On this Second Sunday of Easter, our liturgy focuses on the Mercy of God. It is a celebration for us, and it is worth celebrating because we are all in need of God’s mercy. We are celebrating the compassion of God today. We are celebrating the goodness of God. We are celebrating the sacrificial love of God for humanity. The Lord God loves humanity so much that he gave us his only begotten Son (Jn 3:16) to redeem us from sin and death. He loves us so much that he gave us the Sacrament of Mercy, the Sacrament of Confession and Reconciliation (Jn 20:23).
He loves us so much that he does not want anyone to perish (Jn 3:16). He cares so much for us that he watches over us daily. What a great and merciful Father we have in heaven, a Father who showers us with his unconditional mercy. This unconditional mercy is what we see expressed by Jesus in the Gospel reading, regardless of the attitude of the Apostles during his passion and death some days back, and amidst their fears and hopelessness; Jesus says to them, Peace be with you not once but twice. The peace it gives is not that which the world offers, but that which provides us with a second chance to pick up the pieces of our broken lives and begin anew.
However, Thomas, who was not at the first apparition, refused to believe. This scepticism of Thomas is not just a disbelief in the power of the resurrection, but the shame of facing Jesus again. It is this disbelief in the second chance that leads many of us to the sin of presumption and despair, which stems from a poor understanding of the mercy of God. The idea of divine mercy is one that many people seem to misunderstand. The reason is quite simple: there seems to be a profound misconception about the relationship between God’s justice and God’s mercy.
Hence, God’s justice and God’s mercy are not two contradictory realities, but two dimensions of a simple reality that unfolds gradually until it culminates in the fullness of love. Such a misunderstanding lies in their perception of God as simply a judge; as such, justice is seen as the full observance of the law and conformity with God’s commandments. This vision leads to legalism by distorting the original meaning of justice and obscuring its profound value. Oftentimes, we seem to forget that justice from the point of the Sacred Scripture means essentially the faithful abandonment of oneself to God’s will. However, God’s mercy is not opposed to God’s justice, but rather it shows God’s way of reaching out to sinners, offering us a new chance to look at ourselves, just like Thomas in the Gospel reading.
Hence, both God’s Justice and mercy are intertwined, with his mercy being the ultimate expression of his justice, often seen through forgiveness and compassion. God’s justice is his mercy given to everyone as a grace that flows from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is thus because mercy is proper to the dignity of the human person. When we are merciful, we reflect the goodness of God and the duty to our neighbour. It was mercy that restored Thomas to his position; never should he be regarded as a doubter, but a man who, in the latter, expressed his faith, “My Lord and My God.” Mercy restores the value to fallen man and gives glory to the power of Christ and His salvific mission. This being the case, as the image of God, we share in the capacity of mercy; we, too, can be merciful.
The question now becomes, how can we show this mercy to others? What are the different ways of showing this mercy? We can only understand the above question by first establishing four reasons for God’s mercies to us. First, God is our Father (Mt 6:9), and we are His children (1 Jn 3:2). He loves us and shows us mercy because He cares for us. Second, God is Mercy Himself (Psalm 118:1). He cannot help but be merciful; it is in His nature. His mercy is from age to age and everlasting. Third, God is Love. Scripture teaches that where love is found, there God is found because God is love (1 Jn 4:8). Thus, out of love, God gives us a second chance to return to our senses (Lk 15:17).
Lastly, God knows we are dust (Gen 2:19) and understands our weaknesses and vulnerability. This knowledge is at the heart of God’s mercy, which explains why He is patient with humanity. The big challenge before us is to be dispensers of mercy, having been beneficiaries of God’s mercy. We can be merciful when we empathise with others, looking upon their defects or deficiencies as though they were ours. This empathy stirs up the deeds of mercy, which are not just borne out of charity but compassion. It is a mercy borne out of a feeling of interconnectedness with others, with the whole of humanity, putting oneself in the shoes of others.
We are invited to return to the basics and to bear the weakness and struggles of our brothers and sisters in love and with mercy. It is time to open our eyes and see the miseries of the world; the wounds of our brothers and sisters who have been denied their dignity. Being merciful allows us to recognise that we are compelled to heed their cry for help; to shatter the walls of indifference and unveil ourselves from the veil of egoism. Divine Mercy Sunday helps us once again to realise that indeed now is the time to rediscover, reawaken, respond and repeatedly practice the corporal works of mercy; namely to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give alms to the poor, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned and bury the dead.
As well as the spiritual works of mercy, which are to instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, admonish sinners, forgive injuries, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrong patiently, and pray for the living and the dead. This is the joy of divine mercy. A gratuitous gift God bestows upon us even though we do not merit it. All these are a result of his love for us. God’s mercy will always be greater than any sin, and no one can place a limit on the love of God, who is ever ready to forgive.
• Rev. Fr. Augustine Dodo, Associate Priest, St. John Catholic Church, Igando
