Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)

Thomas is not the villain: Thomas is the most honest person in the room. He refuses to fake a faith he does not have, and Jesus honors that honesty by coming back with evidence. Preach Thomas as the patron of honest doubt, not as a cautionary tale. The Church needs more Thomases, not fewer.

The four devotions of Acts 2: Teaching, communal life, breaking of bread, prayers. That is the blueprint for both the parish and the domestic church. Ask the parish: which of the four is strongest in your household, and which is weakest?

Divine Mercy as encounter, not concept: The mercy of God is not a theological abstraction. It is a person who walks through a locked door, offers his wounds, and says peace be with you. Preach the mercy as personal encounter, especially for anyone in the pews who has been away from Confession and needs to hear that the door is open.

Blessed are those who have not seen: Peter's audience and your audience are the same - people who have not seen the Risen Christ with their eyes but who love him and believe in him and rejoice with indescribable joy. Honor that faith. It is more precious than gold.