2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER - HOMILY / DIVINE MERCY

2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER – HOMILY / DIVINE MERCY

THEME: ECLIPSE OF MERCY

BY: Fr Andrew Ekpenyong, at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, Omaha, USA.

7th April 2024, 2nd Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, Year B.

1. Eclipse Joke. Of course, tomorrow, Monday, 8th April 2024, a total eclipse of the sun will cross North America, passing over Mexico, United States, and Canada. Mr Smith had a funny way of explaining solar eclipse to his two kids: “You know how I sometimes ask your mom not to block the TV? It’s like that with the sun and the moon during solar eclipse. The moon blocks the sun the way your mom blocks the TV. The only difference is that I can’t ask the moon to stop it”. “Eclipse” comes from the Greek noun “ekleipsis”, whose verb is “ekleipein,” consisting of “ek” (from) and “leipein” (to leave). Hence, eclipse means “to fail to appear” or “to abandon an accustomed place.” Applying this etymology to the Gospel reading today (John 20:19-31), we see that Thomas abandoned an accustomed place and missed a crucial appearance of our Risen Lord, an appearance during which the Sacrament of Reconciliation was instituted. Of course, our merciful Lord appeared again to help doubting Thomas. More generally for all of us, today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Like the sun, God’s mercy, which is always there, always shining, can in fact be blocked, the way the moon blocks the sun during solar eclipse. Fortunately for us, just like Mr Smith, we have some control over whatever blocks Divine Mercy for us. Can it be another human being blocking it? Can it be a habit we do not wish to relinquish? Can it be our attachment to possessions? Whatever is blocking Divine Mercy for us, can be unblocked. It was to end the eclipse of Divine Mercy for many, that Divine Mercy Sunday was established. On the 30th of April 2000, on the 2nd Sunday of Easter, Pope St. John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist in St Peter’s Square and proceeded to the canonization of Blessed Sr Faustina. “The Lord of Divine Mercy,” a drawing of our Lord based on the vision St. Faustina had, shows our Lord raising his right hand in a gesture of blessing, with his left hand on his heart from which gush forth two rays, one red and one white. The picture contains the message, “Jesus, I trust in You!”;

“Jezu ufam Tobie!”, in Polish. The rays streaming out are symbolic: red for the blood of Jesus, which is the life of souls and white for the water of Baptism which justifies souls. The image symbolizes Divine Mercy.
2. Human acts of mercy. The 1st reading (Acts 4:32-35) tells us how the early Church was united in heart and mind because of the acts of mercy, the sacrificial love practiced by the early Christians, people who had received Divine mercy. They expressed their love by sharing what they had with everyone in need. The effects were almost heavenly: “There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.” This was capitalism at its finest, for those who owned capital, shared with others so that no one was in need. Wow. Private ownership of property is a defining feature of capitalism. Right now, there is enough resources for all but controlled by a few. The moment we share, capitalism gets a fine moment. What is lacking is the sacrificial love that leads to sharing.
3. Receiving Divine Mercy. Today’s Gospel reading (John 20:19-31) describes how Jesus entrusted to the apostles His mission of preaching the “Good News” of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and salvation. In one of his homilies on the passage, St John Paul II wrote: “The Evangelist John makes us share in the emotion felt by the Apostles in their meeting with Christ after His Resurrection. Our attention focuses on the gesture of the Master, who transmits to the fearful, astounded disciples the mission of being ministers of Divine Mercy. He shows them His hands and His side, which bear the marks of the Passion, and tells them: “As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you” Jn 20:21). Immediately afterwards, “He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’ ” (Jn 20:22-23). Jesus entrusted to them the gift of “forgiving sins,” a gift that flows from the wounds in His hands, His feet, and especially from His pierced side. From there a wave of mercy is poured out over all humanity.” Dear Sisters and Brothers, as we celebrate what God does to save us, Divine Mercy, let us become ministers of mercy to one another by sharing our resources with the needy. Let us forgive those who have offended us, in gratitude to our Risen Lord who forgives us. And to His Eternal Father, we pray: “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world”.

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