Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday
Also Read: Mass Readings for 16 April 2023 Homily for 16 April 2023 – Sunday
First Reading: Acts 2: 42-47
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. (46 – 47)
The humble beginning of the Church is described in the reading today – the central theme being community living! The church was built from a close-knit unit!
Let us reignite harmony within the Church and build each other up. We should recommit ourselves to our parish physical get-togethers/meetings, now that the restrictions have been lifted in most places! Praise God!
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24
The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. (14)
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (24)
Alleluia!
Second Reading: First Peter 1: 3-9
Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (8-9)
In his first encyclical, our first Pope St. Peter encourages us to persevere in faith (though we have not seen Christ on earth as he did)! What a great testimony St. Peter bears to Christ, having lived with him and witnessed first-hand the marvelous deeds of the Lord! He lived the faith, walked in faith with Christ while on earth, and died too for Christ!
Let us take courage from St. Peter’s words, in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
Gospel: John 20: 19-31
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. (30 – 31)
Why did God need to keep proving himself again and again, humbling himself again and again? He humbled himself firstly to come down and be born a human! He lived and died, humbly! He went to the dead, humbly (but he redeemed the lost there)! He rose from the dead; his heavenly and glorious body couldn’t be contained in the sealed tomb! He appeared first to the women, then kept appearing over again to his disciples! Why does a God so powerful need to go through all this humility? He didn’t need to! He could speak a word and accomplish anything! We proud humans will not be able to comprehend God’s ways -because his ways are not our ways! (Isaiah 55:8)
Being God, HE doesn’t possess an iota of pride! He abhors the proud! (James 4:6) Through His humility, He conquered the root of the first sin – pride!
Let us humbly conquer our weaknesses. Let us humbly conquer the hearts of disbelievers! God himself has shown us, that only Humility conquers!
Mother Mary, intercede for us.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
