“The Lord is truly risen” Every day Prayer, Invitatory antiphon has been continually reminding us this and will all through the Easter season. One thing the gospel writers try to convince us is also this truth that the Lord is indeed risen. They bring all kinds of reason to convince us – the apostles who are communicating to us that Jesus is alive were themselves not people who were easily believing type of people. Even when they have seen, heard, touched the risen Jesus, they were still not believing, so much so that Jesus himself had to scold them for their unbelief! So if such incredulous apostles turned into believers, we are told, there is no reason for us to doubt. They have cleared all possible doubts for us already. Today’s gospel is the culmination of the unbelief to sublime belief.
This example can clarify about our way of coming to know the truth: Suppose you are blindfolded and bucket is placed in front of you. You are asked if it was empty or full. What are the ways you can give the correct answer without removing the blindfold?
One way is to reach into the bucket and feel if there is water in it. In other words, you can experience firsthand information if the bucket is full or empty. This way of learning is called experiencing. It’s knowledge that we acquire by first-hand experience. It’s knowledge that our senses give us.
The second way to learn if it contains water is to drop an object, like coin, upon it. If the object hits the bottom of the bucket with a loud or ringing sound, you know the bucket is empty. On the other hand, if the coins hits with a slurp or a splash, you know the bucket contains water. This way of acquiring knowledge is called inference or reasoning.
A third way to learn if the bucket contains water is to ask someone you trust. The person could look into the bucket and tell you if it has water on it. This way of learning is called believing. It’s knowledge that we acquire by faith. Experiencing, inference and believing, these are the three ways we acquire knowledge in this life. Now look at gospel narratives about resurrection of Jesus. Who are the people telling about their experience of the risen Lord? The apostles. They are trustworthy people. They have no reason to lie or cheat us. From their life examples we know that they are reliable. So we can believe what they say. That is the third way of coming to the truth – trusting in reliable people. Now the second way – the Inference? Through reasoning we come to know the truth. The apostles were so fearful as even to get out of the room, except Thomas. So if such fearful people have turned into such courageous people as to face the Sanhedrin when they said to them never to speak about the resurrection of Jesus had this to say, “We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and experienced.” If they became such bold people and showed courage to face any persecution and to go to the end of the world to proclaim the Good News, the reason tells that their claim of having seen Jesus is true. It was a life changing experience for them.
Then the first reason: personal experience. That is what the apostles tell us, “We proclaim to you what we have seen, heard and experienced.” What is it that they have seen? They have seen the risen Lord. They saw his hands and recognized. It is not just the physicality of Jesus that they see in the hands of God. They see in his hands the powerful hand of God that created the universe, who accomplished all the wonderful things of the salvation history. They see the wounded hand of Jesus. The hands that are pierced out of love for humanity and saved us. That is the way they recognize him. Thomas has seen also Jesus’ pierced side and touched it. What is it that he saw? He saw the merciful heart of God. Seeing it he cries out in supreme faith, “My Lord and My God.” He saw in the heart of Jesus, the compassion, redeeming love. He is totally changed. He will travel to the end of the world of that time – India, to proclaim his experience.
We need the experience of the living God, experience of his merciful heart. Then all doubt will disappear. All fears vanish. So far as we live in fear we have not experienced the living presence of the loving, compassionate God. Today we are celebrating the Divine Mercy Sunday. This celebration is a call to experience the mercy of God, coming to us through the person of Jesus.
St. John Paul II said, “There is nothing man needs more than Divine Mercy.” I want to reflect with you what St. Faustina writes in her Diary about how Jesus was insistently telling her about the mercy of God. In number 699 of the Diary we read: “On one occasion, I heard these words: My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. 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. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. 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. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. 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.”
The dictionary tells ‘Inconceivable’ means unimaginable, unthinkable, incomprehensible, incredible, impossible, unbelievable etc. Jesus tells Faustina that all eternity is not enough to understand the depth and width of God’s mercy. Jesus wanted strongly that a feast day is established in the Church in this name: Divine Mercy Sunday. Desire appears 300+ times in the Diary. He told her that it is to be the second Sunday of Easter.
We are reminded that God is a sure refuge, shelter: we are in danger. In our struggle against Satan and all evils, God’s divine mercy will assist us. Throw ourselves in to the hands of God. Embrace it, He cannot but love us because he tells us, “you are my child, with all your imperfections, I love you.” From his womb we are born and so he cannot abandon us.
This is a special day… a day of special grace, … his joy is in giving much.
Do you trust him? On February 22, 1931, Sister Faustina experienced a new and life-changing vision of Christ. She saw him wearing a white robe and raising his right hand in blessing with his left hand resting on his heart from which flowed two rays of light. Jesus told her, “Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the prayer, Jesus, I trust in you.”
What are the things we are asked to do on this feast day? First have confession. Receiving Holy Communion: with greater faith, gratitude… We are assured of complete forgiveness: amazing grace.
One drug addict’s witness: he was for many years in aimless pilgrimage, slave of drug… slave to body… addict to video games… black magic… occult… hopelessness, paranoia, … pilgrimage to shrine of divine mercy in Kharkov, had confession and communion after 8 years… changed life… he says that he experienced, “Jesus accepted me the way I am..”
We are asked to pray divine mercy Chaplet at 3 pm every day.
We are called to become merciful … become the reflection of the merciful heart of God. As Jesus comes to us in Eucharist showing his love and mercy, we in turn, become the ‘bread that is broken’ for others. Reconciling with others, forgiving others their offence and through the acts of charity let us become images of the Merciful God. Like St. Thomas, let us have a personal experience of God’s mercy in the Eucharist and cry out to Him, “My Lord and my God.”