" Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed." {
-St John xx..
First Fruits; A Series of Meditations
By: Sister Mary Philip
Imprimatur 1918
I. "Jesus stood in the midst of them and saith to them : Peace be to you, it is I, fear not." Peace is the great treasure Our Lord desires to give us. At the Last Supper He had said: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid " (St John xv.). And now we picture Him in His glorious, risen Life, come to bring this same gift of peace to His disciples, and not to them only, but to all—to me! Our Lord's peace is true peace, founded on distrust of self and boundless confidence in Him. Whatever my troubles, temptations, and trials may be, I can always count on Him. He will give me peace and say to me, "Let not your heart be troubled." "It is I, fear not!"
II. St Thomas was not present at this apparition on Easter Sunday evening. When he came in he was greeted with the words, "We have seen the Lord!" He would not believe, " Unless I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into
the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." How often in the past have I imitated the incredulity and distrust of St. Thomas, and how deeply has my want of trust wounded the heart of my Lord! I have wished, how often, to lay down conditions to God. By my conduct, if not by my words, I have said to Him, " Unless I see the result of my prayers, unless I get help in the exact way I want it, I will not believe!" I will kneel before Him now and ask His pardon for my want of faith, and say to Him sincerely and from the depths of my heart: "Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee."
III. After eight days Our Lord came and, with the utmost compassion, condescended to the weakness of St Thomas. "Put in thy finger hither, and see My hands . . . and be not faithless but believing." What could St Thomas do but fall on his knees, exclaiming, "My Lord and my God!" Then came Our Lord's gentle rebuke: "Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed : blessed are they that have not seen and have believed." Here is my comfort, for I have to live by faith. I have not seen, and yet, O Lord, Thou knowest that I believe in Thee. "Thy wounds, as Thomas saw, I do not see, Yet Thee confess my Lord and God to be; Make me believe Thee, ever more and more. In Thee my hope, in Thee my love to store."
By: Sister Mary Philip
Imprimatur 1918
I. "Jesus stood in the midst of them and saith to them : Peace be to you, it is I, fear not." Peace is the great treasure Our Lord desires to give us. At the Last Supper He had said: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid " (St John xv.). And now we picture Him in His glorious, risen Life, come to bring this same gift of peace to His disciples, and not to them only, but to all—to me! Our Lord's peace is true peace, founded on distrust of self and boundless confidence in Him. Whatever my troubles, temptations, and trials may be, I can always count on Him. He will give me peace and say to me, "Let not your heart be troubled." "It is I, fear not!"
II. St Thomas was not present at this apparition on Easter Sunday evening. When he came in he was greeted with the words, "We have seen the Lord!" He would not believe, " Unless I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into
the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." How often in the past have I imitated the incredulity and distrust of St. Thomas, and how deeply has my want of trust wounded the heart of my Lord! I have wished, how often, to lay down conditions to God. By my conduct, if not by my words, I have said to Him, " Unless I see the result of my prayers, unless I get help in the exact way I want it, I will not believe!" I will kneel before Him now and ask His pardon for my want of faith, and say to Him sincerely and from the depths of my heart: "Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee."
III. After eight days Our Lord came and, with the utmost compassion, condescended to the weakness of St Thomas. "Put in thy finger hither, and see My hands . . . and be not faithless but believing." What could St Thomas do but fall on his knees, exclaiming, "My Lord and my God!" Then came Our Lord's gentle rebuke: "Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed : blessed are they that have not seen and have believed." Here is my comfort, for I have to live by faith. I have not seen, and yet, O Lord, Thou knowest that I believe in Thee. "Thy wounds, as Thomas saw, I do not see, Yet Thee confess my Lord and God to be; Make me believe Thee, ever more and more. In Thee my hope, in Thee my love to store."
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