April 27, 2025; 2nd Sunday of Easter - The Divine Mercy Sunday; (Year C)

 2^nd Sunday of Easter – The Divine Mercy Sunday; Year (C) April 27, 2025

Readings: Acts 5:12-16; Rev. 1:9-11, 12-13, 17-19; Jn. 20:19-31

The Wonders of the Resurrection of Christ - His Divine Mercy

 Easter is a celebration that encompasses both the sacred and the secular, the celestial and the mundane, faith and doubt, absence and presence. It acknowledges both hate and love, the merciless and the merciful. Ultimately, it is a celebration of God’s mercy towards humanity. Today, the 2nd Sunday of Easter, is Divine Mercy Sunday. St. John Paul II promoted this devotion. On April 30, 2000, during the canonization of Faustina Kowalska, the Pontiff officially designated today as Divine Mercy Sunday.

This devotion is rooted in Sister Faustina’s relationship with Jesus. According to her diary, Faustina received significant promises of grace associated with the devotion of Divine Mercy. One of the most notable promises is that anyone who goes to sacramental confession and receives Holy Communion on this day will obtain total forgiveness of all sins and punishment. In his message on April 22, 2001, a year after establishing Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope John Paul II emphasized, “Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust to Divine Mercy.” The Church receives this Easter gift from the Risen Christ and offers it to humanity.

Today’s readings highlight God’s mercy in a profound way. Signs and wonders were performed by the apostles, and God’s people were united in mercy and love as they prayed and shared their new life in the Risen Lord. The Lord blessed them with the gift of healing. The healing of those afflicted with sickness and pain brought great joy to the community. The disciples felt broken, yet they were filled with hope. Their testimony of the Risen Lord attracted many to join them. In this community, some denied Christ, many had run away from Him, one was absent from communal prayer, and others had longed for a share in the restored kingdom of Israel. Yet, Christ met them all and wished them peace. There was no condemnation, judgment, malice, or anger—only unconditional love, forgiveness, and mercy. “Come, touch my wounds, and be healed. Doubt no longer; it is I, so do not be afraid.”

There was healing and forgiveness; faith was restored, and Thomas made a profession of faith in the Risen Lord: “My Lord and my God!” This embodies what mercy means: having a heart for those who suffer or being willing to suffer for others. As 1 Peter 2:21 reminds us, “Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.” But that is not all. Christ bestowed the Spirit on His apostles and entrusted them with the power to forgive sins. We experience God’s mercy more fully when we humble ourselves and approach Him in the sacrament of reconciliation and penance. It is there that we meet the God of mercy and love, a God of forgiveness, who declared through Ezekiel the prophet: “As I live, says the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, but rather in the wicked man’s conversion, that he may live” (Ezekiel 33:11). When God forgives, He forgets; He does not keep a record of sins: “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17).

With God’s mercy, we are assured that good always triumphs over evil, life is stronger than death, and God’s mercy and love are more powerful than our sins. In the Paschal mystery we celebrate, God our Father reveals Himself as a tender-hearted Father who does not give up in the face of His children’s ingratitude and is always willing to forgive. As Paul reminds us, “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that as sin reigned in death, grace might also reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:21-22). We experience God’s mercy prominently in the story of the prodigal son and the merciful Father (Luke 15:11-32), who waits with compassion and forgiveness, regardless of our sins and transgressions. His love for us is boundless.

The opening prayer addresses the Father as the “God of everlasting mercy,” and the psalm reminds us repeatedly, “His steadfast love endures forever.” These readings exemplify God’s mercy in action. We are called to share what we have with others, feed the hungry, fight injustice, stand up for the truth, and recognize that God’s mercy is everlasting. When we see ourselves as unworthy recipients of God’s mercy and love, we realize that true mercy stems not from human effort but from God’s free gift to humanity.

Today, the Church invites us to experience God’s mercy, especially if we want to forgive others. In the Lord’s Prayer, we ask, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The cycle of hatred and violence staining many individuals and nations around the world can only be broken and healed through the miracle of forgiveness and mercy. God’s mercy is His response to a broken world and a humanity driven by an insatiable hunger for power. Let us continue to seek and spread this divine mercy. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

April 20, 2025; Easter Sunday (Year C)

Readings: Acts 10:44, 37-43; Col 3:1-4; Lk. 24:1-12

Christ’s Resurrection is Our Life

1.       On this day of the resurrection, we recall the words of Jesus: “That he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” (Mt.16:21). It was strange to the apostles then, but now they believe him. Christ has indeed risen. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that: “To be a witness of Christ is to be a “witness to his Resurrection,” to “have eaten and drunk with him after he rose from the dead.” Encounters with the risen Christ characterize the Christian hope of resurrection. We shall rise like Christ, with him, and through him.” (CCC. 995). God will raise our mortal bodies and make them like his own in glory when we die.

2.       The resurrection of Christ demonstrates that we are Easter people living in a Good Friday world. The activity of Good Friday is still very much with us. We are broken, weak, short-tempered, stubborn, and angry; we backbite and betray our friends. The resurrection of Christ assures us that God loves us and that Christ has conquered our weaknesses and death. Yes, for every Good Friday, there is Easter Sunday. To every failure, there is strength in the risen Lord. Every hurt and wrongdoing we forgive is proof of the resurrection. We attest to our faith in the risen Lord when we give to charity or console the bereaved, show compassion and mercy, visit the sick, and be kind to the downtrodden. We may be weak, but our risen Lord is strong. We are Easter people, so we must sing alleluia to God. According to St. Paul, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1). Because He lives, we can see tomorrow! “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him to bring all things into subjection to himself.” (Philippians 3:21). The resurrection changed the apostles; it can also change us if we believe in Christ. The resurrection of Christ is an invitation for us to share in his life. Let us rejoice that Christ is risen. Amen

                                      Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

April 13, 2025; Palm Sunday (Year C)

Readings: Is. 50:4-7; Phil. 2:6-11; Lk. 22:14-23:56

Palm Sunday

1. Today is Palm Sunday, marking the beginning of Holy Week, a time filled with activities that culminate in the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. Palm Sunday was both a joyful, triumphant occasion and a day of turmoil for Jesus. As He entered Jerusalem riding a donkey, He was given a red-carpet reception. In various cultures, palm branches have traditionally been used to welcome royalty, symbolizing victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life. Therefore, Christ was celebrated as a victorious king in Jerusalem. Rather than riding a horse, which symbolizes war, Jesus chose a donkey, signifying peace and humility—the true hallmark of the king of peace. Notably, He rode a donkey that had never been sat upon, highlighting His royal status.

2.     As the Jews surrounded Him, they recalled the words of the Prophet Zechariah from 500 years earlier: “Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold your King is coming to you; a just Savior is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 9:9-10). Pope Benedict XVI interpreted these words to illustrate that Jesus is a king who embraces peace and simplicity—not one who incites violence or leads a military revolt against Rome (Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week, Ignatius Press, 2011, pp. 81-82). People came out to welcome King Jesus, proclaiming, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

3.     The passion narrative showcases various responses to Jesus. Judas Iscariot betrayed Him, Peter denied Him, and the other apostles fled in fear. The crowd expressed mixed feelings about Jesus, and false witnesses rose against Him. The scribes and Pharisees demanded His execution. Pilate condemned Him not only to a painful death on the cross but also subjected Him to humiliation by having Him flogged. While some women cried for Him, others despised and mocked Him. Holy Week was a time of great suffering for Jesus, who endured it for our sake. The joyous cry of “Hosanna to the Son of David” turned to shouts of “Away with Him, crucify Him.” Yet, Jesus rode into Jerusalem filled with love and forgiveness, even praying for His torturers. As St. Paul reminds us, “For our sake he (God) made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). “He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (second reading). Jesus reminds us, “Greater love than this no man has, that a man should lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

4.     Even among the hostility, there were acts of kindness shown to Jesus. Simon helped him carry the cross, Veronica wiped His face, and the women of Jerusalem wept for Him. One soldier offered Him wine—albeit vinegar—when He was thirsty. His mother and other women remained at the foot of the cross, and Joseph of Arimathea offered his new tomb for His burial. What would you have done for Him if you were there? You can still do something for Him now. Remember, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Which character reflects your relationship with Jesus? Are you with Him or against Him?

5.     Following His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Christ gathered His apostles for a farewell meal, the first Eucharist, instituting the sacred priesthood. This act embodied brotherly love and included the new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:13). This celebration occurs on Holy Thursday during the Mass of the Last Supper. On Good Friday, we venerate the Cross of our salvation. Jesus says, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). As the Lenten hymn reminds us, “O Cross of Christ, immortal tree, on which our Savior died, the world is sheltered by your arms that bore the Crucified.” On Holy Saturday, we await at the tomb of Jesus in anticipation of Easter Sunday, when we will celebrate His resurrection. “O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!” (Exultet).

6.     Are we ready to reciprocate Christ’s love by committing ourselves to this week of grace? Let us express our gratitude to Christ for His love. As we celebrate Palm Sunday today, we look forward with joy to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection and our freedom from sin and death. Amen!

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP