Divine Mercy Sunday 2023

Franklin Fong, OFM

April 16, 2023

Today’s lectionary will give us a deeper understanding and appreciation for how the resurrection of Jesus is the source of risen life now yes even today for each of us in the Church.

In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about how life is about being prayerful, celebrative and joyful. Resurrection is defined as poverty, chastity and obedience as we pray together and share our gifts in a community centered life with Christ.

In the 2nd Reading from the 1 Peter we hear about how having been born to new life, a life with God, that we believe and we love. Faith doesn’t free us from trials or sufferings which are there to help us purify our faith life. So endurance nurtures hope which then nurtures joy !

In the Gospel of John reading, we hear about how the Holy Spirit is given to us. We are freed from our sins. We manifest our faith by our witness! So, resurrection of Jesus is an invitation to believe. The disappearance of fear and the presence of joy is evidence then of resurrection. We hear of the beautiful example of Thomas having disbelief and only be touching Jesus’ wounds does he come to believe. Faith is a GIFT of the Holy Spirit !

We don’t have to see Jesus to believe, as Thomas had to. We believe because we personally experience what is given us by the risen Christ.

So, what happened in the resurrection of Jesus? What will occur in our resurrection?

Since resurrection will be experienced in another world and cannot be seen by us as it really is, we have much difficulty in describing it. Many persons today speak of resurrection and heaven in terms of time and space. We leave this world, go up to a place above us and spend days with God. Jesus had to have a stone rolled back to come out of the tomb, waited 40 days and then shot upward into place called heaven. No wonder some people find it difficult to believe in a bodily resurrection.

It is better to understand Jesus’ resurrection as a radical transformation of his whole person. He experienced a new relationship with his Father beyond the limitations of time and space. Heaven is God and all who share in God’s life. We don’t literally have to go up to heaven or move spatially up to God. God is everywhere. We have to become heavenly or God-like. We don’t have to believe that in a literal sense that these worn-out bodies of ours will be raised up.

We don’t know what is necessary for a resurrected body. But in some way, our whole person will be fully alive with the life that God gives us. Our relationships will be perfected. We will share in the very life and happiness of God himself. This is God’s promise to us. This is our HOPE. This is the Divine Mercy of God for each of us who witness to God’s love with our head, heart and hands !

Resurrection is a force that drives us to form community, to promote social justice, to rise above our fears and sins, and keep our light of Christ burning brightly with strong sense of hope in the midst of discontent, fragmentation, chaos and confusion! So, may we grow in living our risen lives NOW. Let us be strong in our hope of living forever.

So, Take some time in the coming week to reflect on:

1. Where and when have you seen Christ in your life?

2. How has your life with and in the Chinese Catholic community helped you to keep that light of Christ shining and glowing brightly in your heart?

3. Can you name those moments when hope and joy in your life was the by-product of the Chinese Catholic community !

Brothers and Sisters of the Chinese Catholic Community

that is the Good NEWs for this Divine Mercy Sunday .

Alleluia Alleluia

Add to intercessory prayers:

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen.

(中文翻譯.原文以英文為準.)

復活期(甲年)第二主日-救主慈悲主日 (04/16/2023)
鄺神父主日證道中譯本

讀經一: 宗徒大事錄 2:42-47
讀經二: 伯多祿前書 1:3-9
若望福音 20:19-31

今天的經文將讓我們更深入地理解和欣賞耶穌復活如何成為復活生命的泉源，是的，即使在今天，對我們教會中的每個人來說也是如此。
 
在讀經一的宗徒大事錄中，我們了解到生活就是祈禱、歡慶和喜樂。當我們在基督內一起祈禱並在團體生活中分享我們的恩賜時，復活被定義為貧窮、貞潔和服從。
 
在讀經二的伯多祿前書中，我們聽到了如何獲得新的生命，一個與天主同在的生命，我們相信並熱愛它。信仰並不能使我們擺脫試煉或苦難，這些試煉或苦難可以幫助及淨化我們的信仰生活。所以忍耐生希望，希望生喜悅！
 
在今天的若望福音中，我們看到天主如何把聖神賜給我們。我們從罪過中被釋放出來。我們通過見證來表明我們的信仰！所以，耶穌藉着復活來邀請我們相信衪。我們再無恐懼，心中充滿了喜樂就是復活的明證。我們聽到不信多默的美好例子，他說要觸摸過耶穌的傷口才會相信。信心是聖神的恩賜！
 
我們不必像多默那樣要看到耶穌才會相信。我們相信是因為我們親身經歷了復活基督所賜給我們的一切。
 
那麼，耶穌在復活的過程中發生了什麼？我們的復活又會發生什麼？
 
由於復活只能在另一個世界才能經驗得到，我們無法看到它的真實面目，因此我們很難描述它。今天許多人從時間和空間的角度來談論復活和天堂。我們離開了這個世界，升高到某個地方，與天主一起。耶穌必須讓墓穴的一塊石頭滾開，才能從墳墓裡出來，四十天之後，向上彈射到一個叫做天堂的地方。難怪有些人很難相信身體能復活。
 
最好將耶穌的復活理解為他整個人的徹底轉變。他經歷了與父親的新關係，超越了時間和空間的限制。天堂是屬於天主和所有分享天主生命的人。我們不必真的去到一個有質感的地方，或在空間上移動到天主那裡。天主無處不在。我們必須變得從屬於天主。我們不必按字面的意思相信腐朽的身體會復活。

 
我們不知道復活的身體需要什麼。但在某種程度上，我們整個人都會因上主賜給我們的生命而充滿活力。我們的關係將得到完滿。我們將分享上主的生命和幸福。這是天主給我們的應許。這是我們的希望。也是上主對我們每個人的神聖慈悲，我們用我們的頭、心和手來見證天主的愛！
 
復活是一股力量，驅動我們在不滿、分裂、混亂和迷茫中，與從屬天主的人聚集一起，促進社會正義，超越我們的恐懼和罪惡，讓我們的基督之光帶著強烈的希望明亮地燃燒！所以，願我們現在就在復活的生活中成長。讓我們對永生的希望堅強起來。
 
因此，在接下來的一週裏花點時間反思一下：
1. 在你的生命中，你在什麼地方、什麼時候見過基督？
2. 你在華人教會團體的生活中如何幫助你保持基督的光芒在你心中閃耀？
3. 你能說出那些生活中的希望和喜樂是你生活在華人教會團體時趨生出來的嗎？
 
華人天主教會的弟兄姊妹們，這就是這個救主慈悲主日的好消息。

亞肋路亞，感謝天主！

添加代禱：

永生的天主，祢無盡的慈悲和憐憫是取之不盡的寶庫，求祢仁慈地看顧著我們，也增添我們在袮內的慈悲和憐憫之心,使我們在困難的時刻不會絕望或變得沮喪，卻是滿懷信心地順服於祢的聖意，而袮的聖意便是愛與慈悲的本體。亞孟。