Eight days after Easter, we are still immersed in the light of the Resurrection. This Sunday, known as Divine Mercy Sunday, reminds us that the heart of the Risen One remains wide open: he reaches out to the fearful, the absent, the wounded… and calls us to believe, to forgive, and to live in communion.
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:22-23)
A community united by faith and mercy
The Acts of the Apostles give us a vivid portrait of the early Christian communities. These men and women, transformed by their faith in the Resurrection, lived in deep unity. “One heart and one soul”: this communion impressed, attracted, and testified that the Risen Lord was truly among them.
We too are called to be the cement of unity, witnesses of a joyful and compassionate faith. Divine mercy never runs out; it unfolds through our fraternal life, our ability to forgive, and our unconditional love.
The trial of doubt and the beatitude of faith
In the Gospel, Thomas embodies the struggle with doubt and the journey toward faith. He wants to see, touch, and understand. And Christ, in his mercy, does not reject him but allows him to come near: “Put your finger here and see my hands” (Jn 20:27).
The Risen Lord meets each of us in our own story, in our wounds and questions. Thomas believes by touching; others—like us—believe without having seen. This beatitude—”Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn 20:29)—is a promise offered to every seeker of God.
Living mercy today
Celebrating Divine Mercy means welcoming the peace Christ offered to his disciples locked in fear. It means receiving the breath of the Spirit who sends us as ambassadors of forgiveness. It is to believe that faith is a living journey, nourished by love and revived by the sacraments.
In a world marked by so much pain and division, we need the strength of mercy. Let us allow it to transform us so that we too become signs of life and peace.
Prayer of the Day
Risen Lord, you come into our fears, our doubts, our closed doors, to offer us your peace. Increase our faith, make our hearts open to your mercy, and turn us into peacemakers.
Amen.
Scripture References
- Acts 5:12–16
- Revelation 1:9–11a, 12–13, 17–19
- John 20:19–31
From the Gospel according to John
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “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.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
To read the daily readings, visit Vatican News – April 27, 2025.
For reflection:
- Do I allow the peace of the Risen Lord to enter my life?
- How can I bear witness to mercy in my daily life?
- Am I ready to believe even without seeing?
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