HOMILY OF THE 2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER (DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY)

HOMILY OF THE 2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER (DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY) — YEAR C

HOMILY THEME: THE MERCY OF GOD BRINGS US PEACE AND JOY

BY: Fr. Celestine Muonwe

Acts 5:12-16, Rev. 1:9-13, 17-19, John 20:1-9

Today is the Sunday of Divine Mercy, which was proclaimed by St. John Paul II in 2000, at the Canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska from Poland. The message of mercy is in fact, at the heart of the Church’s Easter message of resurrection. The gift of Christ’s death and resurrection is the promise of our future resurrection and hope of victory over evil, death and the devil in this life. Hence, a great act of God’s merciful love for us all. This is why the Pope considered this second Sunday of Easter for this all-important feast of Divine Mercy.

The first reading describes a period of significant spiritual and numerical growth within the early Church in Jerusalem. This growth was brought about by the preaching, miracles of healing, and signs and wonders wrought by the apostles in the course of the Gospel. These miracles were a manifestation of the active presence of the Holy Spirit that anointed Christ for the ministry of bringing the good news to the poor.

Having received the Holy Spirit therefore, the disciples become active agents in the work of evangelisation. The healing of the apostles is also a message of Easter, the message that Christ’s victory also secures for man liberation from the forces of evil, and all that deforms the image of God in the human person created in the image and likeness of God.

In the second reading, St. John tells us the story surrounding the commencement of the Book of Revelation. It all started with his preaching the word of God and bearing testimony to Jesus, in the course of which he was exiled to the Island prison of Patmos. The book was written in 94/95 AD. John would have been in his 90’s then, yet God was not yet done with using him for the work of evangelisation.

According to John, having been lifted up in the Spirit on a Sunday, he sees the revelation of the the glorified Christ, who tells him not to be afraid, while introducing himself as the Alpha and the Omega, and the living one, and asks him to write down what he has seen. The revelation of Jesus tells us of His sovereignty and power over all creation, as well as the assurance of His ever abiding presence and mercy towards those who are persecuted for the sake of His holy name.

In the Gospel, the disciples, out of fear of the Jews, shut themselves up in the room where they were staying. But why were they afraid for their lives? What wrongs have they done in order to warrant such fears? They felt disappointed by the Lord; they had thought of Jesus as the prophet who would come and deliver them from the Romans, and make Isreal a great nation. They were disappointed and fearful that those who killed Jesus could also seal their own fate. They felt guilty for their inability to stay by Jesus; they all abandoned Him in the garden, one of them sold Him to the Jews, while the other denied Him for three good times.

In the midst of these fears the risen Lord suddenly appears in their midst and greets them with a message of peace, for two consecutive times: “peace be with you.” They would have expected to get some cautions from the Lord for their infidelity and acts of betrayal, but in His mercy, the Lord forgave them, He offered them peace instead.

How often do we forgive and hence, give peace and show mercy to those whom we believe are undeserving of peace? The disciples were filled with joy and gladness. They could not believe the bountiful love and mercy of God. Christianity is a religion of peace and mercy, which is the foundation of all joy and happiness.

Jesus is our joy and gladness, how sad it is seeing Christians living in hopelessness, gloom and sadness. It is sin that creates fear in us, sin keeps us away from internal peace of soul. When Adam sinned, he lost this peace, and was ashamed to meet His creator, because He was naked, he had lost all peace that is borne out of love for God and neighbour.

The message of Jesus is that of love, divine forgiveness and mercy. Jesus did not seek to reprimand the apostles for their past mistakes, their denials and their lack of trust in His words. He further, out of compassion for their poor faith, showed them the wounds of His hands and sacred side. Jesus offers the apostles a higher form of peace, the peace of the reconciliation He has achieved between God and man. It is this peace, that he achieved through the victory of Cross.

The cross is the victory of Christ and His glory, just as the trophy one wins on a day of contest. It is these sacred wounds, the marks of His victory that He showed His loved ones. It is this peace achieved at the great cost of His most Precious Blood, that He commissioned His disciples to preach to all nations, the forgiveness of sins and the mercy of God: “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” The disciples are to spread the message of the cross, the message of the love and mercy of God.

Jesus breathed on them, and thus begins a new creation in them, the old creation when God breathed on Adam, making him a living being, has been wounded by sin. Jesus now gives the apostles the breath of a new life, the breath of hope, the new life in His blood, the new covenant with God, sealed in the Blood of Christ, without blemish. In this encounter also, He gives His disciples His own promised gift from the Father, the Holy Spirit, who will lead them to all truths, with the power to forgive sins and retain them as well.

The gift of the sacrament of reconciliation is a great manifestation of divine mercy and love. Do we often avail ourselves of this sacrament? What peace comes into the soul when one feels the forgiveness of God after confessions! There is relief borne out of gratitude on the greatness of divine mercy.

The second story in this pericope is the unbelief of Thomas, one of the twelve, who for unknown reasons was absent at the first appearance of the Lord. He is guilty of a serious act of unbelief; his offence is more serious than the usual note that is usually ascribed to him as simply in doubt. He was resolute in negating this truth. Jesus further showed the enormity of His love and mercy towards him when He appeared again after eight days, and showed Thomas His wounds and let Him touch His side.

This act of mercy by Our Lord, further deepened the love and commitment of Thomas, who exclaimed: “My Lord and My God;” one of the deepest attestations to the divinity of our Lord. The humble servant Master did not rebuke Thomas for his hardness of heart, but He chose the path of servitude, the path of peace, the path of mercy. And then the Lord admonished him, that great blessedness is for those who have never seen, but yet believe.

FOR A SIMILAR HOMILY, CLICK HERE >>>>>

Dear friends in Christ, We have been sustained by your Charity for the past 11years. Here we are saddled with annual bills. Please, be kind to us with your donation. Click on the “Donate” button to get started. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!