2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR A

Acts 2:42-47

Psalm 118

1 Peter 1:3-9

John 20:19-31

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

In 2000, during the Mass of canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska, Pope John Paul II declared the Sunday after Easter be called “Divine Mercy Sunday”, adding that “Divine Mercy reaches human beings through the heart of Christ crucified.” Therefore we celebrate today God’s merciful love manifested to us through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, in today’s gospel passage, the Risen Christ appears to his disciples and shows them the marks of his Passion, expression of God’s Mercy for mankind. 

We can imagine ourselves like the disciples who locked themselves up in the room for fear of the Jews, just as we too are locked down for fear of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, the first gift that the Risen Lord gave to his disciples, overwhelmed by fear, doubt and pain, was peace: “Peace be with you!” he said to them. The peace he gives them is the peace that forgives, forgets their failures and mistakes, reconciles them with himself and assures them of his presence. It is the peace that gives joy and hope. 

In the second reading, Peter addresses the Christians in the Diaspora, encouraging them to be joyful and hopeful despites the sufferings and trials that they might have to go through. For “God in his mercy has given us a new birth to a living hope” (1 Pet. 1:3-9). These words are addressed to us again today. With the Resurrection of Christ, “we acquire a fundamental right that can never be taken away from us: the right to hope. It is a new and living hope that comes from God” (Pope Francis). Thus, we should never give up or be discouraged no matter what. 

Moreover, in these difficult moments, the early Christians are given to us as models. They put their belongings in common, sharing them to each according to his needs. This is solidarity! Again, they were devoted to the teachings of the Apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to prayers (Acts 2:42-47). We are therefore challenged in these times of lock down to devote ourselves constantly to prayers, to the reading of the Word of God, to spiritual reading, and to communal life in the family. By so doing, we will make our homes “living domestic churches” and feel the presence of the Risen Lord. 

As the Risen Christ breathed on his disciples giving them the Holy Spirit, may he grant us the same Spirit to renew and strengthen us. May he assure us of his unfailing presence and increase our faith, hope and charity. Amen

EASTER SUNDAY

Acts 10:34.37-43

Psalm 117

1Corinthians 5:6-8

John 20:1-9

HE HAS RISEN INDEED

This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. For we celebrate the foundation of our faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, from the gospel reading, the resurrection of Jesus does not present itself as a scientific fact to be proven. No one saw him coming out of the tomb. But the empty tomb, the appearances of the Risen Lord and the witness of the apostles testify that something extraordinary and beyond human understanding happened.

In effect, in the early morning of the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala, Simon Peter and the other disciple realized that the tomb was empty. They saw the linen lying on the ground. The cloth that covered Jesus’ head was not with the linen but rolled up in a place by itself. This means that Jesus’ body was not furtively taken away. The other disciple saw and believed (Jean 20:1-9).

Thus, in the first reading, Simon Peter bears witness to the resurrection of Christ as a fact of faith. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to them. They saw him, ate and drank with him. And by his mandate they are his witnesses (Acts 10:34.37-43). Other resurrection narratives testify to this. It is therefore true that Jesus rose from the dead. His resurrection was not a fabricated story.

But what is the import of Jesus’ resurrection for us today? St Paul replies that we should get rid of the old yeast of evil and wickedness so as to make ourselves into completely new persons marked by sincerity and truth (1Co 5:6-8). By our way of life, we must bear witness to the Risen Lord and show that we are children of the resurrection. We must share the light of the resurrection that dispels fear, discouragement, corruption, injustice, unforgiveness, falsehood, hypocrisy, wickedness, selfishness, etc. Therefore, let us pray that the resurrection of Jesus may bring us joy, hope, breakthrough and renewal in every sphere of our life. Amen

Happy Easter to you all !!!

PASCHAL TRIDUUM, HOLY SATURDAY

Gen. 1:1-- 2:2; Gen. 22:1-18; Exod. 14:15—15:1; Is. 54:5-14; Is 55:1-11; Bar. 3:9-15.32—4:4; Ezek. 36:16-17.18-28; Rom 6:3-11; Matt. 28:1-10

THE EASTER VIGIL, THE NIGHT OF ALL NIGHTS

Holy Saturday is the third day of the Sacred Triduum. In the evening, we celebrate the Easter Vigil, “the Passover in honour of the Lord”. The liturgy of the Easter Vigil is made up of four parts, namely, the service of light, the liturgy of the Word, the liturgy of baptism and the liturgy of the Eucharist.

The liturgy of the Word invites us to meditate on the Salvation History, how God has been so close to mankind since creation. The great events that mark this history have been wrought in the night. The first act of creation was the victory of light over darkness: “let there be light” and there was light (Gen. 1:3). It was at night that God saved the Israelites from slavery through the Passover meal, liberating them from the power of Pharaoh. It was at night that he led them dry-shod through the red sea (Ex. 14). It was at night that our Saviour was born in Bethlehem. It was at night that Jesus rose from the dead, breaking the chains of death. It could be said that Easter is essentially a passage: the passage from darkness to light, the passage from death to life, the passage from slavery to freedom.

Therefore, one thing that Holy Saturday teaches us is that no matter how deep and how long the night is, the day will surely come. No matter how long the waiting may be, the fulfillment of God’s promise will surely come. Jesus had to go through the terrible experience of dying and being in the tomb for three days. But now he has risen! This day invites us to hope against all hope. There is no hopeless situation. And no situation is permanent. Our God is able to raise us up from the desperate situation we may find ourselves in. He is able to make a way where there is no way.

Let us pray therefore that the rising of our Lord Jesus Christ may dispel every darkness in our life. May the power of the resurrection roll up every stone that is a standing-block on your way to excellence and victory so that we may all give glory and honour to the Crucified and Risen Lord. Amen

PASCHAL TRIDUUM, GOOD FRIDAY

Isaiah 52:13—53:12

Psalm 30

Hebrews 4:14-16.5:7-9

John 18:1—19:42

Today is the second day of the Sacred Triduum. Apart from the ancient devotion of going through the stations of the cross that characterizes the day, today’s liturgy is made up of four parts, namely, the liturgy of the Word, the solemn general intercessions, the veneration of the cross and the liturgy of the Pre-sanctified or Holy Communion. The focus of today’s liturgy is the cross. In the days of Jesus, the cross was a sign of shame, curse, punishment, condemnation, torture, suffering and death. The imagery of a cross was something absurd and resentful. It pointed to anger and bitterness, hatred and violence.  

But Jesus changed the perspective of the cross. As the account of the Passion according to St John reveals to us, the Son of God was crucified and died for the redemption of mankind. The cross is therefore the sign of God's love for humanity. With Jesus, the cross becomes the symbol of friendship, redemption and glory. It is on the cross that the Son of God is glorified and draws all men to himself. As such, the cross is the emblem of victory instead of defeat, of life instead of death, of forgiveness instead of condemnation.

As the Suffering Servant, Jesus was thought of as someone accursed, punished by God. He was despised, rejected and humiliated, a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief. However, ours were the sufferings he bore, ours the sorrows he carried. His wounds brought us healing and wholeness (Is. 52:13—53:12). Through his Passion and death, he has become the source of salvation for mankind. He is the Eternal High Priest who never ceases to intercede for us. Because he had gone through suffering, he is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses, trials and sufferings (Heb. 4:14-16.5:7-9).  

On this day, therefore, we are invited to contemplate the mystery of the cross, which is the mystery of God’s infinite love for us. This contemplation must awaken in us a feeling of gratitude to the Lord, of regret for our sins which caused him such great suffering. We are also called to associate our own crosses, fears and sufferings with the sorrowful passion of Christ and find in him the source of our consolation, strength and hope. May the saving death of Christ on the cross sanctify and redeem us. Amen