March 30, 2008
2nd Sunday of Easter
“My Lord and My God!”
As we celebrate the second Sunday of Easter within the Easter Octave, we commemorate today as Divine Mercy Sunday. The Divine Mercy devotion began with Sr. Faustina Kowalska, who lived in the convent of the Divine Mercy Sisters in
Reflecting on Pope John Paul II teachings on Divine Mercy can deepen our faith. As we hear in the Gospel, Thomas’ “My Lord and My God” not only was a coming to faith in the Risen Lord, it was also an acknowledgement of a new way of understanding God. That He is a communion of persons, and that He is Divine Mercy. The recognition of God as Mercy was a new thing even though there were appeals to His Mercy in the Prophets and Psalms; the truth that God becomes a man and loves us so much that he died on the cross for our sins was something new.
The encounter with the Risen Lord then is an encounter with Mercy. It is an encounter with a God who died for us. It is an encounter with a God who knows we doubt and are weak. The Lord was merciful to Thomas when he questioned the resurrection. Jesus made a “Second Appearance” that gave Thomas the opportunity to come to faith. We can reflect on the ways in which our Lord is likewise gracious to us, in which He makes a “Second Appearance” where we can come to faith in Him.
Mercy is not something to be analyzed or learned. It is someone we personally encounter. Yet in the life of the Church, do we give the Lord the “space” in which to encounter Him? One of the spiritual challenges today in meeting Divine Mercy is that we view our relation to God as a spiritual consumer. As long as we try to control God or compartmentalize Him, we will not discover Mercy. It is only by putting ourselves in His presence, by being vulnerable and available, can we receive His Mercy.
-Rev. Todd Molinari
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