Gospel Reflections for April 23 2017
Mercy Sunday
Right after the amazing resurrection of Jesus that we celebrated on Easter, we have this new theme, of all things, mercy! Why is that? Well, it makes perfect sense considering the people Jesus knew.
The Gospel begins in a locked room, where the disciples gathered after Jesus was arrested, condemned to death, and horribly crucified. The lock was effective. It kept out the Romans and the hostile crowd looking for them. They are frightened of everyone, and perhaps especially Jesus as well. After all, they abandoned Him in His moment of greatest need.
Now they hear that He has risen! What will Our Lord do now? They could only expect revenge. They knew His last memory of them was their running away!
When Jesus arrives in that locked room, His first words are amazingly, “Peace be with you.” No one expected that! Jesus is not interested our punishment, but only in our changed life for the better. He wants us to leave behind sins that only cause us pain and live His life of joy and fulfillment. That is what mercy is, a promise of no revenge …for our promise of a changed life.
Only Jesus can arrive inside the locked room of our hearts, that deep place where we keep the memories of our greatest sins. Only Jesus can see them in all truth with eyes that are better than our own. We need to believe in His mercy and His grace that helps us change.
Sister Faustina was a Polish nun who received a vision of this merciful Jesus in the 1930’s. It is pictured in the famous “Divine Mercy” painting that Pope John Paul II encouraged all churches to display throughout the year, and especially on this Sunday.
He had lived through the horrors of Nazi Germany and Communist Russia, two giant examples of the betrayal of God’s love, so he knew the world needed this message of mercy. After a long life that saw the collapse of both regimes, he finally died on this very feast day in 2005.
Right after His greeting of “peace” in the Gospel, Jesus authorizes His disciples to forgive sins. Now that they have experienced mercy, He wants them to offer mercy to all who come to confession with that promise of amendment …a promise of a changed life.
That is just what the world needs to hear, and this is just the right Gospel that follows Easter.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Image used with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
Beautiful Gospel of immense love and joy!!! As mercy is given to us we must give mercy!!! Beautiful Faith, beautiful Jesus!! We are soooooooo blessed with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, in forgiveness of sin and in mercy!!!Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our precious Faith!!!Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our precious Jesus!!! and loveeeeeeeeeee you for giving Jesus to us!!
Loveeeee, franca and Dick
Well said!
What great insights you give, Father Dave! I especially like the “locked door of our hearts.” In the room of our hearts we hide with all the things we are afraid for others to find out. But Jesus does know how to enter the room and relieve the anxiety that makes us sad.
Yes, only Jesus can enter the deepest part of our heart!
Thank you for bringing God’s mercy to us by being Christ for us in the special way that only a priest can be.
I don’t often reply but please know that your words are always very helpful and meaningful to me.
I am deeply grateful you find my comments helpful.
Bravo Fr Dave!
I love your homily because of its clarity!! I have been a huge fan of Jesus Divine Mercy! I have read Sr Faustinas’ diary on Divine Mercy, I have been a Missionary of Divine Mercy in many ways , before it became as popular as it is today, BUT, I have never heard it explained so perfectly clear as you have said it here. “That is what mercy is, a promise of no revenge…. for our promise of a changed life””.
So perfectly clear! it shows that we have a part on receiving this mercy…
I also loved your reminding us that Pope John Paul II died on Divine Mercy Sunday!!! A great sign Jesus also gave us!!
Thank you!!!
Thank you!
Hi Father Dave,
Divine Mercy fills us with great hope, particularly as rogue countries move toward feverish debilitation. I often think of the mustard-seed parable and its message of faith.
As always, many thanks for your reflections this week..
God bless!
You are very welcome!
Thank you Fr. Dave for your message of God’s mercy. This is always just what the world needs to hear.
Yes, Pope John Paul saw this as well.
Fr. DAVE,
I’ve heard this Gospel many times but never fully understood the attitude of the apostles until your explanation – thanks!
Mimi and I are looking forward to our most blessed Mercy Sunday ever.
You are very welcome!
Thank you Fr. Dave!
As always- clear and succinct.
Thank you!
I like your metaphor of the “locked door of our hearts.” Perhaps the most beautiful and majestic aspect of Catholicism is that no matter how bad we deem our character or behavior, we can always change those aspects of ourselves. We don’t have to live in the past and the past is not our destiny. Ours is a faith of tolerance and acceptance. Such sinners as Mary Magdaline, notorious for her philandering, have chosen a trajectory of penance by embracing our Lord Jesus Christ and repenting of their turpitude. Some have even risen to sainthood. By virtue of confession and the Eucharist, we can always reverse our sins and redeem ourselves in the graces of God.
Yes, I believe Mary Magdalene is the Patron Saint of everyone.
Father Dave, thank you for the enthusiasm at which you address Jesus teachings
You are very welcome!
Wow. Locked door. Like our locked hearts where we hide our most serious sins. Thank you Fr Dave for reminding me that He shows endless mercy. I never thought about it before, but I guess the diciples were hiding from Him too! After hearing He had risen and they all abandoned Him.!! And yet His first words show mercy. Beautiful homily. Thank you!!!
Yes, the mercy and forgiveness of Our Lord is amazing.
I love your comments. They are very meaningful. I am only a little disappointed that last Sundays readings were what I would call the climax of Easter. My computer was and is down so I am writing late. Although I believe that of all the meditations we have I love the Divine Mercy Chaplet but I think it should have been put on a different day. Each message through the lenten season was not over on Easter Sunday. I felt that this Sunday was the total Climax of the season.
I agree!