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​2 ND SUNDAY OF EASTER (DIVINE MERCY)
First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 5:12-16
Responsorial Psalm: 118:2-4, 13-15,22-24
Second Reading: Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19
Gospel Reading: John 20:19-31
Reflection: We Hallelujah because we are Easter people! As I always share, Easter is not a one-day event. It is the season which extends up to 50 days starting from Easter Sundayall the way to Pentecost Sunday. During this whole season, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord from the dead by telling to each other powerful stories surrounding this event. As we navigate through the holy scriptures designated in our liturgies for this season, we can’t fail to see how Jesus makes himself known to us as the risen Lord of glory and how the Easter people from early days became witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. In today’s first Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we encounter Easter people in the time of the apostles who are so much empowered by Christ’s resurrection to carry on His ministry, the ministry He had carried out during his public ministry. As apostles witness publicly of the risen Lord of glory as it is stated: the “great number of men and women, were added to them (believers).” In today’s Gospel reading from John, the risen Lord of glory (Jesus) appears to His disciples who had congregated into the locked apartment for the fear of the Jews. As Jesus appears to them, He greets them, “Peace be with you.” He then commissions them to carry on His ministry as He says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” The reading tells us that Thomas one of his disciples was not in the apartment when Jesus visited. When Thomas returns and is informed of Jesus’
visit, he doubted about it. Another time, Jesus visits them again and He presents himself to Thomas saying, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas kneels down to accept that truly Jesus has risen from the dead. He is truly living. As the Church concludes the Divine Mercy novena this Sunday and commemorates Divine Mercy Sunday, we may fully see the abundant mercy of God to us as Jesus, the risen Lord of glory visits his disciples (of that time and today) to show himself to them that He is not to be found among the dead but among the living. Mostly his visits to us as the risen Lord of glory castes away-unfounded fears and doubts, unnecessary ignorance, and empowers us to the
truth, love, forgiveness and full ability to spread the Good news to all the nations. Yes, we are Easter people and our song is Hallelujah! Yes! Amen! Fr. Severine.