Divine Mercy Sunday (2nd Sunday of Easter)

Divine Mercy and the Church

John 20:19-31

Today, we celebrate Jesus as the Divine Mercy.  We remember the words of the prayer, "You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.

O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You, Amen."

This powerful prayer says it all about the immense love of the Father through his Son in the Holy Spirit.  It also says a lot about how we are supposed to be as a Church, the font of God's mercy for the world.

The first reading reveals a lot about the life of the early Christian communities.  We might not know it, but in promoting the Basic Ecclesial Communities, we are actually immersing ourselves not only into the life of the Church but more importantly, in the very heart of Jesus, by whose Body we are made of.

What makes the Christian community and how do we form ourselves as a genuine Christian community?

First, the faithful lived together - they were one heart and one mind.  "Comunio" or love that binds us with one another and with God makes a powerful Christian community.  We are not just churchgoers; we become brothers and sisters to one another.

Second, they devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles - the Word of God is central to them that everything they think about and do arise from the Word of God as taught by the apostles.

Third, they met in houses for the breaking of the bread - this is not simply a church attendance ritually done.  Christ's once-in-a-lifetime sacrifice is made available to all generations through the celebration of the Eucharist.  Everything in life is reflected in the Eucharist especially the gift of self as Jesus is to us.

Fourth, the sharing of resources - It will always be a challenge to sell everything, possessions and all, and distribute them according to each and everyone's needs.  But definitely, it is possible to share oneself, time, talent, and treasure all for the benefit of the community as a way of being one with Jesus who offered his very own life for us.  Surely, no one would be found wanting if we share ourselves with others, especially the poor in our community.

Jesus reminded Thomas, "Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe."  We who haven't seen the physical Jesus, in faith would be able to say, "Christ lives; Christ's body is the Church that we belong to."

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