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(27th April 2025) Homily for Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)

READ: (Acts 5: 12-16; Rev 1: 9-13, 17-19; Jn 20: 19-31)

REFLECT: Witness God’s mercy, realize the risen Christ’s presence and be blessed by God …

Dear friends, today we commemorate the Divine Mercy Sunday. The Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter, which concludes the Octave of Easter. Divine Mercy Sunday focuses on the gift of mercy and love given through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.

The feast of Divine Mercy has been added into the liturgical calendar in the year 2000. This feast, which had previously been given to Polish nation and been celebrated within Vatican City, was extended to the Universal Church by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the canonization of St Faustina on 30 April 2000. A Polish nun, Saint Faustina Kowalska, is an apostle of the devotion to Divine Mercy. There were series of revelations to her by Jesus asking for a feast day be dedicated to Divine Mercy, and that this feast be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. As the liturgical texts of the Second Sunday of Easter concerns the institution of the Sacrament of Penance, the Tribunal of the Divine Mercy, considered as a fitting day to commemorate it at the request of Jesus.  Later, in a decree dated 23 May 2000, the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that “throughout the world, the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday.”

The Divine Mercy image of Jesus is depicted based on a vision that St. Faustina had in 1931. In the image, Jesus is shown as raising his right hand in blessing, and pointing with his left hand on his chest from which two rays flow forth: one red and another white. The image contains the written words, “Jesus, I trust in You.” The rays that flow out have symbolic meaning: red for the blood of Jesus and pale for the water. The entire image is the symbolic presentation of God’s charity, forgiveness and love for humanity, referred to as the “Fountain of Mercy”. On this day the Divine Mercy Chaplet is recited to reflect and meditate on the divine mercy of God in and through Jesus.

We all know that the mercy of God has been manifested to the world since the time of creation till today. But it is we who failed to obtain the mercy of God that he offers freely and fully. The most important moment of mercy is the time of Peace and the sustenance of belief or faith that we obtain and begin to share the peace of Christ with one another in the world. We all like to live in peace, promote peace. Somehow we find that peace is disturbed like water when it is stirred from the bottom; when we find water to be unclean and dirty, we are unable to see what is at the bottom clearly. That’s the time our peace is shattered and Faith is questioned. The core of human existence which is peace and profession of faith begin to waver and so we begin to lose in God the trust and confidence we placed. If both peace and profession of faith in God is disturbed, we would experience only meaninglessness in life. So let us reflect how the Lord shows his mercy to us in offering us peace that would last forever; Today’s Liturgy of the word opens to us God’s door of mercy to the then disciples and today us his disciples. So based on the liturgical feast of Divine mercy and the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection;

1.     Witnesses of God’s mercy:

God manifested his mercy and compassion through Jesus and his message and words of love and compassion. The message of Christ for us today is ‘Peace be with you.” The peace of Christ is to all the troubled, suffering, hopeless, the defeated, dejected, the rejected, unloved, those without friends and families, those lonely. The peace of Christ to the disciples turned out to be blessings in abundance for the disciples to be witnesses of God’s mercy and grace. The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles we read that there were many signs and wonders done by the apostles. Many people who were with sickness and unclean spirits were brought and they were healed by the apostles through the grace and peace that Christ offered to them. The peace and grace of Christ offered to the apostles after Jesus’ resurrection has given the apostles the power to bear witness to Christ’s mercy and grace.

We find something similar in the gospel reading of the day too, when the disciples remained in the upper room, trembled and fearful, not knowing what to do, hoping for God’s grace, peace and mercy. They perhaps thought to themselves that everything is over now as Jesus is now no more with them. Their hopes were bleak and their faith was at the diminishing point. It was at that time Jesus appears and assures of his presence saying, “I will be with you till the end of days,” by sharing “Peace be with you.” Yes, this was really an amazing experience for apostles. They did not expect such an apparition of Jesus would take place. But we see Jesus sharing and manifesting God’s mercy by the offer of peace. Indeed, the peace of Christ to the disciples was the gift that Jesus gives them to be peaceful in life.

Perhaps, the disciples might have been in shame to see Jesus face to face because of their failure in not being with Jesus in terrible and tragic hour of his suffering and pain, but Jesus offers them a joyful message of peace. That’s what Pope Francis very aptly says, “Christ did not reproach them for what they had done, but showed them his usual kindness. And this revives them, fills their hearts with the peace they had lost, and makes them new persons, purified by a forgiveness that is utterly unmerited.” Yes, Jesus does not reproach us for our faults and failures but gives us peace and joy, so that we may turn to him and obtain the peace he offers freely and lovingly.

Today, Jesus tells each one of us “peace be with you” and assures of his presence with us. The loss of peace within us is because of our unprepared disposition to listen to the voice of Christ or receive his message in our lives or unwanted fears and suspicion that haunt us not to come closer to God. Let us be sure that the one who listens to the voice of Jesus receives the peace of Christ for oneself and it elicits in return the vigor and enthusiasm to share the peace of Christ with one another. So let us dispose ourselves to receive the peace that Christ offers us as Easter gift and bear witness to Christ’s mercy and peace in our lives.

2.     Realize the presence of Christ:

Realizing the presence of Christ is the gift of God, because both at the time of annunciation we received the good news that Jesus is Immanuel and before Jesus could ascend to his heavenly Father, Jesus declares that he would be with us till end of the age. We are yet given another opportunity to recall God’s word and realize the presence of God to grow in faith.  The significance of God’s divine presence and Christian life of peace and joy do not remain or end with oneself. It always passes on to others and creates a lasting impact. It is not merely enough that we are satisfied with the reception of Easter peace from Christ with ourselves rather we are called to share the “Peace of Christ,” with others.

That’s what we see in the second reading from the book of revelation. John shares that he participates in the suffering and hardship of Jesus, as Jesus established the kingdom of God. In a vision like a Son of God, John experiences the inner voice of God and the message he gets is to realize the presence of God without any fear and believe in Christ’s all pervading presence. Moreover, he receives the message that death has no power over Christ in any way. That’s what we see in the second reading, “Fear not, I am the first and last, the living one.” These words reveal that Jesus exists forever and death has no control over Christ’s life; Jesus has authority over us all and death even. It is an invitation for us to realize the presence of God in us and Jesus’ full authority and power over us and death, the fate of human life.

In fact, another form of Christ’s expression of God’s presence we find in and through the spirit of God that Jesus offers us in the Gospel. In today’s gospel, Jesus says, “receive my spirit, if you forgive sins of others it will be forgiven, if you retain it will be retained.” Yes, the parting gift of Christ to each one of us is the offer of forgiveness and the ever flowing streams of mercy. The Risen Christ forgives the disciples for their indifference at the time of his suffering, passion and death and offers mercy as a sign of forgiveness. What is quite striking from Jesus is the power of the Holy Spirit that he gives to the disciples to forgive the sins of others. The offer of mercy and forgiveness is delegated to be offered to people who sinned and were the cause of Jesus’ crucifixion and death.

We see here Jesus comes down to us with humility and offers us mercy and forgiveness. As a result, the disciples not only become the beneficiaries of Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness rather they are called to be beneficiaries of Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness to others. So it is not sufficient to be beneficiaries of God’s peace and love but rather become benefactors for others to give and share the peace and joy of Christ with one another. The benefit of all great benefits that we have received from Jesus freely must be shared with others freely as well, so that the benefit of God bears fruit in our lives and becomes a fitting response to God of mercy, who has shown his unconditional mercy. So realizing the presence of the risen Lord and responding to the spirit of God to forgive one another would make us to share the mercy of God to our brothers and sisters in our world. Let this day be a starting point to show the mercy of God to one another in our families, neighborhood and all those to whom we associate in life. Let us realize t he presence of risen Christ without fear and extend God’s forgiveness to people around. So that it becomes strong move to share the mercy and peace of Christ with others.

3.     Believe in Jesus and be blessed:

The resurrection of Jesus will have no meaning to us, if we don’t believe. Belief in the mysteries and the mysterious ways of God in faith is the only way of living and strengthening Christian life. We may not have answers for all the questions that our heart desires or seeks but believing shall be the ultimate response from us. We see that in today’s Gospel that Thomas does not believe in Jesus. Although Jesus had said that he would undergo terrible suffering, death and on the third day, he will rise again. We find Thomas at surface level with an unbelieving heart and eyes although Thomas said when Jesus wished to go to Bethany to raise Lazarus from death, “Lets also go with Jesus that we may die with him (Jn 11:16). Today we need to believe in the resurrection of the Lord, to rise ourselves to great height of life, wherein, there will be no tears and sadness, sorrow and sin.

But what sort of belief in God do we need to have. Even if we cannot see God or his works of manifestation, we need to believe. We hear in the gospel of John that Peter went in and saw the empty tomb but the beloved disciple went in and believed. Today we are not witnessing an empty tomb rather a tomb full of blessings that Jesus has left behind for all of us to live in peace and harmony. That’s why we hear Jesus saying to Thomas, you believe because you have seen me, happy are those who believe do not see.

Today, many of us have not seen Jesus face to face that he has risen from the dead, but we believe even without seeing that Jesus has risen to rise us from death of sin to life of grace. This is the faith that Jesus asks of us on this day. What makes us blessed is our belief in Jesus although we cannot or not able to see Jesus. Perhaps, When Jesus appeared to the disciples, Thomas was not there, but Jesus again appears when Thomas was present. The apparition of Jesus at the time of Thomas could be considered an act of mercy and compassion to Thomas himself. Perhaps, it might have been a failure on the part of Thomas to disbelieve that Jesus had risen and appeared to disciples when Thomas was absent. But Jesus reappears, strengthens his belief in Jesus and shows the compassionate face of the Father, so that Thomas might manifest the same in his call to discipleship of mercy and forgiveness to others.

Pope Francis very beautifully says that every believer can relate to Thomas’ story and disbelief. Jesus comes to us too with “heartwarming signs of His mercy” and comforts us “by offering His wounds. Jesus does not treat Thomas with harshness, and the apostle is deeply moved by this kindness. From a disbeliever, he becomes a believer, and makes the simplest and finest confession of faith: ‘My Lord and my God!”

Yes, the nature of Jesus is mercy and compassion even when he was disregarded, disrespected, dissuaded and disbelieved by people. Let us not take the mercy and compassion of God for granted rather be grateful for God’s mercies and be sharers of peace and mercy to all. May the risen Lord bless our mortal bodies to be immortal by his divine grace. May the risen Lord bless our sinful soul to be graceful with his divine fire. May the risen Lord bless our minds to understand the mystery of faith. May the risen Lord take complete possession of our hearts that seek him always. May the risen Lord make us disciples of mercy and compassion to one another.

RESPOND:

Do we witness ourselves in faith to receive the peace of Christ and manifest God’s mercy to others?

Do we realize the peace and presence of Christ within oneself and share the treasure of Christ’s peace and presence with one another?

Do we believe in Jesus because he manifests in person or do we believe in the mysterious ways of mysteries of faith?

Let us be witnesses of God’s mercy, share the presence of the risen Lord with others, believe in Jesus’ resurrection and be blessed among all. Amen.

God bless us all…Live Jesus!