Happy Easter.
Today we celebrate the eighth and final Sunday in what is known as the Octave of Easter which is also known to us as Divine Mercy Sunday. We also have the opportunity to celebrate at this Mass the First Communion of thirty students.
Divine Mercy is a perfect Sunday for such a sacrament to be received for the first time. This Sunday reminds us of the great mercy of God and thus too we are reminded of the water and blood which gushed forth from the pierced side of our Lord when He was upon the cross.
This water is the waters of baptism from which we have been washed clean. This blood is the Eucharist where Christ continues to come to us and bring nourishment into our life. If we look at the Divine Mercy image we will see Christ's hand raised in the air offering a blessing. This is precisely what we receive when we turn towards the mercy of God in the Sacrament of Confession and thus prevail ourself towards God's mercy.
The Eucharist is connected to God's mercy. We cannot separate these two sacraments from one another. One cannot receive Eucharist and receive the graces which are bestowed upon the receiver without intrusting themself to God's mercy. How sad is it to see so many who go without the assistance of the mercy of Christ. Conquer your pride and make use of the Sacrament of Confession before you profane with your lips something as special as the Eucharist which is Christ who is present with us.
It is from this Gospel text that we encounter Christ instituting the Sacrament of Confession. Christ breathed upon the apostles and exclaimed: "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." Let us not fear this sacrament, but instead realize the mercy of God which is present.
In our Gospel we encountered a man named Thomas who doubted the Ressurrection. It was through his encounter with the wounds of Christ that healing and mercy was brought into his life. He desired the gift and it was given unto Him. In the words of Christ: "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
We very much so need to stand with Thomas and desire to believe in what we profess. We must desire to reach out and feel these wounds of our pierced Lord in order that we too may exclaim: "My Lord and my God." Maybe we have grown content with our life that we no longer feel compelled to reach out and touch these wounds in order that we may be healed.?
My dear children, today is a special day for you. Always remember what it is that you will receive. The answer is not bread and wine, but Christ. You will receive Christ. We will receive Christ. Parents, lead your children by example. Lead them to the Eucharist by bringing them to Mass and praying before the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Bring them to the mercy of Christ by bringing your children to confession and going yourself. May we allow the mercy of God to enter into our life in order that we may stand with Saint Thomas and proclaim: "My Lord and my God?"
