ACTS 2:42-47; PSALM 118; 1 PETER 1:3-9; JOHN 20:19-31.
Today is the first Sunday after Easter. It is a very significant day for every human being, for the church, for the world, even for souls of the Faithful Departed.
The Lord Jesus has a special plan for this day. He told St Maria Faustina that he desires that today be set aside to celebrate, venerate, embrace, receive and proclaim his mercy. In one of the revelations to St Faustina, Jesus told her
I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.
The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. (Diary 699).
Concerning the Feast of Mercy Jesus said:
Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. (Diary 300)
I want the image solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it. (Diary 341).
So today is a day that Jesus himself has promised us great mercy. If there is ever a time we need mercy so much in our world, it is now, thousands are dying daily and mostly without the comforting presence of a minister or their family members, people are lonely in isolation, many families are no longer complete, the doors of churches are necessarily shut to people, social distancing has replaced our natural instinct to embrace each other warmly, people are hungry at home in many parts of the world, the rate of crime, depression, domestic abuse and violence is increasing, many people who are critically ill are unattended to for want of personnel, we are living in uncertain days, the social media has been hijacked by fear mongers, the dreams, plans and hopes of many are empty, people are harassed by fear, the future is bleak, we are in a war-like situation, a war targeted against humanity.
The gospel of today is just very appropriate. It narrates the appearance of Jesus to the disciples when they were behind closed doors, something like an isolation, they were afraid of something, the evangelist says it is fear of the Jews.
That looks more to me like our situation. We are behind closed doors for fear of virus.
Again, I also want to extrapolate that the disciples were not only afraid of the Jews, they were also behind closed doors out of shame and guilt. Mary Magdalene had just told them that he is risen and she had seen him, they must have been afraid of bumping into him. The last time he saw them was at the garden of Gethsemane when they were deserting him at his arrest, Peter stayed awhile only to deny him three times. They have disappointed him badly, out of shame, Judas had gone to kill himself.
They had a tensed mixture of fear, anxiety, guilt and shame, this forced them to isolate themselves. Jesus came into their midst, no closed door could stop him, he broke into their shame, they expected words of rebuke or blame but he brought words of peace, he says “eirene hymin” (Peace be with you).
That is, I have defeated all forces which destroy the peace of humankind, I am here to take away your fears, your sins are forgiven, I have reconciled you with the Father, I am here to bring you the comforting peace of my presence, peace be with you because I have won eternal life for you no need to be afraid of death again.
This is the message of mercy, that Jesus wants to bestow peace to people who are guilty and deserve punishment, peace to people who are anxious and afraid, he breathed a newness on them meaning “your pasts are forgiven this is a fresh start.” This is exactly what Jesus has promised you and I and the whole world on this day of Divine Mercy.
This is the message for us today, Jesus knows our weaknesses, our wrong choices, our mistakes, our failures, our doubts, what we are struggling with, what we have been hiding from the world, everything we have done wrong, he knows what we are most afraid of and what is making us sad, worried and anxious, but today he simply says “peace be with you, come and immerse yourself, your family, the world in my fount of mercy.”
This is the message that Jesus is also sending us to proclaim to others, there is hope of mercy, offer of a fresh start, forgiveness of all sins and peace for everyone who will come to Jesus and especially today.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Okami on Divine Mercy Sunday April 19, 2020.