Photo was taken yesterday at Bealnamorrive Church, Aghinagh Parish, Co.Cork (Irl)

Many churches add plenty colour to their churches at Easter with lots of flowers and some go the extra step by putting together an Easter garden. This one in our photo was put together by Nora Casey.

Thought on Sunday – May – 01/05/2011

The following reflection is by Triona Doherty called ‘Seeing Is Believing’

‘I’ll believe that when I see it’ is a common reaction to any sort of positive suggestion these days. It was the default response to the promises made by all the candidates in the run-up to our general election earlier this year. Reform our health system? Reduce the dole queues? Cut politicians expenses and pensions? We’ll believe it when we see it! We don’t take anyone’s word for it anymore.

Thomas certainly wasn’t willing to take the word of the other disciples when they said they had seen Jesus. He was understandably sceptical, as one tends to be when everything they had placed their hope in has been swept away. Unless he can see and touch his wounds, he will not believe that Jesus has made good on his promises to return. ‘Unless I see – I refuse to believe,’ states our doubting Thomas. I’ll believe it when I see it.

We know what it’s like to have lost faith. Like Thomas, our trust has been shaken; like the disciples huddled in the room, we are in fear. We have lost faith in our political system, and many of us have also lost faith in our church. We are all at sea, afraid of what the future will bring. Jesus greets his disciples with the simple blessing: ‘Peace be with you’. In their fear and despair, he came and stood among them. May our troubled hearts know the peace and joy of encountering the risen Christ.