2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday) (Cycle C, Year II)
Community Word: Jesus’ sacrificial love is our redemption and the way to a renewed life.
Theme: We are redeemed towards a new life when we believe in the merciful love of Jesus.
Promise: “…come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.” (Jn 20:31)
Reflection:
The second Sunday of Easter is also known as the Divine Mercy Sunday. Mercy is the love of God for sinners and for which reason the Father gave His Son, Jesus, to suffer and die on the cross for mankind, that we “will not perish but may have eternal life,” (Jn 3:16b). By Jesus’ passion and death, salvation is offered to those who truly repent and believe in His resurrection, giving them new birth. As St. Peter proclaimed: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1Pet 1:3).
The gospel of John relates how Jesus, in His glorified body, appeared to the disciples showing them the wounds from His hands and side, evidences of His passion and death. Those who were present saw and believed. Unfortunately for Thomas, he was not around and he remained unbelieving. He wanted clear proof that Jesus is alive, in spite of the fact that he had witnessed Jesus perform miracles, signs and wonders during their time together. In his skepticism, he wanted to see the wounds of Jesus firsthand. And when Jesus appeared again, his belief turned into a declaration which we often say during the consecration of the host at mass: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28).
Many people today remain cynical about our Lord Jesus Christ. They are unbelieving and demand signs and wonders in order to be convinced that He is alive. But our Lord remains patient, ready to offer proof of His love to those who seek Him. He understands that like His first disciples, we need a personal encounter with Him so that we will feel Him in our hearts and develop a personal relationship with Him. And through the gift of faith, we can profess that Jesus Christ is our personal Lord and Savior.
Our theme for the second Sunday of Easter tells us that we are redeemed to a new life when we believe in the merciful love of Jesus. For all that He has done for us, it is our turn to be grateful to Him. We must remember and acknowledge that Jesus paid the highest price for our sins and in return we give ourselves into His service. We must honor Him as our Savior who rescues us from our enemies, frees us from slavery of sin, embraces us as His own and cares for us in every way ensuring our well-being. We must adore Jesus for His eternal love, for giving us new life in His Holy Spirit so that we may walk towards the Father and live worthy of our calling by the power of His resurrection.
Together in our declaration of faith, we will see Jesus in our daily life, especially in the people whom He calls us to minister. Jesus is in the sick, the weak, the oppressed and the poor. These people provide us the opportunity to love and to show Christ’s compassion for the last, the least and the lost. Jesus is also in our enemies and in people who have wronged us, challenging us to be His instruments of forgiveness and peace. To them, we are called to manifest the unconditional and sacrificial love of Christ and bring to them the hope of His resurrection with this promise: “…come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that
through this belief you may have life in his name,” (Jn 20:31).
Prayer:
Jesus, my Lord and Savior, by Your death and resurrection, You saved us from our sins and defeated the powers of Satan. Draw me to Your loving heart. Give me the grace to fully trust in Your life-giving word, fulfilling Your plans for my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that my faith remain strong in Your promises and my hope persevering in the power of Your resurrection. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- What is the meaning of Christ’s resurrection in your life?
- Share a personal experience when you felt or received the love and mercy of Jesus.
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
April 24, 2022 (Sun) – Acts 5:12-16/ Ps 118:2-4,13-15,22-24/ Rv 1:9-11,12-13/ Jn 20:19-31
April 25, 2022 (Mon) – 1 Pt 5:5-14/ Ps 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17/ Mk 16:15-20
April 26, 2022 (Tue) – Acts 4:32-37/ Ps 93:1-2, 5/ Jn 3:7-15
April 27, 2022 (Wed) – Acts 5:17-26/ Ps 34:2-5, 6-9/ Jn 3:16-21
April 28, 2022 (Thu) – Acts 5:27-33/ Ps 34:2, 9, 17-20/ Jn 3:31-36
April 29, 2022 (Fri) – Acts 5:34-42/ Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14/ Jn 6:1-15
April 30, 2022 (Sat) – Acts 6:1-7/ Ps 33:1-2,4,5,18,19/ Jn 6:16-21
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
