Gospel: Divine Mercy Sunday
The Second Sunday of Easter is designated as Divine Mercy Sunday. It was instituted by St John Paul II on May 5, 2000, five days after the canonization of Polish nun, St Faustina Kawalska, the most notable advocate of the devotion. During Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church calls us to celebrate God's Divine Mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, our need for trusting Faith, and our need for the forgiveness of sins.
Today's Gospel reading is lifted from St John. On the evening of the fitst day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you!" When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you." And when He has said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Thomas, also called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands, and put my finger in His nailmarks and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
Now a week later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." And then He said to Thomas, "Put your fingers here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that you may have life in His name.
The Gospel tells us about fear, doubt, and unbelief. The disciples locked themselves up in a room because they are afraid of the Jews, for the fear of being persecuted and be sentenced to death just like what they did to Jesus. But amidst of this fear, Jesus came to them and said, "Peace be with you." Jesus knew what they are feeling in a time when they thought their belief about Jesus was not true. From the Easter Sunday reading, it was written that they have not yet understood the Scripture that Christ has to be risen from the dead.
This Gospel also tells us about how doubt affects our Faith, and how we should trust this Faith we have received from the testimony of others. Thomas wanted to see Jesus in the flesh so that he may believe. Jesus tells us that it is blessed to believe even if we do not see.
Finally, Jesus gave the disciples the authority to forgive sins by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Reconciliation by telling them that those they will forgive will be forgiven and those they do not will not be forgiven.
This Divine Mercy Sunday, let us trust our Faith that we have received from the different testimonies of people about our beliefs, let us thank God for the Sacrament of Confession so that through this sacrifice and sacred mysteries, our sins will be forgiven because of His mercy for us. Amen.
x----x
The Gospel is sponsored by Mrs. G Cakeshop.
Today's Gospel reading is lifted from St John. On the evening of the fitst day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you!" When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you." And when He has said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Thomas, also called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands, and put my finger in His nailmarks and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
Now a week later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." And then He said to Thomas, "Put your fingers here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that you may have life in His name.
The Gospel tells us about fear, doubt, and unbelief. The disciples locked themselves up in a room because they are afraid of the Jews, for the fear of being persecuted and be sentenced to death just like what they did to Jesus. But amidst of this fear, Jesus came to them and said, "Peace be with you." Jesus knew what they are feeling in a time when they thought their belief about Jesus was not true. From the Easter Sunday reading, it was written that they have not yet understood the Scripture that Christ has to be risen from the dead.
This Gospel also tells us about how doubt affects our Faith, and how we should trust this Faith we have received from the testimony of others. Thomas wanted to see Jesus in the flesh so that he may believe. Jesus tells us that it is blessed to believe even if we do not see.
Finally, Jesus gave the disciples the authority to forgive sins by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Reconciliation by telling them that those they will forgive will be forgiven and those they do not will not be forgiven.
This Divine Mercy Sunday, let us trust our Faith that we have received from the different testimonies of people about our beliefs, let us thank God for the Sacrament of Confession so that through this sacrifice and sacred mysteries, our sins will be forgiven because of His mercy for us. Amen.
x----x
The Gospel is sponsored by Mrs. G Cakeshop.
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