This Sermon is prepared by
Rev.Fr.Peter Jayakanthan sss
Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
Corpus Christi Catholic Church,
Houston, Texas, US
2nd Sunday of Easter – Divine Mercy SundayEndless Mercy………. !!!Acts4:32-35, 1Jn5:1-6, Jn20:19-31Dear sisters, Brothers and Children, We continue to rejoice and witness to the risen Christ during this Easter Octave. This Sunday reminds us that this call to be a witness is not at a particular season; rather it is our responsibility at all times. How can we live this in our Christian life? It is not possible unless and until we realize and recognize the mercy of the Lord. Divine Mercy Sunday may affirm to our communities that His mercy is endless, like an ever flowing river. Our Eucharistic celebration may fill us for this compassionate experience of the Lord and lead us to extend our mercy to others with whom we interact every day, and with the rest of broken humanity.What is the difference between pity and mercy? Jim responded, “When I need something my dad feels pity, but my mom shows her merciful and compassionate love by getting things done.” Michelle said, “When I fall sick, my husband feels pity for me, but my daughters show their compassionate presence by their regular visits and stay.” John said, “I saw the homeless at the lights and feel pity for them, but from the car behind me, someone asked the homeless person to come to the car and offered him something.” Yes, pity is a feeling, it remains as a feeling. It is momentary, appearing and disappearing. On the other hand, mercy goes beyond feeling and actually does something. Mercy is shown in action. It is a compassionate gesture. Pity is a feeling for; one can feel for the person and the situation by being far away. One can express pity in words from the distance. Compassionate mercy is feeling with the person, becoming a part of the situation, group and person. The feast of Divine Mercy calls for the same experience of the merciful love of the Lord Who is part of us. In the gospel we learn about the risen Christ imparting this teaching of mercy. Jesus’ mission was centered on His mercy and compassion. He was with the people; he was with sinners and sick people. He was with children and helpless women. Jesus wants His Good News of mercy to continue through His disciples and the followers. The risen Christ imparts the authority to offer merciful forgiveness to the sinner, the weak, the broken and the needy. The gift of forgiving sins flows from God’s treasury of unconditional and merciful love. His presence is assured and He is present with us wherever mercy and compassion is realized, recognized, practiced and experienced. “Do you have anything to eat?” This was the question of Jesus before feeding the multitude, and even at the banks of Tiberius in His 3rd post-Resurrection appearance to the Apostles. It shows how He felt with them. Compassion is from compassio, feeling-with, suffering-with and being one with the person who is in need, in pain or in suffering. It is suffering of the heart. In Salvation History, the experience of God for the people of Israel was initially a transcendent one. Yahweh was all powerful, away from us, and we could not reach Him. When He made the Covenant it was, “I am your God and you are my people,” which meant God was for the people; He saw their struggle, burden and slavery. He sent leaders, prophets, Kings and Judges. The fulfillment of Salvation History is Incarnation. God, who was for the people, came to be with the people. Emmanuel means God with us. The first reading explains the life of the early Christian community. Though they faced persecutions from Jews and Romans, yet no power and force could destroy the growing Christian community, because they lived out the mercy they experienced in Jesus. They witnessed the participation of Jesus with their suffering and pain. So, they shared everything in common, they distributed everything according to each one’s need. It was a community which practiced the sharing, love, compassion and mercy taught by Jesus. We see here a glimpse of Divine Mercy in action. Their constant experience of a participating God in their community prayer and breaking of the bread, led them to perform acts of mercy. How did this devotion to Divine Mercy came about strongly now? St. Faustina of Poland was the apostle of Divine Mercy. She lived from 25, August 1905 to 05 October 1938. She joined the convent the very young age of 15. She did not have much education, but she had a passion to respond to the call from the Lord. She lived just 33years, but she revealed to the world the merciful heart of Jesus. She started having visions of the suffering Jesus for some time, where she had written in her diary all these unique and precious experiences. Pope St. John Paul II introduced the second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. She was canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday, 30th April, 2000 by St. John Paul II. He said during his homily, “The Cross, even after the Resurrection of the Son of God, speaks, and never ceases to speak, of God the Father, Who is absolutely faithful to His eternal love for man....Believing in this love means believing in mercy." One of the regular messages she received was to tell the world about God’s generous mercy. She revealed to the world the image of Divine Mercy carrying the words: “Jesus, I trust in You!” (Jezu ufam Tobie). The rays streaming out of Jesus’ heart have symbolic meaning: Red for the Blood of Jesus, which is the life of souls, and White for the Baptismal water which justifies souls. Baptismal water cleanses us and makes us privileged children of God. We become one with the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. The Blood of Jesus constantly purifies us with His merciful love. There is communion and bond. After many years spent in Jerusalem translating the Word of God, St. Jerome finished his grand project just days before Christmas. To celebrate his accomplishment, Jerome decided to spend Christmas Eve in nearby Bethlehem, in one of the many grottoes that dot the countryside. According to the ancient account, sometime around midnight Jesus appeared to him, saying “Jerome, what will you give me for my birthday?” Immediately and enthusiastically, Jerome declared, “Lord, I give you my translation of your Word.” But instead of congratulating him, Jesus simply replied, “No, Jerome that is not what I want.” Jerome was speechless. Then he began to complain and remonstrate with Jesus, asking why he had let him go on for forty years, far from home, laboring at something other than what God most wanted from him. But Jesus remained silent. Jerome started suggesting other ways of honoring Jesus’ birthday – fasting, becoming a hermit, giving his possessions to the poor. To each of these Jesus replied, “No. Jerome. That is not what I want most.” Finally, Jerome protested, “Then you tell me, Lord. Tell me what would give you the most joy on your birthday, and you shall have it. “Do you promise, Jerome?” “Yes, Lord, anything at all.” Jesus replied, “Give me your sins… I will offer you mercy” So, in that beautiful silver box, along with a resolution to be ever more receptive to His love and mercy, I placed my broken humanity – with all of my sins and faults – at His feet. Then I realized, that is why He came to be with us after all! The world has witnessed wars, and violence victimizing innocents. World wars, Auschwitz camps, civil wars, the constant unrest in Middle East and the present ISIS killings cannot be forgotten. In the midst of every destructive power, it is the participating Divine Mercy of the Lord that keeps the world going. Let Psalm 118 of today, “His mercy endures forever,” be our motto this week. Can I live out and offer the mercy of Jesus to others? Whom do I need to be with? Whose life do I need to participate with? Amen. 
|
