Acts 2:42-47; Ps. 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1Peter 1:3-9; Jn. 20:19-31
Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen. Jesus chose the more perfect way of sanctification for the world to follow, the way of the cross to the resurrection of the dead to reveal his Divine Mercy. The all-powerful God through his Son offers us the path to holiness by way of the cross to our victory over death. It is to live our passion with all its joys, sorrows, love and mercy in charity for a greater good. It is to prepare for death living with the end in mind, a final judgment to separate the good from the bad in our humanity. Finally, it is to be purified to receive the light of eternal glory in the resurrection.
Believe and receive the gift of faith or live in doubt. St. Thomas is alive and well in the world of unbelieving. It is a world looking to be self-reliant in all things until faced with a crisis beyond control having to return to faith in others, in the power of unity and in the love and mercy of God. “Blessed dare those who have not seen and have believed.”
Today is recognized as “Mercy Sunday” instituted as such by (Saint) Pope John Paul II after the Canonization of Faustina Kowalska. In her diary, Faustina writes of the promises of Jesus to those whose “Devotion of Divine Mercy” includes confession and receipt of Holy Communion. The promise of forgiveness of sins and heaven in the sacraments. Appropriately this day marks the gift of “confession” to the disciples after he breathes on them and proclaims, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” This sacramental gift is to the priesthood through Jesus resurrection to his disciples.
Confession is the visible sign of the invisible grace of God’s mercy. Just like many of Jesus’ healings were manifested through visible acts united to the act of faith to confirm the gift. In fact Jesus sign of his forgiveness of sins came with the act of healing because the body and soul are one to rise again in holiness. The act of faith is to believe in the gift and the visible act is to confess to his servant Priest who receive this grace to be in the person of Christ in the sacrament.
Confession is made to God in our humanity in unity with the church. Why would he give the disciples this gift if we can simply “go to Jesus” in the secrecy of our hearts? This public act of confession requires humility the foundation of holiness. It calls us to set aside our pride and admit our sins in an act of contrition. The Lord loves a humble heart. In this sacrament we hear the words of absolution spoken by the priest sent from God fulfilling his promise “whose sins you forgive are forgiven”. Then there is the final act of obedience as the priest says “for your penance…”. This is our gift back to God in thanksgiving for his love and mercy.
In this sacrament of confession, we are reminded God works through our humanity to lift us up to his divinity. This is why he chose to enter our humanity as an infant and carry the cross of our sins offering up his humanity as a sacrifice of love and mercy sanctifying us in his blood. An all-powerful God in all the possible means to manifest himself came to more perfect way of the cross to be our sacrifice. Alleluia! Alleluia!
What about us and our sacrifices of life, do they have meaning and purpose? In times of crisis we search for meaning and for God. The opportunity of redemption is a sacrifice. Today a pandemic has brought about many a sacrifice around the world with suffering and death. The world believes that “a crisis should not be wasted”. It looks for the opportunity to exploit a crisis for its own good. In the passion of Jesus his disciples fled in fear and Peter denied Jesus three times. In the resurrection Jesus now breathes on them the power of the Holy Spirit to fear not but rise and testify to the truth. This is our gift in baptism and we too are called in times of crisis to waste not this opportunity to witness to our faith, stand for the truth, and offer our sacrifices for as a greater good.
The way of the cross for humanity is our call to unity with the cross of Jesus for our redemption and that of the whole world. It is a call to be a servant of Jesus Christ in this hardship and bring the good news of salvation by our act of faith, hope, and charity. This is our day of redemption, this is our call to action, this is our way of the cross. This is the more perfect way to his divinity. Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen.
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