Bearing Witness to God's Love and Mercy

 Reflection on Today's Readings, 2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday), Year B, April 11th, 2021
Texts: Acts 4:32-35; Ps. 118:2-4.15-18.22-24; 1 John 5:1-7; John 20:19-31
Today is the second Sunday of Easter and also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. Being Divine Mercy Sunday, we also celebrate the Mercy of God today. We see in the first reading the visible sign of God's grace in the community of early Christians; they were of one heart and soul. Hence, it is said, "And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all."
They were of one heart because they had one thought. They were of one soul because their commitment and devotions were towards one goal, the salvation of souls. The unity of God's people is the function of God's grace. By their unity they bore witness to the life of God and Christ, and also live in God, for St. John says, "May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me" (John 17:21). The apostles also bore witness to resurrection by proclamation. This calls us to work for unity in the Church and wherever we find ourselves and to also proclaim the risen Christ wherever we find ourselves.
The second reading continues the theme of the first reading by advocating love. St. Paul calls love the perfect bond (1Cor. 3:14). St. John tries to tell us that loving one another is the manifestation of our love for God; we love one another because we love God. He says, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments." This means it is the love of God that binds us together in unity. When we love one another we bear witness  to the love of God. He also goes further to remind us that to love God is to keep His commandments. He says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments."  We can be one of heart and soul when we all focus on keeping the commandments of God.
In today's gospel reading, Jesus Christ institutes the sacrament of His mercy. He says, "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; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” This sacrament bears witness to the love of God. Jesus Christ entrusted the sacrament to His apostles; it is the channel through which the love and mercy of God flow to the people of God.

God our Father, we thank you for your love and mercy, grant that we may bear witness to you by living in unity and love. Amen

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke