SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER/DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
Also Read: Mass Readings for 11 Apr 2021
First Reading: Acts 4: 32-35
The whole group of those who believed were of one heart and one soul. (v.32) With great power, the apostles gave their testimony to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and great grace was upon them all. (v.33)
The Oneness in the heart and soul of the Believers in the First Church is what stands out today! The growth of the early Church was -in its Unity! The apostles were granted great graces because of their powerful testimony. The imagery of this first church is so Heartening and Inspiring to us today, as we pursue in their footsteps! This Church also most closely resembled the Kingdom of GOD on Earth in the visible! Where no one was needy and everyone thought of the good of all! The oneness in the heart and soul of all people is the coming of GOD among our midst!
Prayer: We strive and pray for the Unity of All GOD’S Children! Amen!
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24
“I was pushed hard so that I was falling, but The LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my might, HE has become my salvation.” (v.13-14) Let this be our resounding warcry! For: “This is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (v.24)
Alleluia!!
Second Reading: First John 5: 1-6
“Everyone who believes that JESUS is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child.”(v.1)
For whatever is born of GOD, conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our Faith.” (v.4)
The Key to Winning Every battle is proclaimed in these verses above! – Our Faith! To conquer any Mount, we must First Believe in Our Ability to overcome it! Similarly, the battle of our hearts, minds, souls, and spirits that we are faced with every day and every moment is conquered by our Faith! Eph. 6:10-20 reveals to us how we can be prepared daily in this war! Do not falsely believe the devil, that this life is no war/battle/combat etc. It truly is! 1Peter 5:8 “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary, the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” The heroic authors of these great books, evangelists and martyrs for Christ, Sts. Peter, John, and Paul spoke about what they had experienced first-hand themselves!
Therefore, conquer we Must! By self-control, we first discipline ourselves; our tongues, our greed, and our selfish desires! For we are Children of the Highest GOD! And We BELIEVE!
Prayer :LORD, We BELIEVE Help our Unbelief!
Gospel: John 20: 19-31
Peace Be With You.
On the evening of the first day of the week, -the same day when Mary Magdalene and the other women returned from HIS tomb with the GOOD NEWS of HIS Resurrection – They had locked themselves up in the house where they had met, for fear of the Jews! – Where did you meet The LORD? Which room, which house, which spot? Is there a specific time you had met with the LORD? Go back into that place! Lock yourself up! Even as the Pandemic forced us to lock ourselves into our own homes – Christ JESUS has come into our homes, in the silence of our world. HE says to us “Peace be with you.” We were fearful of the virus, yet we have found Peace within!
Have any of us missed this opportunity? It is not TOO late now! We must lock ourselves out of the miry things of the world and go into HIS presence. HE is in us already, when we were baptized and received the First HOLY Communion, we had already received HIM into our souls, spirits, and body! HE lives in us Today! We may not hear HIM breathe in us, but HE awaits our return! Remember HE is the “Gentleman GOD”!! HE doesn’t enforce HIS will on us, though HE is our Father! HE has lovingly permitted us a Free Will! Whether we return to HIS Calling is up to us!
Do We Want HIS PEACE?! A PEACE like no other ever could provide! A PEACE that heals us, fills and nourishes us, builds us! A PEACE no earthly gadgets, luxury models, fleshly pleasures or treasures could ever provide. HIS PEACE holds us on the rocky shores, guides us on the stormy seas, protects us in dark, gloomy valleys! HIS PEACE surpasses all understanding!
We can breathe HIS PEACE if we are willing! Just as HE Breathed on the disciples and gave them the HOLY SPIRIT, we too have an opportunity to receive similarly! If we leave our doubts outside the doors of our locked upper rooms and wait on the LORD in the silent sanctuaries of our hearts. Thomas Believed and then later died for HIS LORD and HIS GOD! What do we Profess today? Where do we stand?
Prayer: May we realize that the GOD-Sized Hole in us, can only be filled by God Himself! Amen!
