Transforming Experience of Easter

 Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday): April 24, 2022

Readings: Acts 5:12–16; Psalm 118:2–4, 13–15, 22–24; Revelation 1:9–13, 17–19; John 20:19–31

(Risen Jesus with Thomas and other disciples)

Recently, Mundgod, one of our mission stations in Karnataka marked 40 years of its existence (1982-2022). It is the first mission of the Jesuits in the Northern part of Karnataka. 60% of the land in this poorest taluka of Karnataka is covered with forest and inhabited by tribes like Siddies, Gowlies, Gollas, Lambanies, Vaddars and many more. Today, the Mundgod mission runs a parish with three substations of which two are of Siddi. We also have educational institutions from primary to 12th including a CBSE school. A very strong social work centre works in more than 45 villages of the same taluka. All this bears witness to the Resurrected Jesus. Because without the Easter experience, our pioneers would not have ventured into such poor and remote places and preached Christ in words and deeds.

1. Easter experience transforms everything 

The Gospel readings for this Second Sunday of Easter which is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday bring to our attention the incredible presence of resurrected Jesus amidst the disciples and the first Christians. It is a very exciting period for the nascent community of Christians who drew so much strength from the Easter experience. Through Resurrected Jesus, they experience warmth and friendship, and each one feels counted in the community. In a similar way, Jesus too offers each one of us his personal touch and friendship. As the English author C.S. Lewis puts so beautifully: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” As Christians, we must see everything from the prism of the Resurrection of Jesus.

When a person experiences Easter, he or she cannot keep quiet. When a person makes Christ the center of his or her life, everything in him or her changes and the ripples of this change is transmitted to other persons around them. The first Christian community about whom the Acts of the Apostles speaks about is full of stories of God’s work amidst them. They knew where to meet together, and what to do among themselves in order to live as true disciples of Jesus in spite of his physical absence. In our lives too the experience of God is very important. The anubhava that God experience transforms a person to have anukampa means concern towards others. 

2. Easter Season fulfillment of God's mercy

Having spent a week of the Easter Season, the readings of the liturgy have been encouraging us with the first experiences of the disciples and those close to Jesus in his earthly life. In fact, this was the ultimate fullness of life to them as they could do incredible works of mercy, charity, healing, preaching and even strengthening them in thier faith with their courageous lifestyle as they experienced unfriendly behaviour from others.  The fullness of life those Easter people experienced came from God. It gave them an assurance that only those embrace God fully will have this great gift of God.

As we move ahead in the Easter Season, the Word of God invites us to be part of God's Mercy and compassion, his forgiveness and charity in every way possible. On this day, it is fitting that we celebrate God's very fine attribute which is mercy. There is nothing more valuable and practical in our world today than to demonstrate that mercy as an essential ingredient of our life. Therefore, Pope Francis called Mercy another name for God. As the communal tensions are rising high fuelled by the support of the ruling saffron party seems to be part of the game, mercy is what we need at this hour in our state and country. 

3. Easter experience strengthens faith, hope and love

What fascinates the people around the Easter people is that of the experience of the mercy of God being felt in the form of healing of the sick, driving out of demons, adding the number of believers and so on. In fact, that is what people were looking for in those troubled times when a prophet is killed mercilessly on the cross for no fault of his own. In Peter, people see the handy work of God as he leads the nascent church in a charismatic way. He is no more a man of low self-esteem, short-tempered, haste or quick denial or untrustworthy. He now meets his fear with faith.

The Gospel episode narrates John 20:19–31 how the disciples believe in the Risen Jesus only after he showed himself his wounds on his hands and pierced chest. The atmosphere in the closed upper room must have been tense and yet Jesus offers his disciples peace and instills in them deep joy. Jesus does not in any way blame or shame them, judge or criticize them rather reassures them with his enduring friendship and connectivity. In the person of Thomas the disciple we look in him as a person of integrity, honesty, including humility because he realizes that Jesus is indeed Lord and God. Perhaps a lesson for us through Thomas the disciple is that we too are in need of the grace of belief and freedom from our very broken human tendency to sin and death. God acts in every way as the deliverer of the blessing of his divine mercy. 

God's abundant source of mercy must forgive and heal us. Jesus strengthens the faith of his disciples. So that we too may be redoubled with the joy of abundance of his mercy, joy, peace and life in its fullness. May this Easter Season continue to fill our lives with hopes and an abundance of mercy. Perhaps the words of St Anselm must help us in this Easter Season to pray and live: "Enter into your mind’s inner chamber. Shut out everything but God and whatever helps you to seek him, and when you have shut the door, look for him. Speak now to God and say with your whole heart: I seek your face; your face, Lord, I desire."

Questions for reflections:

1. Having listened to the readings today what at the moment, am I afraid of? 
2. Do I keep the doors closed to others when people are ready to share their gifts and graces with me? 
3. How honest am I with family, friends, neighbours, myself? Do I have any of my convictions and concerns to share?
4. And how can I reach out with Jesus’ life to those who feel lost, hopeless or forgotten? 
5. Thomas responds with an act of faith in five words: “My Lord and my God!” How would you, in just a few words, express what you really believe about Jesus?

Prayer

All-merciful Lord, have mercy upon all Your faithful, on those who are mine and on those who are strangers; on those whom I know and on those whom I know not; on the living and on the dead; and forgive all my enemies, and those who hate me; turn them from the malice which they bear towards me, that they may be worthy of Your mercy. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner.

My Lord and my God, help me to open myself to life and to others, especially those weighed down by burdens. Give me your peace so that integrity, not fear, dominates my thoughts and actions. We make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.  

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

22 April, 2022

PS: To know more about the Mundgod Jesuit Mission, please click on this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7GV8RMCl7GlsJRTbCG4WNw