LOSS OF CONTACT WITH GOD’S MERCY AS THE CAUSE OF UNBELIEF

20160403 LOSS OF CONTACT WITH GOD’S MERCY AS THE CAUSE OF UNBELIEF

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

First reading

Acts 5:12-16 ©

The faithful all used to meet by common consent in the Portico of Solomon. No one else ever dared to join them, but the people were loud in their praise and the numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily. So many signs and wonders were worked among the people at the hands of the apostles that the sick were even taken out into the streets and laid on beds and sleeping-mats in the hope that at least the shadow of Peter might fall across some of them as he went past. People even came crowding in from the towns round about Jerusalem, bringing with them their sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were cured.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 117:2-4,22-27 ©

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

or

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Let the sons of Israel say:

  ‘His love has no end.’

Let the sons of Aaron say:

  ‘His love has no end.’

Let those who fear the Lord say:

  ‘His love has no end.’

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

or

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The stone which the builders rejected

  has become the corner stone.

This is the work of the Lord,

  a marvel in our eyes.

This day was made by the Lord;

  we rejoice and are glad.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

or

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

O Lord, grant us salvation;

  O Lord, grant success.

Blessed in the name of the Lord

  is he who comes.

We bless you from the house of the Lord;

  the Lord God is our light.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

or

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Second reading

Apocalypse 1:9-13,17-19 ©

My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure. I was on the island of Patmos for having preached God’s word and witnessed for Jesus; it was the Lord’s day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet, ‘Write down all that you see in a book.’ I turned round to see who had spoken to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands and, surrounded by them, a figure like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a golden girdle.

  When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, ‘Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and things that are still to come.’

Gospel Acclamation

Jn20:29

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus said: ‘You believe because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 20:19-31 ©

In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.

‘As the Father sent me,

so am I sending you.’

After saying this he breathed on them and said:

‘Receive the Holy Spirit.

For those whose sins you forgive,

they are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.’

Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him:

‘You believe because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.

LOSS OF CONTACT WITH GOD’S MERCY AS THE CAUSE OF UNBELIEF

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ ACTS 5:12-16; PS 117:2-4, 22-27; REV 1:9-13.17-19; JN 20:19-31  ]

We are living in a very harsh world. It has no patience for those who are weak or make mistakes in life.  There is no second chance.  Not only is there no mercy for those who fail, there is no compassion for the weak, the sick and the hungry.

If we are going through such straits in life, we can understand why people lose faith in God.  If there is God, why are we suffering?  Why is this God so indifferent to our pains and struggles?  How could God be love and mercy when we only experience just the opposite of what is taught to us in the bible.  When God is not feeling with us, then this God does not exist.  Life has no meaning and purpose. Indeed, the primary cause of atheism in the world is the experience of suffering and the lack of encounter with the mercy of God.

Consequently, today as we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, and especially during this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we need to proclaim loudly the mercy of God, just like the apostles in the Portico of Solomon who were “loud in their praise” and as a result, “the numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily.”  All three scripture readings today underscore the same message that God is mercy.  He is not only love but mercy as well.  His love is expressed most clearly in His mercy.

In the gospel, Jesus shows the mercy of God, especially to those imprisoned by fear and guilt because of their sins and their enemies.  “In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews.” Who were their enemies?  It was not primarily the Jews.  They were external enemies.   The real enemy was their guilt because of their shame for abandoning their master when He most needed them at the Garden of Gethsemane and during His passion, and most of all, when He was hanging on the cross.   But Jesus forgave them.  He knew their fears and shame.  So “Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you,’ and showed them his hands and his side.’”   The first gift of the Risen Lord is peace to those who live in guilt, shame and fear of their past.

Secondly, Jesus comes to free us from our external enemies.  These enemies come from fear of the world and our anxieties.   Most of all, the greatest enemy is the fear of death.  To such people, the Lord assures us that He has conquered death by His resurrection.  St John shares with us his encounter with God’s mercy when he was praying. The Lord said, “Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One. I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever.”  Indeed, Christ, by His death and resurrection, has overcome all fear of death and the injustices of the world.  We know that nothing can overcome us or destroy us.  Even in death, we will triumph with the Lord.

Thirdly, God also shows His mercy to the sick.  The Church, like the apostles, continues to be the channels of God’s mercy through miraculous healings as a consequence of prayer and intercession.  We too can continue to come to Him for healing both directly through prayer and also through the help of medical care workers.

Fourthly, God shows His mercy even to the skeptics and atheists.  In the person of St Thomas who doubted the resurrection of the Lord, the Risen Christ made a special appearance to Him.  And not only did He show Himself but most of all revealed to St Thomas that the Risen Lord is the Crucified Christ of mercy.  By showing all the marks in His body, Jesus demonstrated with total clarity His mercy and forgiveness even to unbelievers and atheists like Thomas.  He invites them, “Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.”   So the Lord can identify even with believers in their emptiness.

Finally, Christ comes to show His mercy to those who live without meaning and hope. With Christ’s death and resurrection, everything is now made clear.  We know that suffering will not end in tragedy or meaninglessness.  Just as God used the redemptive suffering of the innocent Christ, He will use our sufferings and sacrifices for the conversion of the world and for the salvation of all.  We know that the Lord is in control and all things will work out for our good.

Indeed, without fear of suffering and death, we can now live fully for God and for others. This explains the change in the attitude of the apostles.  They were then hiding in the Upper Room in fear for their lives.  But in just a while, they were out in the open proclaiming the mercy of God, singing His praises. “Let the sons of Israel say: ‘His love has no end.’ The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone. This is the work of the Lord, a marvel in our eyes.”  With Jesus our cornerstone, our foundation is firm and strong.

As we celebrate the Year of Mercy, we are called to be apostles of divine mercy to the world by being mediators and reconcilers.  After showing His mercy to the apostles, He sent them to do likewise: “’As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.’ After saying this he breathed on them and said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’”  The power to forgive sins includes both the sacrament of baptism and reconciliation.  By extension, it refers to the invitation to reconcile all men and women with each other and with Christ.  Hence, the Church as the Sacrament of Jesus must now extend His Divine mercy to the world, those who are lost in life, those who are suffering in guilt, unable to let go and forgive, those who are sick and in all sorts of difficulties.  We are called to heal them and show them mercy through spiritual and corporal works of mercy.  We are to pray for them and pray over those who are sick and unwell.

For spiritual works of mercy, we are called to lead them to Jesus through catechesis, sacraments and prayers.  We are called to lead them to Jesus the Divine Mercy through catechesis and the proclamation of the Word of God.  What greater gift of mercy can we give to our people than giving them Jesus in the Eucharist and reconciling them in the Sacrament of reconciliation?   This is the direct proclamation of Divine Mercy, through preaching and the sacraments.  We can extend Divine Mercy to the sick, especially when they receive the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.  Indeed, through counselling and spiritual direction, through preaching and sharing of the Word of God, we can give hope to the world, especially those who have given up on life.  We are to pray for them and pray over those who are sick and unwell.

The concrete way of being a channel of God’s mercy is shown through the corporal works of mercy as we attend to those who are suffering physically, emotionally and mentally. Thus, the Church must never lack in her works of mercy to the poor, the suffering and the marginalized.  We are call to serve the poor in Christ and to relieve them of their suffering and pain.  Catholics must be involved directly or indirectly in serving and helping the poor, either through involvement in charitable organizations, helping financially or just providing resources.  Those without resources can visit the poor and give them hope and encouragement.

If we reveal the mercy of God and Christ to the world, we can be sure that having encountered the mercy of God through us, just like what Blessed Mother Teresa did, we will bring about conversion of hearts.  This is what we read in the Acts of the Apostles.  Many were converted because of the miraculous works of mercy of healing and the proclamation of the Word of God.   Only when people see that God is mercy and love, will they believe in Him.  People are not converted simply by preaching and doctrines but by the concrete experience of God’s mercy and compassion.

But before we do that, let us be exposed to God’s mercy in our own lives through the love we receive from the faith community.  We need the support of the Church, like St Thomas, if we are to encounter the mercy of God.   When St Thomas was not with them, he could not find the faith to see the Risen Lord.  We too can be merciful if we experience the divine mercy through the love and faith of the Christian community, especially in, worship and fellowship.  We need the encouragement and forgiveness of our brothers and sisters in the community who could accept us even in our weaknesses.  We cannot work alone, for joy comes from working together for the love and service of God and our neighbours.  In this way, those who receive divine mercy will become effective and gracious channels of God’s mercy.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved