Today, on Divine Mercy Sunday, we celebrate God’s everlasting mercy, which heartened the Chosen People again and again over many centuries, found its purest expression in the sacrifice of God’s only Son, and will continue to overflow into our world and all God’s creation until the end of time. Conscious of both God’s mercy and Jesus’ command to do for the least of our brothers and sisters what he has done for us, we pray that we may be merciful and forgiving to others, sharing that most precious gift God gives us.
Introduction to the Liturgy of the Word
Today we hear the familiar story of doubting Thomas, who refused to believe until he saw the risen Lord with his own eyes and touched his wounds with his own hands. However, as soon as he did see Jesus and hear his voice, he immediately realized that his friends’ incredible testimony was true. May Jesus’ words to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed,” touch us as we struggle with doubt and uncertainty ourselves.
Reflections
John wrote that the first thing Jesus did after greeting the apostles was show them his hands and his side. He showed them his wounds. Not only did that prove that he really was the Lord, it also showed them that the wounds had a real and lasting effect on his body. His body was not restored to an unblemished state. It was Jesus’ wounded body that was raised from the dead, that was taken to heaven, and that remains there now. The wounds on Christ’s body are not symbolic or superficial. Similarly, the body of Christ—the Church—is wounded, and those wounds are real.
We have the opportunity to see Christ’s risen body as well, just not in the same way that the apostles did. With the eyes of faith—through Thomas’s eyes, if you will—we can perceive his risen body, wounds and all, in the Church, in the world, in our community, in our parish, in each other. That faith-filled vision allowed the early Christian community to live and thrive despite the persecution they endured, even eating their daily meals “with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people” (Acts 2:46–47). They saw Christ’s risen body in their community: in the wounds they suffered and in the fellowship they shared.
Significantly, Jesus’ first words to his disciples after his resurrection were, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). This simple greeting, which may sound ordinary or even trite, meant a lot to the disciples, for they had all abandoned him as he suffered and died on the cross. But when Jesus returned, he came not only with the gift of the Holy Spirit, but also with the gift of reconciliation, restoring the bond between him and them. When he showed them his hands and his side, he was not reminding them of what they had left him to go through alone. He was giving them a share in his triumph over sin and death.
Question of the Week
How has my life been transformed since three years ago? What can I make new in my life, in my community, in the world?
-from Pastoral Patterns
readings of the mass
LISTEN HEREto the Audio Recordings of the Readings of Sunday, April 16, 2023
SELECT HEREfor the Readings of Sunday, April 16, 2023
Offerings
The Sunday offerings are a portion of our blessings that we give to God (Church) in gratitude to what God has done for us...ONLINE GIVING OPTIONS