27 April 2025 #ponderdivinemercy
This Sunday’s readings are rich and thought-provoking, each worthy of its own reflection. I’ll distill them into three brief, interconnected questions for pondering.
In the first reading, insiders in Jerusalem lay their sick on the streets, hoping Peter’s shadow will heal them, while outsiders bring their physically sick and spiritually wounded—and all are cured. Yet, curiously, “none dared to join [the apostles], but the people esteemed them,” and soon, “a multitude believed in the Lord.” It seems many believe in Jesus but hesitate to publicly align with Him. Do you openly display your faith? Ponder that.
In the second reading, St. John, exiled to Patmos for testifying about Jesus, writes, “I, John, your brother, who share with you the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus…” Faith in Jesus demands endurance through distress for the hope of heaven. John’s vision of Jesus, revealed by the Holy Spirit, prompts him to record and share it. It’s as if Jesus needs someone to remind His people that believing in the Risen Lord unlocks eternal life through faith in action. Do your personal and professional vocations reflect this belief? That’s worth pondering.
In the Gospel, we meet Thomas, who, days before Lazarus’ raising, boldly declared, “Let us go, that we may die with Him [Jesus].” Yet, six days after the Resurrection, he’s absent from the disciples and doubts Jesus’ rising. Curious.
A t-shirt slogan reads, “A lot can happen in three days,” with a crown of thorns, a cross, and an empty tomb depicted. True, but a lot can also happen in six days when drama and trauma overshadow faith, and “why” replaces “who” in life’s painful script. How does someone who once professed Jesus as Lord and key to eternity falter? And how can we respond? Ponder that.
Finally, it’s Divine Mercy Sunday, celebrating God’s boundless mercy and grace—the thread tying these readings together. Mercy drove people to seek healing through Peter, sustained John’s persecuted followers, and led Thomas back to the Upper Room to encounter the Risen Jesus. This mercy, rooted in Jesus’ agape love, is transformative. Do you embrace it and how does it transform you? #ponderdivinemercy