Sunday, April 27, 2025

2rd Easter Sunday – Year C

Divine Mercy Sunday

Homily by Father Emmanuel Schwab

1st reading: Acts 5, 12-16

Psalm: 117 (118), 2-4, 22-24, 25-27a

2rd reading: Revelation 1, 9-11a.12-13.17-19

Gospel: John 20, 19-31

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In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard this story reported by Luke: they even went so far as to place the sick in the squares, placing them on stretchers and litters so that, as he passed by, Peter's shadow would cover one of them.

I emphasize this because we see that, from the apostolic era, the apostle Peter holds a special place, not only in the Christian community, but also among the people. We are not told that these sick people who are put there are all believers in Jesus Christ, but they have noticed something. And hearing this Gospel at the time when we celebrate the funeral of the deceased Pope, Pope Francis, is like a wink from Providence to tell us the importance of Peter's ministry in the Church, thus leading to the importance of our prayer for the cardinals who will have the responsibility of electing the 267rd successor of the apostle.

This second Sunday of Easter was intended as Mercy Sunday by Saint Pope John Paul II. What is mercy? And what do today's readings tell us about mercy, and in particular this Gospel? The first thing we are told is that mercy is already forgiveness, but it is more than that. The apostles are gathered together, surely not only the apostles... first of all because the Virgin Mary is with them, and then there are others like Cleophas who is there on Sunday evening. These apostles and disciples are aware that they have let the Lord down, they are aware that Peter denied Him three times, they are aware that Judas betrayed Him—and it is even this that caused the Lord's death—and that Judas went and hanged himself. They have every reason to despair about themselves, about salvation, and about the future. And Jesus comes. Jesus is the one they have abandoned, the one they have denied, the one they have betrayed, the one in whom they have not believed. And what is the first word he delivers to them? "Peace be with you." We heard this word repeated three times: twice on the first Sunday and once on the second Sunday. Peace be with you. And Jesus is indeed the one they crucified. Strangely, Thomas wants to verify that he is indeed the Crucified One, and Jesus delivers his wounds to Thomas's fingers and hands. As if Jesus were delivered until the end of time so that man would believe: “Do not be an unbeliever, but a believer… — My Lord and my God”, Thomas exclaims.

What we are told here about mercy is that the one who comes to console the disciples and apostles for having abandoned the Lord, for having denied him, for having betrayed him, for not having believed in him, the one who comes to console them for their sins, is the one they abandoned, denied, left. The one who can console us for our sins is God, whom we offend with our sins. And mercy is not only forgiveness, but also consolation: the consolation of Christ who not only takes our sins upon himself, but gives us peace. This teaches us for ourselves in our relationships with one another. In an almost paradoxical and surprising way, the one who can console me for having wounded him is the one I have wounded. The one who can comfort the person who hurt me is me, not only through my forgiveness, but through a renewed love, returned, stronger than the offense. This is what God does for us.

This mercy, Saint Therese of the Child Jesus teaches us, is so abundant in the heart of God that God has no other desire than to pour it out on humanity. And Therese is saddened that so few ask for God's mercy.

Deep down, we would like to be “quit.” We would like to have a well-ordered life so that God would have nothing to forgive us and we would be “quit.” But deep down, what God wants is to give us a superabundant love that nourishes us, that makes us grow and that teaches us little by little to imitate God like beloved children, to use Paul’s words in the letter to the Ephesians, at the beginning of chapter 5, verse 1: “Seek to imitate God, since you are his beloved children.”

We, brothers and sisters, will be eternally in debt to God, and that is a joy! That is a joy! What then do we have to do? As some friends said to me one day when they had just given me a beautiful gift, I said to them: but I don't know how to thank you; and he replied: you say thank you, that's all.

How can we give thanks to God? But say thank you. Let us say thank you. How? First, here, in the celebration of the Eucharist. The word “Eucharisti” means “thank you” in Greek. The Eucharist is Jesus’ thanksgiving to his Father.

And the grace that is given to us is to enter into Jesus' thanks. We come here to learn to say thanks. How does Jesus say thanks to his Father, how does he live this thanks? By giving himself to him. How does he live this thanks? By giving himself to him totally. By doing the Father's will: “My food is to do my Father’s will.” (Jn 4,34:XNUMX). "And I always do what he likes.", says Jesus (Jn 8,29:XNUMX).

And we come here to learn to live this thanksgiving by doing what pleases the Lord, poorly, simply, in our littleness, as we can, but with a good heart and without ever giving up. To say our thanks to God by seeking to love one another, to forgive one another, to serve one another, as the Lord made himself our servant… we celebrated it particularly on Holy Thursday. This is the Christian life: to be dazzled by the mercy of God and to say thanks by living in turn by this mercy.

The whole Gospel, St. John tells us, is written so that we may believe. Let us always take time to read, reread, meditate on the Gospel and to contemplate in it Christ Jesus, the Lord, the one who is the first and the last, the living one, the one who was dead and is now alive forever and ever, the one who holds the keys of death and Hades.

Yes, let us give thanks to God, who loved us so much that he gave his only Son for each of us, so that by believing in him we may have eternal life here and now.

Amen

Father Emmanuel Schwab, Rector of the Shrine