(Homily for
2nd Sunday of Easter (Of Divine Mercy) Year B)
If the last Sunday, Easter Day
underlined the mystery of the Resurrection, this present one is more of the
human response to the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection and his Absence-Presence.
The “apparitions” or rather appearances of the Resurrected Christ with his
apostles and disciples are not mere apparitions, but they are encounters,
meetings with the person of the Risen Lord. Because “apparition” tends to
limits the event to an appearance of a ghost. But it is the concept of
“encounter” that depicts very well the realism of the Resurrection Event. And
having established the credibility of this realism, he sends his apostles out.
As we read in the Gospel, Apostle
Thomas is probably the paradigm of every man: a passage from incredulity to
faith in the Risen Christ, from the search of evidence to the joyful profession
of faith. In the first reading, the community of Jerusalem proclaims her faith
in the Risen Lord, when they reunite every Sunday to listen to the teachings of
the apostles and to celebrate in fraternal communion the breaking of the Bread,
the sign of the mystery of Christ’s Death and Resurrection. In the second
reading, the words of St. Peter once again resounds in our ears: “You have not
seen him, yet you love him, and still without seeing him you believe in him”
(1Pt. 1:8).
In the Gospel (Jn. 20:19-31) of today
we are presented with the account of the two apparitions of the risen Lord. St.
John underlines with vigor that Christ who appears and who is in the midst of
his disciples is a living and real Being, the same Jesus that was nailed on the Cross, for this he
shows the hands and the side, those are the signs of martyrdom (v.20). He equally
underlined the different ways of manifestation of Jesus before and after the
Resurrection. There is a profound difference: He enters now unexpectedly, even
when the doors are locked. Indeed, this Gospel periscope is replete with many
themes, ranging from apparitions of the risen Lord, faith of the apostles, to
the gifts of the Risen Lord to his people. However, the episode of the Gospel
is equally situated in the context of a Christian community. Let us take into
consideration the two great gifts that the Risen Christ brought to the first
Christian community, of the apostles reunited in the cenacle: -Jesus gave them
the gift of peace “Peace be with you”. Peace biblically embraces all the divine
promises: grace, blessing, divine benevolence, interior serenity and salvation.
–Secondly, he gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit. “He breathed on them and
said: receive the Holy Spirit”. Upon this, he gave them a mandate as well: “If
you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they
are retained” (Jn. 20:23). The Holy Spirit was given to the first Christian
community and to the entire church, specifically for the remission of sins, and
for the regeneration of men in the life of grace. Having received this Gift are
we regenerated?
Thomas wanted to see him in his presence
before he would believe in his absence. After his appearance he disappeared.
Every time he was recognized off he was. In fact, in a way the Easter story is
much more a story of his disappearances, than of his appearances. Indeed, it
was as if he wanted to tell them something, to tell them: Now up to you, even
though I am alive, but I will be absent, so it is up to you, little wonder he
blew on them and gave them the Holy Spirit.
Anyone who has the Christ experience must have
a change or transformation of life. And the attitude of Jesus towards Thomas
the unbelieving apostle, reflects greatly God’s faithfulness, who condescended
to accept the incredulity of man, in order to bring him to an unwavering faith,
to a solid and definitive faith: “My Lord and My God”. This has become an
uninterrupted confession of faith of the Church in the Resurrection of Christ.
The episode of today’s gospel
relative to the two apparitions of the Risen Christ teaches us also the
importance of faith in our relationship with Christ. In fact, Thomas that was
not present in the first apparition, did not believe the testimony of the other
apostles. He wanted to see Him personally, touch Him, he wanted to have a
direct personal experience with Him. And he was satisfied when Jesus appeared
the second time, after eight days. This time, Thomas was present, but Jesus
does not applaud the unbelieving apostle, rather He says: “You believe because
you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”
(Jn.20:29). As such, we should not ask for the tangible demonstration or
sensible experience, as Thomas did, rather the grace to grow in a pure and
genuine faith.
To believe entails confiding and
entrusting oneself to Christ and the testimony of the apostles: a faith that
wants to see, touch, and experience is not a true faith, but distrust and
diffidence to Christ and the first witnesses: the apostles. The Risen Lord
declared blessedness for those who believe without seeing, and it does not mean
that they (believers) will be immune to sufferings and trials. The second
reading calls for joy in tribulation for the purpose of the things that lay
ahead.
Indeed, the Resurrection of Jesus
becomes the Yes of God to His Son Jesus Christ, Redeemer of every man. The
Resurrection of Jesus is a motive of joy for us, because as St. Peter opined
“Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has
given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead” (1Pt. 1:3). God is faithful, for this He did not abandon
the life of His Son to death. May the Risen Lord fortify our little faith in
Him and give us joy in times of affliction!
And today being Divine Mercy Sunday
we are called to celebrate God's Mercy, for the whole world is enveloped in and
by the mercy of God. Indeed, behooves us today to affirm and reaffirm that
Mercy is the most eloquent attribute of God. Mercy is the interpretative key to
all the Mysteries of God and to all the Events of our Lord Jesus. For instance:
The creation of man is a sign
of God's merciful love.
The incarnation of Jesus is
purely a manifestation of the Divine Mercy.
The signs and miracles
performed by Jesus are equally splendid manifestation of God's mercy.
The Passion and Death of our
Lord Jesus Christ are maximum expressions of Divine Mercy.
The Resurrection doubtlessly
is also an ultimate manifestation of God's mercy.
In fact, as Pope Francis would say,
Mercy is another name of God. And as we celebrate His Mercy today, let us take
to heart the invitation of Jesus: "Be compassionate just as your Father is
compassionate" (Lk.6:36). As such, we are called to be objects and
subjects of God's mercy. As daily recipients of God's mercy, we are called to
be merciful to others. May God continue to show us his mercy especially in our
world today apart by the presages of war, violence and hatred. May the
freshness of his mercy (Lam. 3:22-23) heal us and heal our world.
Jesus I trust in You
Jesus I trust in You
Jesus I trust in You
(Fr. Vitus M. C. Unegbu)
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