St. Joseph the Worker

Dear Parishioners of SJW:

ALLELUIA!  Yes, we continue our journey through the season of Easter, and that means we continue to sing and say ALLELUIA!  This Sunday, April 7^th, ends the Octave of Easter, those special days we celebrate in a special way the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Each of these eight days is like a “little Easter.”  And that should lead us to proclaim ALLELUIA!

 St. Thomas is presented to us in this weekend’s Gospel.  He is one of the chosen 12 Apostles and he is absent when the Risen Lord appears to the other Apostles.  But when told by the others that Jesus came and stood in their midst, Thomas would not believe.  He told his brothers that only if he could probe the nail marks in Jesus’ hand and put his fingers into Jesus’ side where He was pierced, then he would believe. We do see that Jesus did come back the next week, and Thomas could see the marks on Jesus, and then he believed.  ONLY THEN!

We will never have that experience of seeing Jesus in the flesh and able to see His hands and side.  With that in mind, how is our faith?  Do we always need to have things proven in order for us to believe?  Do we believe because Jesus said so? 

The Easter season of 50 days is a perfect time to have a “faith check-up.”  Let us use these days to ensure that our faith is growing, deepening, and flowering.  Our faith is that wonderful gift from God given to each of us so that when times are difficult and uncertain and trying, our belief is still there. In those times, may we respond as St. Thomas did:  “Lord, help my unbelief.”

Sometimes all we have is our faith.  And you know what?  That is enough.  God knew that.   Let us thank Him daily for His thoughtfulness.

Your Pastor, Father Joe