Divine Mercy Sunday
Reflection on Scripture
Today’s first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, describes how the new communities of faithful Christians when about their daily activities. We are told that they spent time in prayer and studying the writings of the Apostles. The communities held their possessions in common for the use of the greater community and the communities grew in number as new members were added through the example of faith professed by those already in community.
We are told by Paul in the Epistle how we believe though we have not seen the Lord and that our hope in the resurrection of the body and the kingdom prepared for all those who believe and this kingdom will be eternal.
Let’s first reflect on the faith of the followers of Jesus, who had not seen Him during His public ministry and yet believe through the grace of the Holy Spirit and the teaching and example of the Apostles and disciples of Jesus.
Thomas, known as doubtful Thomas, returned to the upper room where Jesus’ apostles and disciples were gathered. He approached the upper room only to find the shutters on the windows closed and the door to the room locked out of fear of the Jews whom they believed wanted Jesus and all His followers extinguished. He knocked on the door and was not readily admitted but asked who he was. He stated, he was Thomas, and the door was quickly opened, and he was pulled into the room and the door locked behind. Thomas saw only frightened people. Then Thomas was told, the Lord is risen and He has appeared to us. Thomas’s thoughts were if Jesus has risen as He said, then why was everyone in hiding and not outside proclaiming His resurrection. Thomas saw the incongruity of what they said and how they acted and could not reconcile the two. So, Thomas told them he would not believe until He had seen the Lord himself.
Later, Jesus appeared when Thomas was present and Thomas believed because he had seen and could now attest to the resurrection himself. Tradition tells us that Thomas left the upper room, never to return, and began evangelizing in India and the far east bringing many converts to the Lord.
The story of Thomas brings into sharp focus the quality of our own belief. Do we reflect the faith in the resurrection that gives us peace and the strength to proclaim Jesus risen from the dead and the good news of salvation? Or like the people gathered in the upper room, do we live in fear of those who do not believe, or do we try to stay politically correct and not make our beliefs known?
The second item I would like to reflect upon, is the communal living of the followers of Jesus. Obviously, the concept did not continue as more and more people became believers and to live in community became totally unmanageable. Or did it?
When a man takes a woman and they promise to each other that they will love and be faithful to each other for the whole of life in the marriage ceremony, they are establishing a new Christian community or what we refer to as the little church or the domestic church. Couples are tasked to live in harmony with each other and their community, the couple and children, is intended to mirror the community of the Blessed Trinity.
Through believing and living their faith, they give honor and glory to the Father and mirror Christian living for others to follow. The domestic church is the primary evangelist of our time. Additionally, all they have is shared with their community and to a lesser extent with other communities who are in need. So, every family is living the community of believers as described in the Acts of the Apostles.
This is also Divine Mercy Sunday. If we surrender ourselves to the Lord’s mercy we can fully have His peace and experience His love. All the good that we are is because He has won for us salvation and the grace to journey through life as His friends and companions, living and proclaiming the good news of salvation.
May the good Lord continue to bless us, help us grow in community with Him and with each other, and we be a reflection of His mercy and the distributors of His love in our acts of mercy.
Deacon Phil