Divine Mercy Sunday: Jesus - "My Lord, My God"

Divine Mercy Sunday/ 2nd Sunday of Easter: Readings - Acts 2:42–47; Psalm 118:2–4, 13–15, 22–24; 1 Peter 1:3–9; John 20:19–31

(The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio 1601-1602)

Listen to my audio homily

The scriptural readings of today's liturgy are very powerful and significant. They are in tune with what we celebrate today: The Divine Mercy of Sunday, which is also Second Sunday of Easter. The first reading that we have from the Acts of the Apostles 2:42–47 is reminder that how best a good Christian community could live with a spirit of the Risen Jesus. It's community of full of mercy and compassion and have accepted Jesus as their Master and Lord. 

I

The Gospel reading from St John 20:19–31 speaks about the second apparition of the Resurrected Jesus to his disciples. This happens when all the 11 disciples were present including Thomas who was absent during Jesus' first apparition. Thomas' exclamation and confession of faith in Jesus is central one. He exclaims: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Nowhere in the Gospel, we find any other disciple or other person calling Jesus as God.   This confession also speaks about who is Jesus for Thomas, who was called the Twin. It is the same disciple who had said in the earlier time referring to his master soon after raising Lazarus from the dead, to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him [Jesus].” (John 11:16)

II

The three synoptic gospels Mark, Matthew and Luke speak of stories, parables, journeys and events in the life of Jesus.  They paint a portrait of a wandering “prophet” who is busy performing miracles, healing the sick, consoling the poor and downtrodden, comforting the lost, and lonely and raising the dead. He is an attracting figure who befriends all including women, children, strangers, samaritans and Romans. Others speak for him including his Father “This is my beloved Son…” (Matt 3:17, 17:5, Mark 9:7, Luke 9:35). The experience of his kindness, faithfulness, joys, tears and sorrows are overflowing.

III

However, the gospel of John is different.  We do not see the infancy narratives of Jesus. John begins with Jesus as the “Word” of God.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…” (1:1). Throughout John’s gospel we see exposition of Jesus as divine son of God. The various “signs” of the divinity of Jesus the Christ are manifested either by his own words or by the expressions of others. Many questions are asked including the famous one: “Who do you say I am?”  John makes known Jesus is meant for all. Jesus is a man for the multitudes. Jesus is recognized as someone who is different by the first miracle at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-12). In his feast everyone is included and no one is left out. For John, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (14:6). He is the Marga! The one who shows a way to the father. He is the good shepherd (Jn 10:11). He is the vine and we are the branches (Jn 15:5). He is resurrection and life (Jn 11:25). He is a friend (Jn 15:15), etc.

IV

Interestingly, the gospel writer John places his own friend Thomas in opposition to what Jesus appears in his narration. Thomas is a person who is so human in his dealings that he is the one who will tell the entire creation who actually Jesus is: My Lord, my God. Thomas doubts at every point of resurrection episodes. “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hand and put my fingers into the nailmarks and put my hand in his side, I will not believe” (Jn 20:25).

V

Jesus says three times in today's reading, "peace be with you". In Hebrew, it is Shalom. Its root meaning is wholeness, fullness or completeness. In other words, what Jesus is referring here is the completeness or perfection of everything. There is no slightest edge for what is not peace or harmony. With the resurrection, whatever Jesus communicates to his disciples is going to be a complete, harmonious perfection of God's power which they would proclaim to others.

VI

There is an another word which is really fascinating, i.e. "breathed". Jesus "breathed on them [disciples] and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22). In Greek, it's "Enpousou" τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησεν καὶ λέγει. In the bible only two times this word is used. The first one is in Genesis 2:7 "then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being." This word ἐνεφύση is rich with meaning. Jesus is giving a new life to those terrified, depressed, disappointed, panic stricken disciples a fresh life. In other words, people who were lifeless. With Jesus' gesture they would become the messengers of the good news, Evangelium to the entire creation. Just like the first created person would guide the entire universe, the apostles would be Jesus' imitators in building a reign of God which is full of justice, peace and truth.

 VII

Today, the Church celebrates the Divine Mercy Sunday. The first thought that comes to our mind is the picture of Divine Mercy with those consoling words inscribed “Jesus, I trust in you,” The readings of today suggest very powerfully for a call to all of us to become missionaries of mercy.  Indeed, it's a worthy challenge. People should know me not by my social status, work or group that I belong to, but by the sheer sense of the kind of person I am.

(Divine Mercy, Kazimirowski Eugeniusz, 1934)

Since 2000, the second Sunday of Easter has been known as Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope John Paul II canonised Sister Faustina Kowalska of Poland on 30 April 2000. She had visions of the Divine Mercy. Jesus told Sr Faustina: “Humanity will not find peace until it turns trustfully to divine mercy.” Through this devotion we are called to be a ray of hope when suffering and death continue to experience here in our own cities, towns, neighbourhoods and around the world due to corona infection.  There is fear, panic, greed, hoarding, violence and death.  Thousands of people have died, millions are infected by this killer bug and many more will die. 

VIII

Strangely, there is still violence and wars being waged around many countries of the world during this time when death is at the corner by the Corona pandemic. The 20th century has seen enough and more wars, genocides, man made disasters and famine. The political leaders and decision makers seem to be busy with how to protect their supremacy and hegemony in their countries and in the world. If this Corona killer bug is causing such havoc, it's because of our own greed and lack of mercy to one another. Certainly, it could have contained long ago. What is consoling is that this corona can infect any political leader in the world; president, prime minister, minister, king, queen, CEO, poor, rich, servant, noble, aristocrat or even a dictator.  Therefore, at least now everyone should understand that only mercy can heal us, touch us and save us. 

Christ has taught us that we not only receive and experience the mercy of God, but also called to practise mercy towards others: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt 5:7). Jesus also showed us the many paths of mercy, solidarity, compassion, love and forgiveness. We should at this moment trust in that God who gave a new lease of life to his disciples. So that all the ills and anxieties that are created by this present situation may be taken away completely and the whole planet may be healed quickly.

A few questions to ponder

1.What kind picture of Jesus I can paint with my life experiences?

2. How far Jesus has been my Lord and my God during this Corona lockdown?

3. Have I ever considered myself as Thomas Apostle, who looks for authenticity and ultimately to the Lord?

4. Like Thomas do I believe only what I personally experience? 

5. Where is this God of ours during this time of Corona pandemic? 

- Olvin Veigas, SJ
Divine Mercy Sunday (19th April 2020)