April 12, 2026 - 2nd Sunday of Easter

In this week's homily, Fr. Rob challenges listeners to reconsider the familiar story of "Doubting Thomas." While many of us have felt a sense of pride hearing Jesus say, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe," Fr. Rob suggests we've missed the point. The truth? We're all like Thomas. Every time we've bargained with God—"Lord, if you get me through this, I will..."—we've put Christ to the test just as Thomas did. But here's the good news: Jesus came into the world precisely for people like Thomas, like you, like me. He harbored no illusions about our perfection; He knew our faith would waver and our sins would repeat. The glory of the empty tomb, celebrated throughout the Easter season, reminds us that God's love isn't reserved for the holiest or most perfect among us—it's already ours. While this isn't permission to remain stagnant, it frees us from the exhausting belief that we must earn God's love. Instead, our gratitude calls us to become people of love, generosity, and mercy.

Episode 20 of the Blessed Sacrament Parish Community Homilies podcast, hosted by Fr. Rob Howe, titled "April 12, 2026 - 2nd Sunday of Easter" was published on April 13, 2026 and runs 6 minutes.

April 13, 2026 ·6m · Blessed Sacrament Parish Community Homilies

Summary

In this week's homily, Fr. Rob challenges listeners to reconsider the familiar story of "Doubting Thomas." While many of us have felt a sense of pride hearing Jesus say, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe," Fr. Rob suggests we've missed the point. The truth? We're all like Thomas. Every time we've bargained with God—"Lord, if you get me through this, I will..."—we've put Christ to the test just as Thomas did. But here's the good news: Jesus came into the world precisely for people like Thomas, like you, like me. He harbored no illusions about our perfection; He knew our faith would waver and our sins would repeat. The glory of the empty tomb, celebrated throughout the Easter season, reminds us that God's love isn't reserved for the holiest or most perfect among us—it's already ours. While this isn't permission to remain stagnant, it frees us from the exhausting belief that we must earn God's love. Instead, our gratitude calls us to become people of love, generosity, and mercy.

Episode Description