Divine Mercy Sunday

04-12-2020Weekly Reflection

The Gospel today has two parts: the apparition of Jesus on the first evening of Easter Sunday, also found in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke with slight variations. The second appearance happened a week later proper only in the Gospel of John. “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (Jn. 20:29) These words are not only intended for the listeners of John but also for us today, who may not believe the testimony of the first witnesses (Disciples), because we have not seen it ourselves.

The disciples received the “Spirit of forgiveness” when Jesus breathed on them, v. 22 “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Like in creation, God breathed on man to give him life. This action means something spiritual happened, the effect of receiving Jesus’ Spirit was immediately obvious, a new found courage and zeal, His disciples possessed, eliminated all their fears. But the greatest effect of conferring His Spirit was His Divine Mercy. Jesus betrayed by Judas and abandoned by His disciples still showed His Divine Mercy to them. Giving them new life, commissioned them to extend His Mercy to others, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, who sins you retain are retained.” (Jn. 20:23)

The giving of the Spirit and the commissioning to extend mercy to others form part of the redemptive action of the Father through His Son. His mercy gives life, because the Spirit is life. God through His spirit raised Jesus to life, while sin causes death. Where life is celebrated, forgiveness of sins abounds. That is why in the Mass we pray: Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. (2X) Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, Grant us peace. By His death, Jesus destroyed death, but by His resurrection, He restored Life. Mercy is about the Heart of Jesus giving us unconditional love. In the Gospel, there are two wounded hearts. Thomas absent in the first appearance of Jesus was skeptical of his brothers’ story, unless he sees for himself the nail marks on Jesus hands and feet, and the wound on His speared side. In His 2nd appearance, He spoke of His wounded Heart, a heart full of love and compassion inviting Thomas to be healed of his unbelief. Jesus’ wounded Heart healed the moment Thomas believed, at same time healing Thomas’ wounded heart in the process.

When Jesus was crucified, His heart was wounded together with the wounded heart of humanity, whom He intended to save. The wounded heart of humanity was healed by uniting to the wounded Heart of Jesus, the healing Divine Mercy Heart. “Eternal Father I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world… For the sake of His sorrowful passion, Have MERCY on us and on the whole world.” JESUS, I trust in You. The heart of humanity and the Heart of Jesus was wounded in His passion, like Jesus the Wounded Healer, we are invited to become wounded healers ourselves, through His Divine Mercy.