God's Divine Mercy
April 23, 2017
by Mac Norhen Bornales
by Mac Norhen Bornales
Back in grade school, we have this game called mercy. It is a game of strength and endurance wherein the aim is to twist the opponents hands or bend the fingers until the opponent surrenders. Of course, it is not easy. It is painful for both players, regardless who wins or loses.
Mercy and pain. These two words were not the same but in some sense, they are related with each other. When we are on the brink of danger, especially if we are in great pain, we tend to ask for mercy for people around us. We ask help for people to help us. At worse, we sometimes beg for mercy if some people turn a blind eye to us.
During the lent, we became one with Jesus Christ's pain and suffering. We tried to be one with his sacrifices and struggles as we ourselves tried to sacrifice some of our basic desires, to remind us that we are nothing with Christ. But today, there is no more suffering. This Sunday, there is no more pain, but only mercy.
The Second Sunday of Easter is also commemorated as the Divine Mercy Sunday. This is to remind us that at the end of all the pain and suffering in the world, God's unending mercy is always there for us. His mercy and compassion never ceases but always empowers us and reminds us that God is merciful.
When Jesus Christ appeared to His Apostles in the Gospel of John, He showed them His wounds, wounds that reminds that He absorbed the pain of death because He loves us. When He showed these wounds, Jesus did not blame His Apostles. He did not say, "Guys why did you leave me all alone in the calvary." Jesus did not say, "Guys we're all in this together right? But where were you back then?"
Instead, Jesus told them, "Peace be with you."
The peace Jesus gives us has become a form of God's eternal mercy for us humans. Despite all our sins, He is there to show mercy for us.
The same thing happened when Thomas the doubter did not believe that Jesus Christ really resurrected. Thomas doubted the claims of the other Apostles that they have seen the Lord.
When Jesus appeared again to them, He stayed patient and asked Thomas to do what he wants with His wounds. This exemplifies how God initiates in fixing our relationship with Him. Yes God is merciful and yes, despite having sinned against Him, God initiates in fixing our relationship with Him.
We are lucky to have a merciful and loving God. Most of us do not appreciate this fact and tend to abuse God's mercy. Today, we are reminded that as God is merciful to us, we should also be merciful to our neighbors and to ourselves as well. When we sin, we are not just hurting God but we are also hurting our neighbors and ourselves as well.
Let us try to reflect, have we become merciful to others just like how God is merciful to us? Have we loved them just like how we loved ourselves? Have we become merciful to ourselves by trying to avoid sin? Have we loved God today? Amen.