By Antony Christy, SDB –
This Sunday is liturgically called the Low Sunday which marks the end of the Easter Octave. “A week later”, indicates the Gospel today; it was a week later that Jesus appears to all the eleven, including Thomas and patiently, mercifully and lovingly leads them to true faith. The feast of Divine Mercy was instituted and fixed for this day by Pope Saint John Paul II, who was canonised on this occasion three years ago!
The first reading speaks of how the early community of Christians becomes a mighty witness to the Lord. They were the epitome of the command that Jesus gave, ‘be merciful as your heavenly father is merciful’. Mercy becomes their way of life, or rather their renewed way of life. As a mark of being a Christian, mercifulness to each other specially to those in need, becomes the point of attraction for many…and as the reading goes – the Lord added to their number everyday! Mercy, we know, is the high point of Christian identity. But what matters most is how it is lived on a daily basis. It begins with our life at home: with our dear ones, elderly parents, sickly loved ones, troublesome children, rebellious youngsters… how is our relationship? What level of patience and acceptance do we manifest? Mercy is not weakness, it is meekness!
The Second reading speaks to us of the Source of mercy, God the father of Jesus Christ who in mercy sent the only Son for our salvation! The Mercy of God is given to us as the example and the measure of our “genuineness of faith”! Preaching and believing in high ideals of love and compassion, if we but hate people and divide families, envy others and detest their well being… we are far, far away from God, the God of Mercy and compassion. Mercy is not an ideal, it is a life style; it is not a set of actions, but an attitude to life.
Jesus’ encounter with the disciples after his resurrection manifests a special quality of mercy… it is an encounter that is full of unlimited forgiveness and unconditional love! There is no demand that the disciples have to render an account for having abandoned Jesus at the crucial moment of suffering, for having betrayed him or having denied him! All that Jesus does is, tell them he is with them and invite them to be his witnesses throughout the world. That is the mercy of God embodied, incarnate, which dwelt among us in flesh and blood and dwells among us today in the Spirit. Mercy, hence, has to be lived today in forgiveness and love; there can be no place for grudge and grievance, envy and slander, cheating and stealing, killing and enmity.
An enlightening proposal that Jesus has for his apostles – how to ensure that it was Jesus? Jesus showed them the wounds, the mark that the Crucifixion left on him… the MARKS.. come see the wounds, feel the marks! We need to tell the world, as a proof of our identity as Christian – Come see the Marks that Christ Crucified has left on us!
As we celebrate the Divine Mercy of Jesus…let us understand and accept Mercy as our mark of identity as God’s own children, the distinctive character of persons who call themselves Christians! Let us be merciful as our heavenly father is merciful..
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He is currently pursuing his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him on.