Homily for Sunday 2^nd Sunday of Easter

Readings: Act5:12-16; Rev1:9-13, 17-19; John 20:19-31

God’s mercy in abundance

It’s the second Sunday of Easter, the last day of the Easter Octave. It is the celebration of God’s mercy. Proclaimed by Pope John Paul II in 2000 at the canonization of Saint Faustina, the Divine Sunday accords us with an opportunity to savor the untold mercy of God.

Throughout the life of Jesus, he kept on making real and available this mercy to the people he met as the acts of feeding the hungry, curing the sick, raising the dead, and forgiving people their sins.

The first reading gives an account of how the apostles and the first believers were instruments of this mercy and managed to draw people to God. The apostles were even able to do more to the point of people getting healed by simply being reached out by Peter’s shadow. Many were healed of their sicknesses. This was the power Jesus gave his apostles after his resurrection.

The Gospel contains two apparitions of Jesus; one to the disciples excluding Thomas and the other with Thomas among them. Jesus gives peace to his disciples, peace that no other can give. This peace stems from the heart of Jesus who brings the mercy of God to fulfilment. It’s that peace experienced having known that God has forgiven us our trespasses. That’s why Jesus gave the disciples powers to forgive sins. With forgiveness we experience God’s mercy.

The resurrection is about Jesus’ victory over sin and our own redemption from the power of Satan. We are celebrating the mercy of God.

Let us all put our trust in God and ask for His constant mercy on us.