(Divine Mercy Sunday)
Friends,
As we observe the Second Sunday of Easter, the readings beckon us to embrace and rely on God’s mercy. In a world where mercy may seem illogical, it is this very faith that Paul refers to as the one that ‘conquers the world’: forgiveness begets forgiveness, mercy begets mercy, and love begets love. Our yearning for, and delight in, such graces is mirrored in the Psalm, where we can unite with the psalmist in proclaiming: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures forever!’
The Acts of the Apostles vividly illustrate that the mercy of the risen Lord is not a relic of the past but a living reality, continuing to be poured out through the ministry of his apostles. In the Gospel, we witness Jesus himself embodying mercy, serving as a model for his fearful and doubtful friends.
The US journalist Cathleen Falsani wrote, ‘ Justice is getting what you deserve; mercy is not getting what you deserve; grace is getting what you don’t deserve.’ This coming week, let’s pray that, though we are completely underserved of such a gift of grace, God’s divine mercy will have its effect on us, freeing and opening us to love ever more deeply.
Joy and peace.
