Breaking Open the Word
April 12 - Divine Mercy
Introduction
Today is Sunday, April 12th. It is the Second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday
Our Responsorial Psalm for today reads - “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.” In many ways this sums up the beauty and the power of the Lord’s goodness and love. Our God, in His infinite goodness, and His unquenchable love for us, is incarnate and takes on human flesh, lives among us, is crucified, dies and is resurrected. His love, compassion and mercy does not die with him. Rather it extends beyond the tomb, to his disciples then, and, to us, His disciples today. That love, compassion and mercy has the power to transform, to embolden, to gather a people together.
In yesterday’s Gospel passage, from the Gospel of Mark, we learn of the disciples’ unbelief even when Mary Magdalene comes to them, after her encounter with the risen Christ, sharing the news that Jesus is alive. Yesterday, we heard of the encounter between Jesus and two of His followers on the Road to Emmaus and how, even after they returned to Jerusalem sharing the good news of the risen Christ, the unbelief persisted.
In today’s reading, from the Gospel of John, we are able to peer into a room and see a collection of frighten men, hiding behind closed doors. Even when his fellow disciples tell him, “We have seen the Lord”, Thomas is still not capable of believing.
Then Jesus appears….
The transformation of the disciples becomes apparent. We see in the First Reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, the followers of Jesus devoting themselves to the teaching of the Apostles, to sacrificing for the sake of the community, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
All this because, Jesus, rather than condemning the betrayal, the drowsiness in Gethsemane, the denial of Peter, and the abandonment of others chooses mercy and compassion.
Gospel Explained
It has been difficult three days! Jesus has experienced the betrayal of Judas, the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, the arrest, the denial of Peter, the abandonment of the others, the cries of “Crucify Him” from the crowd, the sentence of Pilate, the scourging at the pillar, the falls under the weight of the cross, the nails driven through His hands and feet, the crown of thorns on His head, the exhaustion of hanging on the cross and finally the last breath. The disciples went from a triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the foot washing and the Passover meal with their Master on Holy Thursday to watching Him being arrested, condemned and put to death.
They have heard, from Mary Magdalene, that Jesus is alive. However, it seems too far-fetched. It does not seem possible, so they remain fearful and hidden away. Who appears in their midst? It is Jesus… and he comes not with wrath and condemnation, but with empathy and compassion. He senses their distress. He knows they are troubled. His begins with the words “Peace be with you.” Rather than judging them, He gives them the Holy Spirit and empowers them.
Thomas is not there, so he maintains his unbelief and declares, “Unless I see the mark of nails in his hands and put my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later, with Thomas present, Jesus comes to meet his disciples. He comes with the same love, compassion and mercy. Once again, Jesus says, “Peace be with you.” He meets Thomas where Thomas is at; meets him amidst the doubt and unbelief. He offers Thomas what Thomas needs to believe. With deep love, Christ allows Thomas to place his fingers in the nail marks and his hand in the wound in His side.
Today's Theme
Today we are witnesses to the goodness of the Lord, to His everlasting love. We see the manifestation of the Lord’s mercy and compassion. Most importantly, we hear testimony to the transformative power of that love, mercy and compassion.
The shepherd has been stricken and the sheep have scattered. Christ has been crucified; He has died and been placed in the tomb. His friends, his disciples are fearful, they are hiding. They have doubts about the tale of Mary Magdalene, who claims that Jesus is resurrected and alive.
Then Jesus appears….
Jesus appears in love, compassion and mercy and enters into that fear and that unbelief and says, “Peace be with you.”
Thomas needs to place his fingers in the nail marks and his hands into the pierced side of his master…. And Jesus allows it. What can be more intimate than to allow, the one whom you were scourged for and crucified for, place his hands into the very wounds necessary for his salvation. What compassion and mercy, to allow it as the means to transform doubt into belief, fear into boldness.
That love, mercy and compassion shown by Christ becomes a “mark” within His disciples and we see the graces of the Holy Spirit flowing through Christ into His disciples and His Church. The followers of Jesus are seen devoting themselves to the teaching of the Apostles, to sacrificing for the sake of the community, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Theme in our Life Today
That same love, mercy and compassion demonstrated by Jesus in the Gospel is available to us today.
Jesus wants to come to us, even if we are locked away, hiding due to fear or shame.
Jesus wants to say to us, “Peace Be With You.”
Jesus wants not come to us, not in anger or wrath due to our betrayal and denial of Him through our sinfulness, but with love, mercy and compassion.
Jesus wants to meet us where we are at.
Jesus wants to sooth our troubled hearts, to give us what we need to disperse the doubts. He wants to help our unbelief.
Jesus wants us to be able to touch Him, to place our hands in His sacred wounds.
Prepare for Sunday
Have you ever felt like Jesus – betrayed, denied, abandoned, scourged, mocked, perhaps even “crucified”? If you have, have you been able to offer the same love, mercy and compassion that Jesus did? If you have been unable, are you willing to ask Him for that grace?
Do you have doubts or lack belief? Have you shared that with Jesus? Have you told Jesus, like Thomas did, what you need to help with that doubt or unbelief? Will you open yourself up to the Lord’s love, mercy and compassion?
In what ways might you be locked away, hiding from Christ? Could it be fear, shame, lack of faith or something else? Will you allow Jesus in, so he can say to you, “Peace be with you.”?