Quasimodo, as newborn children. Second Sunday of Easter (A)

On Easter Day, we read in the Gospel how Peter and John ran to the empty tomb. John went in, saw and believed. Today's Gospel brings us to another moment of faith: the episode of Thomas. Thomas insists on having evidence before believing: «If I don't see in his hands the sign of the nails, if I don't put my finger in the nail hole and I don't put my hand in his side, I don't believe it.». That «I don't think so» sounds a lot like what an adult would say: measured, cautious, demanding of evidence.

This reminds us of a surprising literary connection. Victor Hugo introduces us to the famous character Quasimodo in his book Notre-Dame de Paris. Most people know him as the hunchbacked bell ringer of the cathedral, but perhaps not the origin of his name. He received that name from the entrance antiphon of such a Sunday, because he was found and baptized on this day. His name comes from the first two words of the entrance antiphon of today's Mass in Latin, which begins with: «Quasi modo géniti infántes».», «like newborn children». The author even suggests another level of meaning: quasi modo may sound as almost formed or somehow incomplete, which evokes Quasimodo's physical deformities.

The entire antiphon speaks of the newly baptized as newborn children who desire pure spiritual milk, so that they may grow toward salvation. Spiritually, we are invited to become children again - not infants, but as children: open, trusting, receptive. To believe not only by calculation and trial, but with the humble trust of a child who trusts the one who speaks to him. Being newborn in faith also shapes our way of believing. We are invited to go beyond Thomas' demand for proof in all circumstances. Jesus says to him: «Because you have seen me you have believed? Blessed are those who believe without having seen». 

This Sunday is also known as Sunday in albis, The Church has treated them as white, that is, in white, because those baptized at Easter take off their white vestments today, after eight days of wearing them. The Church has treated them as «newborn in the faith».», learning little by little to walk in this new life. And today is also Divine Mercy Sunday. God's mercy not only forgives, it recreates us, it makes us new.

The risen Jesus approaches his disciples and greets them saying: «Peace to you.». Then he blows on them and says: «Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins ye forgive, they are forgiven them; whose sins ye retain, they are retained.». At this moment, Christ entrusts to the Church the sacrament of mercy. Through the sacrament of reconciliation, God's mercy touches us personally and makes us new again. Every confession is, in a real sense, a new birth. We come out of it quasi modo géniti infántes, like newborn children.

Today, the Church gently reminds us to let ourselves be made new, to let God's mercy remake us, to become, once again, like newborn children: ready to believe, ready to let ourselves be embraced by God's mercy, ready to live the life of the risen Christ.