Homily Second Sunday of Easter. Year C. Divine Mercy Sunday - Sunday, April 28, 2019
Image: By Renata Sedmakova. Shutterstock licensed photo ID: 616652993 TURIN, ITALY - MARCH 13, 2017: The The painting The Doubt of St. Thomas in Church Chiesa di Santo Tomaso by unknown artist of 18. cent. -
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Acts 5:12-16
Psalm: Ps 117:2-4. 22-27. "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. "
Second Reading: Revelation 1:9-13. 17-19
Second Reading: Revelation 1:9-13. 17-19
Gospel Acclamation: John 20:29
Gospel: John 20:19-31
Homily
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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Second Sunday of Easter. Year C. Divine Mercy Sunday - Sunday, April 28, 2019 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-easter-2c-divine-mercy-sunday-2019/s-eD2ZY (EPISODE: 155)
++++++++++Our prayers and thoughts are with the people of Sri Lanka who have suffered multiple attacks on Christian Churches during Easter Sunday services, and also attacks at hotels. We pray for all affected by this act of callous violence. Let us pray that human life and dignity and religious freedom will be respected.
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This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday, where we recall the absolute mercy and love that Jesus has for all humanity.
Speaking of God's divine mercy. God's mercy is better and more profound than any human mercy or compassion could even imagine. We cannot downplay the significance of how different Jesus' reunion with his disciples is after he rose from the dead, from how the expectations of the world might be… After all, Jesus had been betrayed and abandoned by most of his followers and almost all of his disciples. Only a few loyal women stayed with him through it all… his chosen disciples mostly scattered in fear. The one Jesus chose to be the rock on which he would build his church, denied him three times. Now he is risen and he returns to meet them… would not one expect (if this were merely an earthly drama), that there would be revenge, retribution, or at least an extended session of guilt trips and finger-pointing… But no…. there is not a hint of judgement in our Lord's return…. He does not even punish Thomas for his doubt and his demands before he would believe the news that Our Lord had indeed risen.
Christ meets Thomas where he is at.. and shows Thomas what he needed to be assured… he shows him his hands and side… That is mercy. That is compassion. It is also service and love. This is God's ways which are so very different from many of the ways of the world….
In the Easter narratives…. "The risen Jesus is encountered by different disciples in different situations and different ways….
• Mary Magdalene recognised the risen Jesus only when he called her by name.
• The two disciples travelling along the road towards Emmaus, did not realise WHO this stranger was who walked along with them…. until they saw him break bread ….. and then they realised that their hearts had already been burning with fervour as they had walked along the road….. but they had not recognised the signs of Christ's presence …. But the disciples would get better and better at recognising Christ in the Eucharist… and in the word of God and in the stranger… and in the burning energy of God's good news…
• and then again today….. some people do not recognise Jesus until they touch the wounds of the suffering one…..
May we continue to recognise Christ's presence, whenever we touch the wounded-ness of those around us and offer support and strength….
One could assume that Thomas is doubting that Jesus had been raised from the dead. ……..But if we look at this incident very carefully, it could be argued that in fact it not Jesus whom Thomas doubts, but rather, Thomas is expressing doubt in his fellow disciples. In fact when Jesus appears to them seven days later, Thomas has the opportunity to share in the experience of the Risen Lord and like the others he immediately confesses Easter faith.
So, this passage can also be saying….. do not be tempted to doubt the proclamation of the Disciples…. Which is the constant message of the church throughout its two thousand and more years of history,… that Jesus is truly risen…. Even if we have not seen it for ourselves and touched the very wounds of the risen Christ, … we trust in the testimony of those apostles who did see him and who did touch his hand and side and took broken bread from his hands…. and whose words are written in scripture so that we now share in their message and believe, and also share fully in the life of the risen Lord, that Jesus offers us to us all….
The first reading gives a picture of the early Christian church community as it grows in numbers and in strength, with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The apostles are doing what Jesus did. Jesus is working in and through them. The first reading mentions that they all met by common agreement, and it illustrates in the first reading, some ways in which this Christian community was a powerful source of Christ's healing to those in need.
We need the community…. And we need that important gathering together to unite our hearts and minds to that of Christ and his gospel…. We know implicitly that coming together as the Body of Christ, the church, is never an added extra… there is no such thing as a solo Christian… even when we work at times individually….we are nevertheless united in a common bond with Christ and one another. The community of disciples, the church, ensures that we are always one in Christ…. And not merely walking to the beat of our own individual drum………… nor making up our own faith and practice as we go.
In a world where individualism is strong and a deeply valued quality….. the idea of being united and focusing on unity (in Christ), whilst at the same time not denying the value of unity in diversity, is a careful balancing act, not to be taken lightly…
Jesus wants us to be ONE IN HIM….. he wants to unite us in the communion of his loving relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants us to be united in the belief and experience of him as the Risen Son of God… who invites us to share in his life and participate in his Kingdom forever.
We pray for the grace to be people of unity and healing…. who constantly act and work in ways that build up unity, protects against fragmentation…..
We pray for the ability to see and act in ways that put the needs of others up there with our needs….. so that we might see the whole picture of our participation in one big family….. and not just a lifelong 'solo act'.
Thomas, in the gospel is so inspiring…. he doubted….but he did not leave…. he was still with the disciples the next week….. he struggled…..but the others did not reject him……. and Jesus strengthened him in his struggle and doubts……….. at times in life… we will have doubts and fears…… Jesus shows us all that we are right to trust in his promises, even when we do not always experience the confirmation of the truth of these promises with our own eyes, hands and ears…… Thomas is a gift to us in another way. He shows us that the apostles were not gullible or foolish. What they experienced in the Risen Jesus was the experience of sensible people, just like you and me. Thinking people, who do not easily swallow everything we are told, but nevertheless, they truly did experience Jesus risen body and soul and this is what they have steadfastly passed on to all future generations. This is the testimony of sensible, deep-thinking people who know what they mean and mean what they say.
Today we know that Our Lord is certainly worth trusting in, and all his promises are true….. we can thank Thomas for Jesus confirming that for all future generations…. including us here and now….
+++++
References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
A BOOK OF GRACE-FILLED DAYS. BY Alice Camille
Richard J. Leonard.
MONASTERY OF CHRIST IN THE DESERT. ABBOT'S HOMILY.
This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday, where we recall the absolute mercy and love that Jesus has for all humanity.
Speaking of God's divine mercy. God's mercy is better and more profound than any human mercy or compassion could even imagine. We cannot downplay the significance of how different Jesus' reunion with his disciples is after he rose from the dead, from how the expectations of the world might be… After all, Jesus had been betrayed and abandoned by most of his followers and almost all of his disciples. Only a few loyal women stayed with him through it all… his chosen disciples mostly scattered in fear. The one Jesus chose to be the rock on which he would build his church, denied him three times. Now he is risen and he returns to meet them… would not one expect (if this were merely an earthly drama), that there would be revenge, retribution, or at least an extended session of guilt trips and finger-pointing… But no…. there is not a hint of judgement in our Lord's return…. He does not even punish Thomas for his doubt and his demands before he would believe the news that Our Lord had indeed risen.
Christ meets Thomas where he is at.. and shows Thomas what he needed to be assured… he shows him his hands and side… That is mercy. That is compassion. It is also service and love. This is God's ways which are so very different from many of the ways of the world….
In the Easter narratives…. "The risen Jesus is encountered by different disciples in different situations and different ways….
• Mary Magdalene recognised the risen Jesus only when he called her by name.
• The two disciples travelling along the road towards Emmaus, did not realise WHO this stranger was who walked along with them…. until they saw him break bread ….. and then they realised that their hearts had already been burning with fervour as they had walked along the road….. but they had not recognised the signs of Christ's presence …. But the disciples would get better and better at recognising Christ in the Eucharist… and in the word of God and in the stranger… and in the burning energy of God's good news…
• and then again today….. some people do not recognise Jesus until they touch the wounds of the suffering one…..
May we continue to recognise Christ's presence, whenever we touch the wounded-ness of those around us and offer support and strength….
One could assume that Thomas is doubting that Jesus had been raised from the dead. ……..But if we look at this incident very carefully, it could be argued that in fact it not Jesus whom Thomas doubts, but rather, Thomas is expressing doubt in his fellow disciples. In fact when Jesus appears to them seven days later, Thomas has the opportunity to share in the experience of the Risen Lord and like the others he immediately confesses Easter faith.
So, this passage can also be saying….. do not be tempted to doubt the proclamation of the Disciples…. Which is the constant message of the church throughout its two thousand and more years of history,… that Jesus is truly risen…. Even if we have not seen it for ourselves and touched the very wounds of the risen Christ, … we trust in the testimony of those apostles who did see him and who did touch his hand and side and took broken bread from his hands…. and whose words are written in scripture so that we now share in their message and believe, and also share fully in the life of the risen Lord, that Jesus offers us to us all….
The first reading gives a picture of the early Christian church community as it grows in numbers and in strength, with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The apostles are doing what Jesus did. Jesus is working in and through them. The first reading mentions that they all met by common agreement, and it illustrates in the first reading, some ways in which this Christian community was a powerful source of Christ's healing to those in need.
We need the community…. And we need that important gathering together to unite our hearts and minds to that of Christ and his gospel…. We know implicitly that coming together as the Body of Christ, the church, is never an added extra… there is no such thing as a solo Christian… even when we work at times individually….we are nevertheless united in a common bond with Christ and one another. The community of disciples, the church, ensures that we are always one in Christ…. And not merely walking to the beat of our own individual drum………… nor making up our own faith and practice as we go.
In a world where individualism is strong and a deeply valued quality….. the idea of being united and focusing on unity (in Christ), whilst at the same time not denying the value of unity in diversity, is a careful balancing act, not to be taken lightly…
Jesus wants us to be ONE IN HIM….. he wants to unite us in the communion of his loving relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants us to be united in the belief and experience of him as the Risen Son of God… who invites us to share in his life and participate in his Kingdom forever.
We pray for the grace to be people of unity and healing…. who constantly act and work in ways that build up unity, protects against fragmentation…..
We pray for the ability to see and act in ways that put the needs of others up there with our needs….. so that we might see the whole picture of our participation in one big family….. and not just a lifelong 'solo act'.
Thomas, in the gospel is so inspiring…. he doubted….but he did not leave…. he was still with the disciples the next week….. he struggled…..but the others did not reject him……. and Jesus strengthened him in his struggle and doubts……….. at times in life… we will have doubts and fears…… Jesus shows us all that we are right to trust in his promises, even when we do not always experience the confirmation of the truth of these promises with our own eyes, hands and ears…… Thomas is a gift to us in another way. He shows us that the apostles were not gullible or foolish. What they experienced in the Risen Jesus was the experience of sensible people, just like you and me. Thinking people, who do not easily swallow everything we are told, but nevertheless, they truly did experience Jesus risen body and soul and this is what they have steadfastly passed on to all future generations. This is the testimony of sensible, deep-thinking people who know what they mean and mean what they say.
Today we know that Our Lord is certainly worth trusting in, and all his promises are true….. we can thank Thomas for Jesus confirming that for all future generations…. including us here and now….
+++++
References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
A BOOK OF GRACE-FILLED DAYS. BY Alice Camille
Richard J. Leonard.
MONASTERY OF CHRIST IN THE DESERT. ABBOT'S HOMILY.
Image: By Renata Sedmakova. Shutterstock licensed photo ID: 616652993 TURIN, ITALY - MARCH 13, 2017: The The painting The Doubt of St. Thomas in Church Chiesa di Santo Tomaso by unknown artist of 18. cent. -
+++
Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address:paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love, A time of Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.
[{selected psalms } - ***Psalm verses are (also) taken from "The Psalms: A New Translation" ©1963, The Grail (England), published by Collins.. **]
Prayers of the Faithful are adapted from Robert Borg's 1993 book " Together we pray". Published in Sydney Australia By E.J. Dwyer. (out of print).
{ "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -published 2011, Composed and Sung by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski
Featuring the….Gloria, The Creed, The Kyrie, The Mass parts, Psalms: http://www.ccwatershed.org/chabanel/ ]]] ] COPYRIGHT @ 2018 CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Ralph_Sherwin_Videos/
"Faith, Hope and Love" theme Hymn: Words, based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, set to original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.
For more details please visit http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au/
Contact us atpaulwkelly68@gmail.com
Production by Kelly Enterprises Resources.
May God bless and keep you.
Second Sunday of Easter. Year C. Divine Mercy Sunday
(Sunday, April 28, 2019)
(EPISODE: 155 )
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
+++++++++++++
Coming together as brothers and sisters, with confidence let us ask the Fathers forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion
Lord Jesus, you were lifted up to draw all people to yourself: Lord, have mercy//You shouldered the cross, to bear our suffering and sinfulness: Christ, have mercy// You open for your people the way from death into life: Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Easter I
Euch Prayer II
Communion side. pwk: RH
++++
Go in peace.(glorifying the Lord by your life)
+++
Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address:paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love, A time of Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.
[{selected psalms } - ***Psalm verses are (also) taken from "The Psalms: A New Translation" ©1963, The Grail (England), published by Collins.. **]
Prayers of the Faithful are adapted from Robert Borg's 1993 book " Together we pray". Published in Sydney Australia By E.J. Dwyer. (out of print).
{ "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -published 2011, Composed and Sung by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski
Featuring the….Gloria, The Creed, The Kyrie, The Mass parts, Psalms: http://www.ccwatershed.org/chabanel/ ]]] ] COPYRIGHT @ 2018 CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Ralph_Sherwin_Videos/
"Faith, Hope and Love" theme Hymn: Words, based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, set to original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.
For more details please visit http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au/
Contact us atpaulwkelly68@gmail.com
Production by Kelly Enterprises Resources.
May God bless and keep you.
Second Sunday of Easter. Year C. Divine Mercy Sunday
(Sunday, April 28, 2019)
(EPISODE: 155 )
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
+++++++++++++
Coming together as brothers and sisters, with confidence let us ask the Fathers forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion
Lord Jesus, you were lifted up to draw all people to yourself: Lord, have mercy//You shouldered the cross, to bear our suffering and sinfulness: Christ, have mercy// You open for your people the way from death into life: Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Easter I
Euch Prayer II
Communion side. pwk: RH
++++
Go in peace.(glorifying the Lord by your life)
