Brothers and Sisters,

 

Last Sunday we celebrated Easter. We remembered and reflected on how Easter changed and transformed the disciples of Jesus. Changed by the Easter event, the first believers maintained a healthy unity and harmony among themselves despite differences. The first reading of today’s mass from the Acts of the Apostles says, “the community of believers was of one mind and one heart.” “All who believed were held together and had all things in common” and shared their possessions “according to each one’s need.”  

 

In our second reading today, Peter tells us that the Love of God has made us his children, reborn through his mercy and loving kindness. This is the gift of Easter. To help us with this radical change that Easter calls forth, we are also gifted with the Holy Spirit…this too is the gift of Easter. The spirit helps us to grow beyond doubt into personal faith, as we see in the case of Thomas in the Gospel reading of today (John 20:19-31). Thomas stands out in today’s Gospel as a source of encouragement for all believers. As a questioning person, Thomas moved from skepticism and disbelief to a firm and committed faith.

 

Today is also Mercy Sunday. Our Scriptures are full of the revelations of the mercy of our God. The responsorial Psalm of today (Psalm 118) is an all-embracing, universal, missionary Psalm inviting all people to thank God and proclaim His steadfast love and mercy. The Psalmist calls all people of God, even all the gentiles to praise and proclaim God’s enduring love and mercy.

 

It was mercy that Jesus revealed when he met Mathew the tax collector, Zacchaeus the wealthy man on the tree, the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, the woman caught in adultery and many others as he made his way through Galilee and surroundings.  It was mercy that he cried out when he said from the cross, “Father forgive them.”  It was in mercy that Jesus came to Peter after peter had denied him three times. It was in mercy that Jesus came to Thomas and asked to “Put your finger here; see my hands…. stop doubting and believe,” after he refused to believe in the resurrection of Jesus. It was mercy that brought Jesus to the frightened men behind closed door to proclaim, “Peace be with you” as we read in today’s Gospel.

 

The Gospel according to Luke tells us the story of four friends bringing  their paralyzed friend to see Jesus so he could be healed (Luke 5:17-26). They tried to bring him to Jesus but could not reach him because of the crowd. So went up to the roof and let him down in front of Jesus through the tiles. Jesus healed the man. What an amazing act of mercy! The many acts of kindness from bringing the paralyzed man to Jesus, going up the roof, lowering the mat, facing the crowd – all of these acts of kindness made healing possible.

 

To read more of this Sunday’s reflection, please click on the links below….