2nd Sunday of Easter (Cycle C, Year II)
Community Word: The Risen Christ calls us to believe in Him and receive His mercy and compassion.
Theme: We believe in the Risen Christ when we recognize His presence in our daily life.
Promise: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”(Jn 20:29b)
Reflection:
Easter Sunday is a noble feast. It cannot be observed in a mere day, but must extend to the following week, the 2nd Sunday of Easter, significantly called the “Divine Mercy” Sunday. Easter and the Risen Christ cannot be compressed into a single day, but must be an on-going celebration and part of our daily life.
The readings of these two weeks tell us how those who experience Jesus as the Risen Lord are refreshed as they go out on mission. So, for this week we reflect on our theme – We believe in the Risen Christ when we recognize His presence in our daily life.
In the 1st reading, we see the enthusiasm of the Apostles in proclaiming the Good News, as the Lord’s instruments of healing, especially to new believers. God’s immortal nature and merciful attribute are seen in Psalm 118, which also best summarizes Jesus’ death and resurrection, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Ps 118: 22).
The 2nd reading demonstrates how John envisions his mission. His relationship with Christ implies the need for constant vigilance and care for the growing churches to ensure that they remain focused on the truth. In John’s gospel, Jesus greets His disciples with the words, “Peace be with you,” (Jn 20: 21).This gift of peace comes with the gift of the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sins – “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them…” (Jn 20: 22b-23a). Obviously, His relationship with the disciples did not end with His death and resurrection, but continued on with coming of the Holy Spirit, such that, even “doubting” Thomas, on seeing and touching Jesus’ nail-pierced hands and side, was moved to exclaim: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20: 28). The event culminates in our Promise for the week,“Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed,” (Jn 20: 29).
These words of Jesus should inspire us to always strive to act in faith. When we have a tendency to doubt like Thomas, we show that we are not fully assured of God’s presence in our life. The words ‘to see is to believe’ may even mislead others. As Christian disciples, it is not enough for us to recall, or proclaim, how touched we are by Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. Easter must come alive in us, that we may fulfill our apostolic mission to reach out to every person we come in contact with. Let us rise to the challenge of touching people’s lives and being instruments of sharing the Good News. Then we shall be able to say, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it,” (Ps 118: 24).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for showing us the true meaning of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. In His resurrection you point us to the reality of life eternal with you, and bestowed upon us the gift of your Holy Spirit to guide us that, as Christian disciples, we may experience the Risen Christ in our life as we grow daily in faith and boldly proclaim the Good News of our salvation. Increase our faith and teach us to be faithful in proclaiming Christ’s gift of peace to everyone. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do I live a life of faith, or do I sometimes doubt that I have been saved by Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection? How do I overcome my doubt?
2. In what ways can I proclaim and share the message of the Risen Lord to community members and others?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
April 3, 2016 (Sun) Acts 5:12-16/Ps 118:2-4,13-15,22-24/Rv 1:9-11,12-13,17-19/Jn 20:19-31
April 4, 2016 (Mon) Is 7:10-14;8:10/Ps 40:7-8,8-9,10,11/Heb 10:4-10/Lk 1:26-38
April 5, 2016 (Tue) Acts 4:32-37/Ps 93:1,1-2,5/Jn 3:7-15
April 6, 2016 (Wed) Acts 5:17-26/Ps 34:2-3.4-5,6-7,8-9/Jn 3:16-23
April 7, 2016 (Thu) Acts 5:27-33/Ps 34:2,9,17-18,19-20/Jn 3:31-36
April 8, 2016 (Fri) Acts 5:34-42/Ps 27:1,4,13-14/Jn 6:1-15
April 9, 2016 (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!”
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