Who among us does not value the opportunity for a fresh start? Divine Mercy Sunday emphasizes the concept of second chances, highlighting how God bestows upon us the gift of mercy, allowing for repentance and renewal. Occurring one week after the Resurrection of Christ, which signifies the beginning of a new life, the church serves as a reminder that we, too, can embark on a new journey. The figure of Thomas is presented as an unexpected example of how to embrace this opportunity.

In today’s Gospel reading, we are presented with the well-known account of Thomas, who expresses doubt and requests evidence before he believes. He is a forthright individual who boldly questions the presence of Jesus among them, striving to ensure his perspective is acknowledged among the other disciples.

Indeed, he acted with great bravery, marking the beginning of an unforeseen change in his life. After he fervently and perhaps irrationally voiced his skepticism, Christ did not reject him. He did not disregard him. Instead, Jesus provided Thomas with another chance. He bestowed upon him the precious gift of faith, which Thomas, filled with astonishment and reverence, embraced. Christ extends this same grace to each one of us.

At the most unexpected moments, he will penetrate the barriers of the human heart. He will find us, in our fear and uncertainty, our skepticism and our doubt. He comprehends our reservations, our pains, our vulnerabilities, and frailties. He is acutely aware of the human experience. As Thomas realized, he bears the scars to prove it.

And he wants to give us another opportunity — another chance. That is part of the message of this Sunday. On Divine Mercy Sunday, we embrace the power and beauty of God’s forgiveness. It is the Sunday in which we remind ourselves of God’s tender mercies — when we strive, more than ever, to let Him break through the locked doors of our hearts.

The Beloved Church in which Jesus as the head ones, told to Blessed Francisco Palau during their conversation that, “ I am always before mortal man just like any person before a mirror. He who does not believe in me, although I may be in his presence like an object in front of a mirror, he will see nothing; not believing in me for what I am, he does not love me; he who does not love me or believe in me is a mirror full of impurity, covered with layers of dirty earth, and this dirt prevents my being seen. The one who believes in me sees in it my shadow, my figure, my form, and in his imagination and active understanding he has spiritual eyes to see myself in the figure and form, just as he believes me to be.”

Thomas found that out. He realized that believing entails more than seeing; it takes a leap of faith. The great blessing of his life was that Jesus understood that, for some people, faith is a struggle. Christ didn’t dismiss Thomas or write him off. He did something better. He came back. He gave Thomas another shot, another chance, another opportunity to accept what seemed unacceptable and to believe what was, frankly, unbelievable. And the doubting apostle, stunned into humility, surrendered his doubt and embraced his salvation.

Divine Mercy Sunday presents a chance for us to welcome Jesus into our secluded spaces and seek his intervention to overcome any obstacles preventing his presence in our lives. It serves as a poignant reminder of the profound blessing of our faith — the blessing of renewal. A fresh start. A moment to restore our relationship with God following our mistakes, shortcomings, and transgressions.