HOMILY OF DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY — YEAR C
HOMILY OF DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY — YEAR C
HOMILY THEME: MY LORD AND MY GOD!
BY: Fr. Casmir Nkamuke
Acts 5:12-16, Rev. 1:9-13, 17-19, John 20:1-9
Today marks the end of the Octave of Easter. It is also traditionally referred to as Divine Mercy Sunday, a Sunday set aside to celebrate the infinite mercy of God. The readings of today show us the power of the risen Lord and its effect in the lives of Christians.
In the first reading, the activities of the early Christians are explained. The believers became one in heart and soul. Consequently, the physical and spiritual welfare of each was catered for. Accepting Jesus as Lord and testifying to the resurrection power for Christians means that each acknowledges the other as one family. In the second reading, Christ assures us through his revelation to John, that the power of his resurrection extinguishes fear and inspires perseverance amidst the uncertainties and challenges we face in life.
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In the Gospel reading, Jesus appears to his disciples on two different occasions. He breathes his Holy Spirit on his followers. Thomas doubted that Jesus, who was pierced, crucified, and buried, could rise again. To be convinced, he requested to see the signs of the suffering Jesus. Jesus grants him his request, and his doubts. He also assures us whose faith does not lie in what we perceive of his blessings.
Beloved in the Lord, there is this new trend of Christian faith that yearns to see a Jesus with his power and glory. What is, however, lacking in this eagerness to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and God is the fact that many do not want to identify Jesus through his suffering and death. As a result, the preaching of endurance, perseverance, and fidelity, which made the early Christians one in heart and soul in spite of persecution and torments, is relegated to the background.
This is not just a serious problem but is also a threat to authentic Christian faith. It is impossible to separate Jesus from his passion and death. It is foolery to long for a Jesus that rose on Easter Sunday without acknowledging his passion and death on Good Friday. The story of the resurrection is inconclusive without the story of the passion and death of Jesus.
If we must accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour, it must be the Jesus who died and rose. The sign of the Cross is our sign of victory. It is a sign that tells us that pains and torments cannot separate us from the love of God. Any worship of God that brackets endurance, fidelity, and perseverance is idolatry.
Like Thomas, we are called to see the hand of God in all moments of our lives, especially in challenging times. He is our Lord and God, not because he has made all our pains and sorrows to disappear, but because he has assured us that these challenges cannot separate us from his love for us. As true believers may our trials and tribulations inspire us to faith, hope, and perseverance. May Christ our Lord and God help us to remain steadfast in faith amidst the turbulence of life.
Happy Easter!
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