His mercy endures forever…
To whom do we turn in times of fear and distress?
We think of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance to the apostle Thomas in John’s Gospel as a story focused on doubt and faith. And Thomas does in fact express doubt: Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands… I will not believe. But the more important message being conveyed by this story is one of mercy. In this story, fear continues to drive the lives of all the apostles – a week after they have seen the Risen Lord, they are still behind locked doors, after all! – and they all struggle to get their heads around recent events. But God’s mercy is there for them through the struggle, and it does not diminish. No matter how much the apostles struggle or doubt or fear, God continues to pour his mercy upon them abundantly. Thomas’ profession of faith, My Lord and my God!, is, like Psalm 118, a celebration of God at work manifested before his eyes, and an acknowledgement that God’s love is everlasting.
As they continue to receive God’s mercy, the apostles will become conduits of that very mercy as they perform many signs and wonders throughout the Acts of the Apostles. These miracles, which the Sanhedrin consider a threat, are in fact evidence of God active in and through the apostles and in the early Church. And people are drawn to the mercy, to the forgiveness and kindness shown by Christ’s followers: great numbers of men and women were added to them, and all were cured, for the Lord is with them, showering his mercy upon all.
That mercy will continue to flow as many early Church communities face times of distress. The Book of Revelation speaks pointedly to the experience of the Church under persecution, fearful of a world that seems to be pitted against them. Fear marks each of their days. But Christ assures them, through John, their brother, that he will continue to let his mercy flow upon them through it all: Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Christ is present in the midst of the seven gold lampstands – Christ is with them, as he is present with us today. Christ dwells among us, is active in our existence – we have but to look past our fear and open the eyes of our hearts in order to see his mercy at work in our world, in us and through us.
Happy Divine Mercy Sunday!
This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
Image source: www.wordclouds.com
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