Divine Mercy Sunday

The speaker begins by explaining that the chapters 13 to the end of John's gospel are known as the Book of Glory, where John unfolds the splendor, divinity, authority, and power of Jesus Christ. They encourage listeners to prepare their hearts to encounter the risen Jesus by quieting their inner selves. The speaker then reads and reflects on the gospel passage from John 20:19-31, where Jesus appears to his disciples, including Thomas, and imparts the Holy Spirit to them. The passage highlights the themes of peace, forgiveness, and belief. The speaker emphasizes the importance of hearing and embracing the apostolic witness to touch the risen Lord. They encourage listeners to meditate on the passage and invite Jesus into their present space. The speaker concludes by urging listeners to deeply internalize the words received and grow in their faith throughout the week. Greetings, friends. What a joy to share the gospel. Christ is risen. Truly He is risen. Happy Easter, everybody. To begin, let me recall for us that chapter 13 to the end of John's gospel is known as the Book of Glory. Within those final chapters of his gospel, John seeks to unfold before us the splendor, the divinity, the authority and power, the light and life of Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God. The reason I want this to be clear to us is that so much of our gospel reflection throughout the Easter season will come from this Book of Glory. To prepare ourselves to encounter Jesus, risen and present to us here and now, let's take a moment to prepare our hearts to yield to the gospel by quieting our inner selves. If you will, take a deep breath slowly in and slowly out. Come, Lord Jesus. Allow your Holy Spirit to bring your word to life in me. May I hear your voice, Good Shepherd. The ancient prayer of Lectio Divina invites us, first of all, simply to read a passage from Scripture. By reading, we grow acquainted the word and begin to open ourselves to the movement of the Holy Spirit that is carried on the words of the gospel. On this second Sunday of Easter, we read from John's gospel, chapter 20, verses 19-31. On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. Thomas, called Didymus, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the nail marks, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. Now a week later his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst, and said, Peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe. Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. The gospel passage we have just shared is a primary example of the way John creates a prism for us through which the glory of Jesus Christ shines in radiance. Jesus steps through the locked doors, stands as sovereign Lord in the midst of his disciples, and says with calm authority, Peace be with you. Remember, this is the first encounter of Jesus with his disciples since that fateful night. Recall that night when every one of them, to a man, deserted Jesus. They left him utterly alone to face his darkest hour. This despite promises, claims of faith and courage. And yet here now is the Lord. He carries with him no shame, no recrimination, no desire to get even or seek even an apology. Peace be with you. Shalom. Peace is for Jesus and his contemporaries the expression of ultimate harmony with creation, neighbor, and above all God. Jesus brings peace, harmony, union, and communion as the fruit of his death and resurrection. Our world seeks so often justice that is really little more than revenge. Fairness that is really just getting even. We seek to make people pay for their behavior. The justice that is shalom is the fruit of mercy and forgiveness. This is why too we call this second Sunday of Easter Divine Mercy Sunday. Notice Jesus commands, he commissions his disciples after imparting the Holy Spirit to them to go out with forgiveness to the world. This is the meaning of Jesus's Paschal mystery. Forgiveness, mercy, reconciliation to all humanity. And there is the breathing on them as God at creation breathed breath into Adam. Jesus gives in this moment for all time to come new life, re-creation. The remainder of the gospel narrative with the doubting Thomas and his interaction with Jesus unfolds for us the how of this new life of faith. It is through hearing and embracing the apostolic witness that we who live today touch the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed are those who do not see but hear and believe the good news. Let us turn now again for a second time to read our gospel passage. Notice as we do what stands out for you. Be sensitive to that word or phrase or what moves your imagination. In what moves you within, Jesus is manifesting himself present and alive for you. We read again John chapter 20 verses 19 through 31. On the evening of that first day of the week when the doors were locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit whose sins you forgive are forgiven and whose sins you retain are retained. Thomas, called Didymus, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, we have seen the Lord. But he said to them, unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas, put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe. Thomas answered and said to him, my Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. This brings us now to the second step of Lectio Divina, which is, after reading, meditation. In meditating we pause before the word, surrendering to the movement of the Spirit carried on that word. Become curious now about what is touching you in this passage and give yourself to it. What is speaking to you at this moment? For me, I am, whenever I hear this gospel, overwhelmed with Jesus's words, peace be with you. How deeply I long to know that peace. In the midst of the total loss that was his death, anguished by their failure, which was the disciples' abandoning of Jesus, in the midst of all my personal disappointments, losses, fears of diminishment, my personal failures and sin, Jesus steps into my presence. Peace be with you. Even as I stand locked behind whatever it is that causes my distress, my shame and fear, Jesus sees his way to me, makes himself present to me, and says, peace be with you. Oh, risen Lord Jesus, breathe on me your divine Holy Spirit. Enkindle in me the new life of your resurrection. Fill me with your peace, the peace the world cannot give, or take away. Friends, please remain with this precious gospel from the evening of that first Easter Sunday. Allow Jesus, through its words, to enter the space you are in right now. Talk to Jesus about how this story is speaking to you. Before leaving prayer, be sure to intentionally place the words you have received deep in your spirit, where the Lord might bring it growth throughout the week ahead. And friends, it is a joy to share the gospel with you. Happy Easter.