A Reflection for the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday) by Fr Louie Kitt
Mercy is evidence of Resurrection
I’m sure, like me, you were moved by ninety nine year old Captain Tom Moore, who was and still is raising millions of pounds for the NHS by sponsored walking. Amidst the death and darkness of the virus, we see shoots of life in acts of sacrificial charity, acts of mercy.
Today, the Church celebrates Divine Mercy Sunday, where we stop to reflect that we have been drawn into the Resurrected life of Jesus. Everything has now changed. No longer do we see the world through the eyes of looking after number or caring only for my immediate concerns and needs. No longer is it a time to hold onto my sins or sins of others.
All of us can at times fall into the trap that says I’ll be happy through a level of greed or selfishness. At root, this is about fear that I’ll lose something. Pope Francis often speaks about mercy, the sharing of our life with others, especially those in need. When Jesus spoke to St. Faustina in mystical communication during the 1930s, he spoke about a radical need to humbly ask for mercy from God but also to manifest that in our lives towards others.
In the Gospel today, the disciples are in lockdown, in fear of the Jews. They know that Jesus is Resurrected but their fear leads them to be limited, their faith in the power of the Resurrection hasn’t flooded their lives yet. Jesus walks through that locked door and says ‘Shalom’, which refers to a deep peace that He wants us to have.
On this Divine Mercy Sunday, hopefully we can accept more deeply that we are people of the Resurrection, where we can let go of sin and we can let go of the sins of others. We are called into that Shalom of Jesus, unlocking the doors of fear and going forward in the power of the Resurrection.