APRIL 19, 2020
ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASS
Today is the Second Sunday of Easter, the Sunday within the Octave of Easter. An Octave is a period of eight days that extends a liturgical feast beyond a 24 hour day. At one time, the Church recognized nearly 20 particular feast days with octaves. In our current calendar, there are only two: The octaves of Christmas and Easter.
So, in case you missed it, this whole last week was all Easter all the time.
Today is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. This designation is of a more recent origin - dating from the 1930s. Where according to the visions of Saint Faustina Kowalska, Jesus appeared to her and told her to write things down. Part of her visions was that Jesus wanted to create a devotion to make people more aware of His great mercy.
Pope Saint John Paul II promoted this feast and extended it to the entire Church. And five years ago Pope Francis announced an Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy
“as a moment for the entire Church to spread the word of God’s forgiveness.”This is all very appropriate. After all, we spent the last 40 days of Lent praying “Parce Domini” - which is Latin for “Spare us O Lord.” Throughout Lent, we prayed Psalm 51, “Have mercy on me God in your kindness.” And within our daily liturgy, the cry of “Kyrie eleison,” Greek for “Lord have mercy” resounds. And so, now that we have completed Lent ... what do we do with all that mercy?
Today’s readings present us with three images of mercy.
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles shows the early Church living out the Love of God as a united community. Sadly, over her two thousand year history, not only has the Church suffered merciless persecutions; she has also been rent by schism and heresy. And even within the Church there are too many divisions.
Yet mercy calls us to unity - not to division. Let us pray that we may be, like the early disciples “of one heart and [one] mind” in living the Gospel and showing forth the one mercy of the one true God.
The second reading from the First Letter of Saint Peter, speaks of our relationship with Christ and our divine “inheritance … in heaven.”
Indeed, we received “great mercy [that] gave us new birth to a living hope” through “the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” If we exercise the Baptismal graces of Faith, Hope, and Love this mercy will manifest itself in our daily lives
St. Peter speaks of the “indescribable and glorious joy” that is ours as we “attain the goal of [our] faith, the salvation of [our] souls.”
Mercy, then, calls us to persevere in our relationship with God in Christ as we live out our baptismal call.
Finally, we hear in the Gospel, the familiar story of doubting Thomas. Jesus shows up in the midst of the disciples. And what does he say? “Hey! Where were you guys? Why did you all ran away?”
Nope. He doesn’t say that.
Does he call out Peter for denying Him during His passion?
Nope. He doesn’t mention that.
Rather, Our Lord says: “Peace be with you.”
And He gives the Apostles the power to bind and loose sins through the Holy Spirit. The same power that is held in the Sacrament of Reconciliation ... Penance ... Confession.
After Jesus’s appearance, Thomas shows up and won’t believe anything the other Apostles say. And then 8 days later - what would be a week after Easter ... that is, today ... Jesus appears again. And this time, Thomas is there.
Does He criticize Thomas for being stubborn and unbelieving?
Nope. He doesn’t.
He says, “Peace be with you.”
And then, gives Thomas what he asked for - presenting His hands and His side so that Thomas can move from unbelief to belief.
The mercy of God, shown forth in the Person of Jesus Christ, moves us deeper into Faith, and brings us God’s peace.
Not condemnation. Not judgment. Not punishment.
As we continue in the sacred liturgy, offering to God the Father the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit; let us pray that God’s mercy will act in us and through us. So that we might (i) manifest the fruits of mercy in our lives through unity with His Church ... (ii) as we show His mercy to the world, through salvation in God and Christ Jesus, as we experience His mercy by living out the Gospel in Faith, Hope, and Love; and (iii) through the peace of God - “which surpasses all understanding” - as we encounter God’s mercy in the Person of Jesus Christ in both Word and Sacrament.
