Word to the Wise
Sunday, April 16, 2023 - 2nd Sunday of Easter - A
[Acts 2:42-47; 1 Pet 1:3-9; John 20:19-31]Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. [1 Peter]
The Sunday after Easter, the conclusion of the Octave of Easter, is called "Divine Mercy Sunday," and has become a popular day of observance largely because of St. John Paul II, who was a devotee of St. Faustina and her devotion to the mercy of God. He declared this devotion and liturgical feast on April 30, 2000. The Divine Mercy chaplet and novena have become popular expressions of this devotion. The scriptures assigned for this Sunday refer to divine mercy in a direct way only in the second scripture from the First Letter of Peter, which may be dated in the period 70-90 A.D. (although scripture scholars debate this).
The description of the early Christian community in the first scripture seems idealistic, but we know that the demands of community life require considerable exercise of "mercy" on a daily basis. The gospel scripture for today, from the Gospel According to John, features the story of Thomas the apostle and his reaction to the news of Jesus' resurrection and Jesus' merciful response to the situation.
Mercy is not a condescending remission of punishment. It is an act of love when the temptation is to shame and blame. This is not a refusal to call attention to what justice requires when injustice has been inflicted, but rather to help bring about a reconciliation and resolution. The command of Jesus to love as he has loved us must shape whatever mercy we show. AMEN