Reflection for Second Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy Sunday 2021 Acts 4:32-35: This passage seems to illustrate as much as one can imagine what Heaven on earth would be like. The community of believers, the Church was “of one heart and one mind.” There was holy cooperation and unity; a sign of the Presence of the Holy Spirit. Everyone shared generously and there seems to have been widespread benevolence and working toward the common good. Imagine how such an outlook and manner of living would transform our world, even today! The enthusiastic Apostles in those early days “bore witness to Jesus’ Resurrection with great power.” This suggests they had mighty faith and we know that their preaching was mixed with miraculous works of love, mercy and healing. This Sunday is a celebration of hope in the mercy of God and the furthering of Jesus’ Kingdom that we have still to achieve. Let us proceed from here with confidence in God’s eternal and infinite mercy and love.
Psalm 118: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love is everlasting.” In this exultant psalm, the psalmist celebrates God’s infinite mercy and love that we see so clearly presented in today’s first reading. The writer encourages all to have confidence in and to trust God’s boundless mercy, love and protection after having himself/herself having received uplifting help from the Lord in a previous time of need. Now, the psalmist acknowledges the Lord as the source of his strength and courage in the present. The “stone rejected by the builders that has become the cornerstone” is a foreshadowing of Jesus, Himself. We truly have a lot to celebrate this weekend. The King of Mercy (Jesus) is on His throne.
1 John 5:1-6: In this passage Paul concisely describes unity among believers. Those who love and believe in Jesus as God are begotten of God and those who love and believe in God believe in and love Jesus, too as Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit are one God. Paul stresses that love of God is manifested in obedience to the Commandments. One can see so clearly the Presence of the Holy Spirit among believers who obey. This is the source of the uniformity of belief and cooperation and harmony described in today’s reading from Acts of the Apostles. Let’s all strive to obey the Commandments and make peace.
John 20:19-31: In the beginning of this passage, we see what weak faith or the absence of faith looks like. The Apostles are locked in a room out of fear. They lack understanding and confidence as well as faith. Then Jesus comes and miraculously breathes the Holy Spirit upon them. Jesus anoints and commissions them to preach, teach, heal and govern by the power of the Holy Spirit. They gain confidence and accept their mission vocation. The Church is born.
Finally, today’s Gospel recounts the story of Thomas’ choice not to believe the other Apostles and have faith. Despite this, Jesus miraculously appears to Thomas and heals him of his unbelief. Before healing Thomas, Jesus scolds him for not believing and for his requiring a sign. Jesus then proclaims as blessed, “those who have not seen and have believed.” Now we are given the choice. Will we believe what we’ve been told (the Gospel message) or do we demand a special vision? That vision may or may not come. Regardless of our choice, God’s mercy and Holy Spirit are here; ever present and ever available. Let’s choose to have faith now and avail ourselves of Jesus’ blessing to believers.