did I do what I did? Why did I fail as I have? Why couldn’t I keep the relationship alive? Why … why … why …???

The very same burden of guilt weighed heavy upon the shoulders of Thomas, too, and so he felt he wasn’t needed or wanted among the very ones he had arrogantly strutted in front of: “Let’s do this – let’s die for the Lord!”

To be a soul without a friend especially in time of sorrow and doubt is a loneliness beyond all telling.

And yet, look at the power of Resurrected love at work as seen in John’s account: As soon as Christ appears, what do the others do? They go find Thomas. They go forth with the Spirit of forgiveness to bring him back into their fold, their fellowship and their collective heart. They seek him out so that he can encounter the Resurrected Love of Christ.

The power of a community living in true Communion – in every sense of that word. Communion brings forgiveness and mercy. Communion brings others to touch the Heart and Wounds of Christ. Communion brings about the living and reconciling Church.

What is so striking about the vision of Church captured in the Acts of the Apostles is the fact that the early disciples “devoted” themselves to the teachings of the apostles, the breaking of bread and to prayer.  That doesn’t mean they were perfect at it – but they never gave up in responding to the call of grace and mercy to bring the Church to life in the world. They stumbled and argued; they faltered and doubted. But they stayed together. They didn’t give-up on one another. They sought-out the lost and abandoned.  They forgave and welcomed back the ones who walk away.

As Church, they looked for the Thomases of the world to bring them back into communion with the Resurrected Love of Christ. How can we do any less?

We mustn’t ever give up on bringing others – even ourselves – back to the Heart and the Wounds of Jesus Christ. It is commanded of us, and shame on us if we get too comfortable, too close-hearted and closed-gated. How can we live Eucharist if we aren’t becoming the Eucharistic presence for those who feel the most forsaken, forgotten and hated – as Thomas must have felt in the hours following Calvary.  We must seek them out in order to bring them back.

For herein lies the power of Resurrection: when Thomas returned and Christ commanded him to place his finger in the side and wounds of God, he was no longer alone or isolated. He was set free and loved unconditionally. He was one-with: communion. Thomas was whole again, whole enough to cry-out: “My Lord and my God.”

Imagine how we can do that very thing for others who are starving for mercy and love that can only be found in Christ and through His Church. 



His Mercy awaits both the Thomas who lives inside us as well as the Thomases who stumble through life in fear, self-hatredand shame. May we never be afraid to be the ones who reveal the Mercy of God: Lord, hold us in Your Heart and hide and heal our wounds in Yours.