“Peace be
with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said
this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you
forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven…” John 20:21-23.
Two weeks
ago was Holy Week. Do you remember the gory events of Good Friday? The
injustice against Jesus? The betrayal by his close friends? The shouts of the
crowd: “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”? Do you remember the scourging at the Pillar?
The unjust and senseless release of Barrabbas? Think of the spitting, the
insults, the mockery, and laughter by the enemies of Jesus.
Dear
friends, the question for us today is: “What would I have done if I was the one
so treated?” Let’s be honest, even me as a priest…. laughs….. forget oh! Some
people will definitely receive flogging, maybe those soldiers, others will get
some hot slaps, (remember the guy who slapped Jesus during his trial? hmmm) In fact,
let me just stop there for now.
But what
did Jesus do? He came back from the grave, he went to meet his friends who
abandoned him at his hour of need and said to them: “Peace be with you.”
Chaaiiiii. There was not even a single iota of anger in Jesus to show that he
really meant what he said on the cross: “Forgive them Father for they know not
what they do.” Luke 23:34. Do you notice that not even a single person was
punished for their role in the death of Jesus, not even the soldiers, not even
the chief priests, not one soul died except he who took his own life out of
despair; Judas Iscariot.
Do you see
the mercy of God? Can you contrast the behaviour of Jesus to your behaviour
when you get the chance to hit back at those who hurt you? Are there still some
people you are carrying in your mind rehearsing in your head over and over
again the nature of the revenge you will inflict on them when you get the
chance?
Jesus had
the chance to totally squash to pieces all those who treated him badly after
all isn’t that what justice demands? But what did he do? He not only forgave
completely from his heart, he went to the extent of creating the sacrament of
confession. Jesus gave power to his disciples to absolve the sins of people on
his behalf thereby making it so easy for us to obtain forgiveness from God; so
easy, as easy as meeting a priest to confess.
This is
Divine Mercy at work. The mercy that forgives easily and completely not just
seven times but seventy seven times seven – unending. How I wish I can begin
from today to imitate Jesus! How I wish I too can start treating those who hurt
me the same way Jesus treated those who hurt him. Jesus did not wish anything
bad for his killers yet my heart is full of all kinds of bad thoughts, atomic
bombs and missiles against those who have hurt me. What is the point pursuing
justice when God himself pushed justice aside? Does it even make sense praying
for the death of my enemies when God simply expects me to forgive them?
Even up to
Thomas who refused to believe when he was told about Jesus, Jesus came the
following Sunday Morning and instead of shaming Thomas or lambasting a hell out
of his head, instead of punishing Thomas, he simply allowed Thomas to touch his
hands, his feet and his side. He danced to the tune of Thomas, he gave Thomas
the hard evidence he wanted. Am I so kind to those who talk evil behind my
back? Do I treat with compassion those who do not believe I can ever amount to
anything in life? Could I be so respectful to those who have no atom of respect
for me?
Today’s
liturgy calls for some amount of silence; silence to let our heart melt when we
contemplate the mercy of God compared to our kind of mercy. You see, Jesus did
not wait for those who offended him to come and beg before he forgave them. Why
is it that when I am offended, I will be waiting for them come and apologize
first? And even when they do, my pride shoots up, my head swells and I behave
like a king giving a gift to his servants. I never forget the hurt and my
relationship with them changes henceforth. I claim to forgive, yet I stop
eating with them, I stop talking to them, I stop visiting, I no longer allow
them to know my secrets. What kind of heart do I have? Why can’t I just be like
God?
Finally,
compare the oneness among the believers as described in today’s first reading
to the level of competition, mistrust, outright hatred, stark division,
stinginess, love for money among those of us who claim to be believers today!
Divine Mercy is not simply a matter of forgiving others who offend us, it also
extends to treating our brothers and sisters like the Samaritan; sharing our
belongings and living as one; it is putting an end to me-myself-and-I syndrome;
it is living for others.
Let us
Pray: Lord Jesus, melt my heart and teach me how to be merciful. Amen.
Happy
Sunday. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless
you. (Divine Mercy Sunday. Year B. Bible Study: Acts 4:32-35, 1st
John 5:1-7 and John 20:19-31).
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