God's Mercy Endures Forever

Divine Mercy Sunday - Second Sunday of Easter

Did you notice that the signs and wonders that Jesus wrought did not cease with his death? We heard in the First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostles were able to cure the sick and cast out demons themselves by doing so in Jesus' Name. The people believed so strongly that Jesus' Spirit was still amongst them, that they even brought out their sick into the streets so that the shadow of the Apostles could fall on them and they would be cured. God's mercy for his people never ended.

Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday to recognize the infinite mercy of our God. Not only did Jesus suffer and die for us but he promised to be with us always through his Holy Spirit. He acted through his Apostles then; and now, through us, to continue to fulfill his Mission to each generation.

Do we understand what that Mission is? The Apostles didn't realize it at first. In the Gospel Reading, we find them locked away in an upper room. They were frightened and were hiding because they believed they would also be killed or imprisoned.

You can almost picture them trembling as all of a sudden, Jesus stands in their midst. "Peace be with you." are the words he said to them. Jesus didn't admonish them for their fear. Instead, he wanted them to realize and believe that he was truly alive and that he expected them to continue his Mission to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

When the absent Thomas hears of the Lord's presence, he is filled with doubt and cannot believe what he has not seen. Again, Jesus appears and instead of reproving Thomas for his lack of faith, Jesus teaches us that doubt can be learned from. Doubt creates a possibility of going further. Thus we see Thomas make a profession of faith: "My Lord and my God!" Thomas recognizes the authority of the Lord and surrenders himself to God.

Again, we return to God's mercy. When we sin, we lose our dignity as human beings. The peace that resides in our souls leaves us. In order to be restored to holiness, we know we must seek forgiveness. Our God, in his mercy, offers us that forgiveness. He wishes us to again attain that peace that only he can give.

Because God elevates us to be like him, we must also be willing to forgive others. Perfection comes from forgiveness. Only through forgiveness, can people live and work together to continue Christ's Mission on earth.

We give thanks to the Lord for he is good. God's love is everlasting and his mercy endures forever.