Second Sunday of Easter

                           Sunday of Divine Mercy

                                    Lectionary: 43

It-Tieni Ħadd tal-Għid

                                              Il-Ħadd tal-Ħniena Divina                                                        Messalin A pp 186

 

Reading 1 

ACTS 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one's need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favour with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni

Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Atti ta' l-Appostli  2, 42-47

F'dak  iż-żmien, id-dixxipli kienu jżommu sħiħ fit-tagħlim ta' l-appostli u fl-għaqda ta' bejniethom, fil-qsim tal-ħobż u fit-talb. Waqa' imbagħad il-biża' fuq kulħadd għax ħafna kienu  l-mirakli u s-sinjali li kienu jsiru permezz ta' l-appostli. Dawk kollha li kienu jemmnu kienu ħaġa waħda, u kienu jaqsmu kollox bejniethom, ibigħu ġidhom u kull ma kellhom u  jaqsmu d-dħul bejn kulħadd, skond il-ħtieġa ta' kull wieħed. U kuljum kienu jmorru fit-tempju flimkien,  jaqsmu l-ħobż fi  djarhom, u jissieħbu fl-ikel bi qlub ferħana u safja; u kienu jfaħħru lil Alla, u l-poplu kollu kien iġibhom. U minn jum għal ieħor il-Mulej kien iżidilhom magħhomlil dawk li jkunu salvi. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm

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

R. (1) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting. 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. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting Alleluia.

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. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting. Alleluia.

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. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting. Alleluia.

Salm Responsorjali                                                                                   

Salm 117(118)  

Ħa jgħidu wlied Iżrael:

"Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu."

Ħa tgħid Dar Aron:

"Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu"

Ħa jgħidu dawk li bijżgħu mill-Mulej:
"Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu."                                

R/   Faħħru lill-Mulej, għaliex hu tajjeb, għax għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu.

B'saħħithom kollha imbuttawni biiex naqa',

imma l-Mulej tani l-għajnuna.

Qawwa tiegħi u għana tiegħi l-Mulej;

hu kien għalija s-salvazzjoni tiegħi.

Għajat ta' ferħ u rebħ fl-għerejjex tat-tajbin:

il-leminija tal-Mulej għamlet ħwejjeġ ta' ħila. 

R/   Faħħru lill-Mulej, għaliex hu tajjeb, għax għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu

il-ġebla li warrbu l-bennejja

saret l-ġebla tax-xewka.

Bis-saħħa tal-Mulej seħħ dan:

ħaġa ta' l-għaġeb f-għajnejna.

Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej;

ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih!                                                         

R/   Faħħru lill-Mulej, għaliex hu tajjeb, għax għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu

 

Reading 2

1 PeTer 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 

It-Tieni Lezzjoni

Qari mill-Ewwel Ittra ta' San Pietru Appo

stlu 1, 3-9

Ikun imbierek Alla u Missier Sidna Ġesu' Kristu, li fil-ħniena kbira tiegħu raġa' wilidna għal tama ħajja bil-qawwa ta' Ġesu' Kristu mill-imwiet u għal wirt li la jitħassar, la jittabba' u lanqas jinxef. Dan il-wirt hu merfugħu għalikom fis-sema għax  intom  tinsabu taħt il-ħarsien tal-qawwa ta' Alla fil-fidi tagħkom li twassal għas-salvazzjoni li lesta biex  tidher fl-aħħar taż-żminijiet. Għalhekk għandkom għax tifirħu mqar jekk issa, għal ftit żmien ieħor, jeħtiġilkom titnikktu taħt ħafna provi. Bħalma d-deħeb, li jintemm, jgħaddi mill-prova tan-nar, hekk tgħaddi mill-prova l-fidi tagħkom, li tiswa aktar  mid-deheb, biex ikun jistħoqqilha tasal għat-tifħir, għall-glorja, u għall-ġieħ,meta jidher  Ġesu' Kristu. Lilu, għalkemm ma rajtuħx, intom tħobbuh; fih, għad li issa m'intomx tarawh, intom temmnu; fih intm tifirħu b'ferħ florjuż, li ma jistax jitfisser, waqt li tiksbu l-għana  tal-fidi tagħkom, li hu s-salvazzjoni tagħkom. 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 nail marks 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 mill-Evanġelju skond San Ġwann 20, 19-31  

Dak in-nhar fil-għaxija, fl-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, meta d-dixxili kienu flimkien imbeżżgħa mill-Lhud, bil-bibien magħluqa, ġie Ġesu' u qagħad f'nofshom; u qalilhom:  "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 maħfura, 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 ta'  l-imsiemer u ma nqigħedx sebgħi  fuq il-marka ta' l-imsiemer u idi fuq ġenbu, jien ma nemminx." Tmint ijiem wara, id-dixxipli reġgħu 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 sabiex intom temmnu li Ġesu' hu l-Messija l-Iben ta' Alla, u biex bit-twemmin tagħkom ikollkom il-ħajja f'ismu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

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DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY:

HOMILY OF ST JOHN PAUL II

Sunday, 22 April 2001 

"Fear not, I am the first and the last, and  the  living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore"  (Rv 1: 17-18). 

We hear these comforting words in the Book of Revelation. They invite us to turn our gaze to Christ, to experience his reassuring presence. To each person, whatever his condition, even if it were the most complicated and dramatic, the Risen One repeats:  "Fear not!"; I died on the Cross but now "I am alive for evermore"; "I am the first and the last, and the living one".

"The first", that is, the source of every being and the first-fruits of the new creation; "the last", the definitive end of history; "the living one", the inexhaustible source of life that triumphed over death for ever. In the Messiah, crucified and risen, we recognize the features of the Lamb sacrificed on Golgotha, who implores forgiveness for his torturers and opens the gates of heaven to repentant sinners; we glimpse the face of the immortal King who now has "the keys of Death and Hades" (Rv 1: 18). 

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures for ever!" (Ps 117: 1).

Let us make our own the Psalmist's exclamation which we sang in the Responsorial Psalm:  the Lord's mercy endures for ever! In order to understand thoroughly the truth of these words, let us be led by the liturgy to the heart of the event of salvation, which unites Christ's Death and Resurrection with our lives and with the world's history. This miracle of mercy has radically changed humanity's destiny. It is a miracle in which is unfolded the fullness of the love of the Father who, for our redemption, does not even draw back before the sacrifice of his Only-begotten Son.

In the humiliated and suffering Christ, believers and non-believers can admire a surprising solidarity, which binds him to our human condition beyond all imaginable measure. The Cross, even after the Resurrection of the Son of God, "speaks and never ceases to speak of God the Father, who is absolutely faithful to his eternal love for man.... Believing in this love means believing in mercy (Dives in misericordia, n. 7).

Let us thank the Lord for his love, which is stronger than death and sin. It is revealed and put into practice as mercy in our daily lives, and prompts every person in turn to have "mercy" towards the Crucified One. Is not loving God and loving one's neighbour and even one's "enemies", after Jesus' example, the programme of life of every baptized person and of the whole Church?

The Gospel, which has just been proclaimed, helps us to grasp the full sense and value of this gift. The Evangelist John makes us share in the emotion felt by the Apostles in their meeting with Christ after his Resurrection. Our attention focuses on the gesture of the Master, who transmits to the fearful, astounded disciples the mission of being ministers of divine Mercy. He shows them his hands and his side, which bear the marks of the Passion, and tells them:  "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you" (Jn 20: 21). Immediately afterwards "he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained' " (Jn 20: 22-23). Jesus entrusted to them the gift of "forgiving sins", a gift that flows from the wounds in his hands, his feet, and especially from his pierced side. From there a wave of mercy is poured out over all humanity.

Let us relive this moment with great spiritual intensity. Today the Lord also shows us his glorious wounds and his heart, an inexhaustible source of light and truth, of love and forgiveness.

The Heart of Christ!

His "Sacred Heart" has given men everything:  redemption, salvation, sanctification. St Faustina Kowalska saw coming from this Heart that was overflowing with generous love, two rays of light which illuminated the world. "The two rays", according to what Jesus himself told her, "represent the blood and the water" (Diary, p. 132). The blood recalls the sacrifice of Golgotha and the mystery of the Eucharist; the water, according to the rich symbolism of the Evangelist John, makes us think of Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 3: 5; 4: 14).

Through the mystery of this wounded heart, the restorative tide of God's merciful love continues to spread over the men and women of our time. Here alone can those who long for true and lasting happiness find its secret.

"Jesus, I trust in you".

This prayer, dear to so many of the devout, clearly expresses the attitude with which we too would like to abandon ourselves trustfully in your hands, O Lord, our only Saviour.

You are burning with the desire to be loved and those in tune with the sentiments of your heart learn how to build the new civilization of love. A simple act of abandonment is enough to overcome the barriers of darkness and sorrow, of doubt and desperation. The rays of your divine mercy restore hope, in a special way, to those who feel overwhelmed by the burden of sin.

Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us always to have this trust in your Son, our Redeemer. Help us too, St Faustina, whom we remember today with special affection. Fixing our weak gaze on the divine Saviour's face, we would like to repeat with you:  "Jesus, I trust in you". Now and for ever. Amen.