Second Sunday of Easter

(or Sunday of Divine Mercy)

It-Tieni Hadd tal-l-Ghid

(jew Il-Hadd tal-Hniena Divina)

Messalin C 195

Reading 1  -  Acts 5:12-16

Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s portico. None of the others dared to join them, but the people  esteemed them. Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them. Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them. A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of  Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed  by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.    This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari  -   mill-Ktieb ta’ l-Atti ta’ l-Appostli 5, 12-16

Bis-saħħa tal-appostli kienu jsiru ħafna sinjali u mirakli fost  il-poplu.   U huma lkoll qalb waħda kienu jinġabru flimkien  fil-portiku ta’ Salamun, u ħadd mill-oħrajn ma kien jissogra  jissieħeb magħhom; imma  kulħadd kien ifaħħarhom ħafna. L-għadd ta’ dawk li kienu jemmnu fil-Mulej, kemm irġiel  kemm nisa, kien dejjem jiżdied u joktor, hekk li kienu  wkoll iġorru l-morda tagħhom fuq sodod u mtieraħ u  jqegħduhom fil-pjazez biex, xħin jgħaddin Pietru, jaqa’  mqar id-dell tiegħu fuq xi ħadd minnhom. In-nies kienu jiġu mill-ibliet ta’ madwar Ġerusalemm, iġorru l-morda u lil dawk li kienu maħkuma mill-ispirti mniġġsa;  lkoll kienu  jitfejqu.   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm            PSALM 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

      R./  Alleluia.

Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”                                     R/:

I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:                                  R/:

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.                  R/:

Salm Responsorjali    --    Salm 117 (118)

R/  Hallelujah,  Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Ħa jgħidu wlied Iżrael:

“Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu”

Ħa tgħid dar Aron:

“Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu.”

Ħa jgħidu dawk li jibżgħu mill-Mulej:

“Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu.”                 R/

Il-ġebla li warrbu l-bennejja

saret il-ġebla tax-xewka.

Bis-saħħa tal-Mulej seħħ dan:

ħaġa tal-għaġeb  f’għajnejna.

Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej;

ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih!”                                        R/

Ejja, nitolbuk, Mulej, salvana!

Ejja, nitolbuk, Mulej, agħtina r-riżq!

Imbierek minn ġej f’isem il-Mulej!

Inberkukom minn dar il-Mulej.

Jaħweħ hu Alla; hu d-dawl tagħna.                          R/

Reading 2   -  Revelations 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19

I, John, your brother, who share with you the distress,  the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus, found myself on the island called Patmos because I  proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus. I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said, “Write on a scroll what you see.” Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands and in  the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, wearing  an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest. When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though  dead.  He touched me with his right hand and said, “Do not  be  afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I hold  the keys to death and the netherworld. Write down, therefore,  what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will  happen afterwards.”  This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Qari   -    mill-Ktieb tal-Apokalissi 1, 9-11a, 12-13, 17-19

Jiena, Ġwanni, ħukom u sieħeb  tagħkom fit-taħbit u fis-saltna u fis-sabar ma’ Ġesu’, jien sibt ruħi fil-gżira  jisimha Patmos minħabba l-Kelma ta’ Alla u x-xhieda ta’ Ġesu’. Darba f’jum il-Mulej, ħassejtni merfugħ fl-Ispirtu, u minn warajja smajt leħen qawwi, bħal ta’ tromba, igħidli: “Kulma tara niżżlu fi ktieb u ibagħtu lis-seba’ knejjes.” U jiena dort biex nara min kien qiegħed ikellimni; u kif dort,  rajt seba’ kandelabri tad-deheb, u f’nofs il- kandelabri kien  hemm wieħed qisu Iben ta’ bniedem, liebes libsa  twila sa  wiċċ saqajh, b’sidru mħażżem bi ħżiem tad-deheb Jien, kif rajtu, waqajt qisni mejjet f’riġlejh.   Iżda hu ressaq idu l-leminija fuqi u qalli:  “Tibżax! Jien hu l-Ewwel u l-Aħħar,  jiena l-Ħaj; jien kont mejjet, u ara, jien issa ħaj għal dejjem ta’   dejjem, u għandi jinsabu l-imfietaħ tal-Mewt u ta’ Post il-Mejtin.     Ikteb kulma tara, kemm il-ħwejjeġ li hawn issa u kemm dawk li  jiġru ‘l quddiem.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel   -  John 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and  his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father  has sent me, so I send you.”  And when he had said this,  he breathed on them and said to them,“Receive the Holy  Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with  them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples said to him,  “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see  the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the  nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see  my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you  have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and  have believed.”  Now Jesus did many other signs in the  presence of his disciples  that are not written in this book.  But these are written that you  may come to believe that  Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,   and that through this  belief you may have life in his name.  

L-Evanġelju   -   Qari  skont San Ġwann  20, 19-31

Dakinhar filgħaxija, fl-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa,  meta d-dixxipli kienu flimkien imbeżżgħa mill-Lhud,  bil-bibien magħluqa, ġie Ġesu’ u qagħad f’nofshom; u   qalilhom: “Is-Sliem għalikom!”  Kif qal hekk, uriehom  idejh u ġenbu.   Id-dixxipli ferħu meta raw  lill-Mulej.  Imbagħad Ġesu’ tenna jgħidilhom:”Is-Sliem għalikom!   Kif il-Missier bagħat lili, hekk jien nibgħat lilkom.”     Kif qal hekk, nefaħ fuqhom u qalilhom:  “Ħudu l-Ispirtu  s-Santu.   Dawk li taħfrulhom dnubiethom ikunu maħura,  u dawk li żżommuhomlhom ikunu miżmuma.” Tumas, wieħed mit-Tnax, jgħidulu t-Tewmi, ma kienx  magħhom, meta ġie Ġesu’.Għalhekk id-dixxipli l-oħra qalulu:  “Rajna lill-Mulej.” Iżda hu qalilhom: “Jekk ma narax f’idejh  il-marka tal-imsiemer u ma nqiegħedx sebgħi fuq il-marka  tal-imsiemer u idi fuq ġenbu, jien ma nemminx.”  Tmint ijiem  wara, id-dixxipli tiegħu kienu ġewwa, u Tumas  magħhom.     Il-bibien kienu magħluqa,imma Ġesu’ daħal, qagħad f’nofshom,  u qalilhom: “Is-Sliem għalikom!” Imbagħad qal lil Tumas:”Ġib  sebgħek hawn u ara idejja, u ressaq idek u qegħedha fuq ġenbi;  tkunx bniedem bla fidi, iżda emmen.”   Wieġeb Tumas u qallu:   “Mulej tiegħi u Alla tiegħi!”   Qallu Ġesu’:  “Emmint għax rajtni!   Ħenjin dawk li ma rawx u emmnu.” Hemm ħafna sinjali oħra li Ġesu’ għamel quddiem id-dixxipli  tiegħu u li m’humiex imniżżla f’dan il-ktieb.  Iżda dawn inkitbu  inkitbu sabiex intom temmnu li Ġesu’ hu l-Messija l-Iben ta’ Alla,  u biex bit-twemmin tagħkom ikollokom il-ħajja f’ismu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

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Mercy Is the Flower of Love

Commentary by Archbishop FRANCESCO FOLLO

What I’d like to underline regarding this Sunday’s Gospel is the fact that, in order to help Saint Thomas’ faith, Jesus appears to the disciples a second time and asks him to put his finger into His pierced chest from which blood and water had come out. (Jn19, 34)

Today we are asked to remember the encounter of an incredulous man who was allowed to put his hand into Christ’s chest. From Christ’s heart pierced by sin surges the wave of mercy. Even if our sins were dark as the night, divine mercy is stronger than our misery. Only one thing is needed, that the sinner leaves ajar the door of his heart … God will do the job.

St Faustina Kowalska wrote that everything begins in His mercy and everything ends in His mercy. For this reason Blessed John Paul II had dedicated the Second Sunday of Easter to Divine Mercy.

In fact next Sunday’s liturgy starting with the first prayer is a liturgy of mercy. Undoubtedly John Paul II’s decision was inspired by the private revelations of St Faustina who saw two rays of light, a red one which represents blood and a white one which represents water, coming out from the chest of Christ. If blood recalls the sacrifice of the cross and the gift of the Eucharist, water recalls baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Jn 3:5; 4:14; 7:37-39)

Through the pierced chest of the crucified Christ, divine mercy reaches humanity. Jesus is “Love and Mercy personified” (St Faustina Kowlaska, Diaries 374). Mercy is the “second name” of Love (Dives in misericordia, 7) caught in his most deep and tender meaning and in his ability to take charge of every need, above all of the need of forgiveness. “The great wound of the soul is the great mercy of God” (Saint Eusebius).

Jesus “uses” the ointment of his chest’s sore to cure Thomas’s heart, which has been wounded by incredulity. The medicine of his mercy is greater than human sins. He goes to Thomas, to his disciples and to every one of us and doesn’t ask “What did you do?” but “Do you love me?” as He did to Peter on the lake’s shore after the resurrection. The answer that Peter and we have is our pain, but that’s enough for Him. In the same way He did with Peter, He confirms us in his merciful love, a love that makes free, heals and saves.

We are poor and fragile things, but we can rejoice if we say, “My God I trust you” (as suggested to Saint Faustina by Jesus; Diaries, 327) because the announcement of this mercy is source of gladness: Jesus is mercy. He is the envoy by the Father to let us know that the supreme characteristic of the essence of God is mercy.

We should ask ourselves if we are always conscious of the fact that we live because of God’s mercy and of his charity that gives us life, freedom, love, hope, forgiveness and all graces. We should also ask ourselves if we practice charity. Charity is a fact that touches the roots of man’s life because it is acceptance of the way of living of Christ, who “for your sake became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). It is the acceptance that Christ is the richness of our life and that we must follow him without regretting what we leave behind. (Mt 19, 21)

Charity – mercy is not pure and simple philanthropy, but it is the love for Christ that we reach through our poorest brothers:  “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt 25). This is why Christ accepts the fact that the most expensive perfume is “wasted” on him instead of being sold to get money for the poor. Christ is the valid foundation of every love for the poor.

Mercy as vocation

Saint Thomas in touching the man and in recognizing God: “My Master and my God,” believed and was confirmed together with the other disciples in his vocation to announce the Gospel of mercy. “As the Father has sent me so I send you.” From now on the “wind” of God carried the disciples to the limits of the earth and to martyrdom. Like in a new creation, the Spirit of the Resurrected makes the disciples able to do something unheard of before: to forgive sins. They go to all because men and women in every part of the Earth need mercy and forgiveness.

Even pain is reversed: since Christ is resurrected “all the pain of the world is not the pain of agony but the pain of childbirth” (Paul Claudel). Then life can be lived as a feast, the Resurrected offers imagination and courage to create the “new thing.” Human ideologies and utopias break against the rock of death. Jesus opens the doors of the Christian hope that doesn’t disappoint and does not resolve to a “wish denied.” No cross, no test, no drama can take away peace or extinguish the joy which comes from the Resurrection.

The Easter of the Resurrection shows that death wins only for “a little while” and does not have the last word.

Our vocation like the one of Thomas and the apostles is to announce the Gospel of Mercy, to tell about the Father’s mercy through the ability of forgiveness and remission of sins (for the ones of us who are priests). Everybody, the lay people and priests, are called to be yeast of mercy.

If we listen to the Gospel, the expression “gracious and merciful is the LORD” (Ps 111:4) who with indescribable goodness gave to us his only Son, our Redeemer, becomes clearer.

In being able through the Church to experience the love with which God had loved us ( Eph 2,4), let’s welcome his mercy and let’s proclaim him inside the Christian community and in the world. We are called to be yeast of mercy in the world’s dough. We do not belong to the world, we belong to Christ and we share his mission to be yeast of mercy to resurrect the world.     

We have an example of this in the face of Jesus’ Mother which is reflected in the face of the consecrated virgins who try to follow the divine Master and to be sign of divine mercy and tenderness for humankind.

Let’s follow the invitation of Pope Francis: “let’s learn to be merciful with everybody. Let’s invoke the intercession of the Virgin who had in her arms the Mercy of God made man’ (Pope Francis, Angelus, March 14th, 2013).

Mercy is God’s love in excess by which the consecrated Virgins live, donating themselves completely to Christ. It is the measure filled and overflowing beyond justice, neither commensurate to the merit of the other person nor to their own interests. They evangelize through mercy because, like Mary, in virginity they welcome the dead Christ in their lap and proclaim His forgiveness.

They are sure of the Emmanuel, of the “God with us” to whom they offer their life to be with him, Holy Bread of mercy, who forgives and renews life.

Experimenting God’s forgiveness and forgiving always, we become certain that His power is greater than our weakness. We are certain of the “God with us.” Joy can come only from this certainty and joy can come only from the certainty of the “God” within. We should ask ourselves if we are conscious of the fact that we live because of God’s mercy, of his charity that gives life, freedom, love, hope, forgiveness and all graces. Through them Christ’ mercy continues to be the gift of life, of the life lived in Christ, with Christ and for Christ-Mercy.   /////