Divine Mercy Sunday
Today’s feast originates from St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish mystic who had visions of the Lord in the 1930s. The feast culminates the Divine Mercy novena which began on Good Friday. In 2000, St. Faustina was canonized and Divine Mercy Sunday was instituted into the Roman calendar. It is also associated with a plenary indulgence. Read more about St. Faustina. Read more about the feast.
The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for the Easter Season
Acts 4:32-35
The writer of Acts several times employs a device that conflates two or more narratives into a single story that serves as a summary of a broad range of activity. These summaries occur in 2:42-47, 4:32-35, and 5:12-16.
Today’s passage is vague and general, giving us a picture of an ideal community, where everyone is cared for and the Spirit rules. 4:36-5:11 are not in the Sunday lectionary at all, but they are important. The stories of Barnabas and Ananias & Sapphira serve to balance the generalized summary with two contrasting cases.
It’s sometimes taught that early Christians sold everything and lived in community. The cases that follow today’s reading, however, tell us that the emphasis was less on divesting of material possessions and, rather, holding everything in common, making all available for the common good. Ananias’ guilt is not in keeping something back for himself. His guilt is in lying to the church and, by extension, trying to lie to God.
There are those in every age who seek to return to the “New Testament church” pictured in today’s passage. And yet we know a couple of things for sure. One is that not all early Christian communities were pictured in this way. Paul does not seem to suggest that the church in Corinth lived this way. Secondly, we know that ultimately the church chose a different model – local parishes supporting one another and helping those in need.
Verse 32 says the Christians were of one heart and mind; these are often paired in the Old Testament to illustrate complete obedience to God.
Verse 33 talks about power, the Greek word dynamis.
Vv 36-37 are an example of the “right” way to do things. Ironically, under the Old Testament law, the Levites (priestly class) were not allowed to own land. Apparently, that restriction was not one that was followed, at least in some cases. This is, most likely, the same Barnabas who will later travel with Paul. This passage tells us he is from Cyprus, and on the first missionary journey, he and Paul will first go to Cyprus (see Acts 13:1-4).
4:37-5:11 gives us an example of the opposite way to do things. Joshua 7 contains a very similar story.
Although this passage presents an idealized view, we are indeed called to be community in this way. I would venture to guess that no community lives up to this ideal, but, equally, every community contains the seeds of it. What evidence do you see in your own communities of trying to live up to God’s ideals?
The apostles preached with power, a dynamic display of faith rooted in what they had experienced. How does your own experience of Christ fuel your testimony with power?
What aspect in particular about the early Christians attracts you? How might you be invited to foster around you?
1 John 5:1-6
4:1-5:12 is a section that spirals around commandments to love and believe. In the Johannine literature (the Gospel along with the letters), “the world” is always those who oppose the gospel, those who do not believe or love.
This reading tells us that we must always be moving from faith and love into obedience. I think of the letter of James: faith without works is dead. We can’t exist only in our thoughts and feelings about God. We must work those out in concrete action. But the reverse is also true: concrete action that is not rooted in faith and love is, as Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 13, “ a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”
Verse 4 tells us the victory that conquers is faith. Think about that for a moment. Your faith conquers the world! What if you truly believed that? What would that look like? Keep in mind that “faith” here is not a system of dogmatic statements. Rather, “faith” is much broader: it encompasses the truths of the faith but is rooted in a living experience of Christ.
What disciplines nurture your faith and love for God?
How is your faith and love expressed in concrete action? What concrete actions in your life right now might lack being rooted in faith and love?
John 20:19-31
This gospel passage is read every year on the second Sunday of Easter.
Luke puts 40 days between the resurrection and the coming of the spirit. John seems to say that you can’t separate the giving of the spirit from the paschal event of the resurrection – these things happen on the same day in John’s gospel. The key point is that the spirit has been given.
It’s interesting to note that 1 Corinthians 15 is the earliest account of the paschal story and it does not include ascension or pentecost.
Why is such an important event like the life-giving, faith-establishing gift of the Spirit described in such diverse ways? Luke tells the Pentecost story in the context of his own narrative, and he conveys the message his community needs to hear. John, too, will tell the story in his own way for the needs of his community. But they both tell us this: Jesus is no longer physically present with us, but he has not withdrawn to some remote place in the cosmos, distantly waiting for his time to return. Both narratives tell us that Jesus is fully with us because his Spirit dwells in us – as individuals and as a community.
Verse 19 says that Jesus brings peace first and foremost. But verse 20 reminds us that a second gift of experiencing Christ is JOY.
Verse 21 uses a technical term for “send” indicating an agent commissioned with the full authority of the sender.
Verse 22 evokes Genesis 2:7 – this is the beginning of a new creation!
“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
This is a sacramental moment where the words and matter effect what they signify. I am particularly struck by the fact that Jesus is giving us something, but there is work to do on our part: we must receive!
Verse 23 is usually viewed as the hierarchical power to absolve sin. But the word “retain” here is not a word that has a legal sense. It is more often translated “hold on to” or “seize” or “hold in check.” Similarly “forgive,” which is a word better translated “send away,” or “leave alone.” It’s almost like a statement of fact: when someone does something wrong against us and we hold on to it, we do indeed hold on to it! But if we let it go, it is gone.
Thomas represents all the generations after Christ: we know that Christ died and rose again but we did not experience all that as directly as the first disciples. Thomas encounters Christ in a new way and believes. I love the honesty in this encounter. Thomas does not shrink back from stating his doubt. And Jesus does not berate Thomas; instead, Jesus gives Thomas exactly what he needs. It’s interesting to note that Thomas said he needed to see and feel the wounds – actually put his hands on them. In the end, however, it is the encounter with the risen Lord, not the physical “proof” that solidifies Thomas’ belief.
Verses 30-31 form a conclusion to John’s gospel and remind us for all that is told, there is much not said. The stories have been chosen so that all may “come to believe.” The Greek tense implies a continuing, repeating action: “that you may continue to believe.”
Do you identify with Thomas’ need for bolstering his belief? Can you ask Jesus for what you need, trusting it to be given?
Peace and joy are the first gifts of the risen Lord. How does your life reflect these gifts? How are you sharing these gifts with others?
Questions to ponder
What evidence do you see in your own communities of trying to live up to God’s ideals?
The apostles preached with power, a dynamic display of faith rooted in what they had experienced. How does your own experience of Christ fuel your testimony with power?
What aspect in particular about the early Christians attracts you? How might you be invited to foster around you?
What if you truly believed that your faith conquers the world? What would that look like?
What disciplines nurture your faith and love for God?
How is your faith and love expressed in concrete action? What concrete actions in your life right now might lack being rooted in faith and love?
Do you identify with Thomas’ need for bolstering his belief? Can you ask Jesus for what you need, trusting it to be given?
Peace and joy are the first gifts of the risen Lord. How does your life reflect these gifts? How are you sharing these gifts with others?
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
© 2023 Kelly Sollinger