(Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 118; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31)

One of the striking things for me, from the first reading is how unified the Church was in the earliest of days, and how through that unity the Church was growing on a daily basis. The first reading tells us that they all attended temple together, those who had possessions sold them for the benefit of those who had need, and they all broke bread together. This unity is a unity which Christ envisaged when He set up the Church.

The psalm used emphasises mercy, which is highly appropriate on the day when we celebrate the Mercy of God, Divine Mercy Sunday. In the Gospel, we hear Jesus bestow one of the functions of priesthood upon the disciples. Through the Holy Spirit, the disciples are given permission to forgive sins, and also to withhold forgiveness, should that be appropriate. Jesus goes on to show how gently He dispenses mercy, when Thomas failed to believe initially based upon the word of his fellow disciples. There was no condemnation from Jesus of Thomas, instead Jesus offered to let Thomas do what he said it would take for him to believe. Jesus was prepared to meet Thomas where he was at. The result was that Thomas didn’t need to touch the wounds of Christ, instead, when Jesus offered to allow him to touch the wounds, Thomas simply declared ‘My Lord and my God.’

Are there times when we like Thomas, refuse to believe?

Do we insist on assurances or proof, before we fully engage?

Jesus tells us that we are blessed if we believe without needing any proof.

While we celebrate Christ’s mercy today, we are reminded that those of us who receive Christ’s mercy are expected to pass it on. Remember the apostles gained more followers for Jesus through their merciful actions than they did by what they said. As Christians, we need to take our mercy out into the world.  We are called not to just wait on those who need mercy coming across our path, we are called to go out and look for them and share with them the mercy of Christ.  It is not our mercy to keep for ourselves; this is a gift from God which has to be used. In his book ’15 Days of Prayer with Saint Faustina Kowalska’, John J Cleary wrote, ‘With God as our model, we are capable of forgiveness. He has forgiven us, and we can forgive those who do us wrong. This begins with the practice of mercy. Each day we should practice at least one act of mercy so that love and forgiveness can grow inside us, and so that hardheartedness does not settle within us, keeping us from a deeper love of God and each other. The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy serve as an excellent list of practices for fostering mercy in our lives.’[1]

The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy encourage us to support a wider circle of people in our community; it allows us to show those in need that someone actually cares. It is also an area; especially in the Corporal works; where the various parts of the Church work extremely well together. The local Foodbank functions predominantly through volunteers from most of the Christian Churches in the area. Likewise, the Winter Night shelter, Hospital Chaplaincy, Street Pastors, Town Chaplains etc. These are all examples of Christians being united in our love of God’s people, taking God’s mercy out to where it is most needed.

Today, as we continue to celebrate Easter and focus on how our Resurrected Christ bestows mercy upon us, we can ask ourselves.

How can I practice at least one act of mercy every day?

What difference can it make to my life and to the lives of others?

Acts of mercy are meant to change not just the person we are focussed on, but they change us too. Jesus does not want us to just tick along like a well-oiled machine. We are meant to grow in faith, and we do that by sharing God’s love and mercy with others. The more merciful we can be, then the more like Jesus we become, the more like Jesus we become the closer we get to The Father, the closer we get to The Father then the more fulfilled our lives will be in this world and the next.

Corporal Works
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the prisoners
Comfort the sick
Bury the dead		Spiritual Works
Teach the ignorant
Pray for the living & dead
Correct sinners
Counsel those in doubt
Console the sorrowful
Bear wrongs patiently
Forgive wrongs willingly

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Second Sunday of Easter

CCC 448, 641-646: appearances of the risen Christ
CCC 1084-1089: sanctifying presence of the risen Christ in the liturgy
CCC 2177-2178, 1342: the Sunday Eucharist
CCC 654-655, 1988: our new birth in the Resurrection of Christ
CCC 976-983, 1441-1442: “I believe in the forgiveness of sins”
CCC 949-953, 1329, 1342, 2624, 2790: communion in spiritual goods[2]

Please remember in your prayers

  • All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
  • Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
  • Those who completed and those who continue with the RCIA programme; especially those who received the Sacraments of Initiation this Easter.
  • The young people preparing for Confirmation in our Pastoral Area.
  • The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
  • The families who start their Baptism Preparation sessions this week.

Deacon Tony

11th April 2026

[1] John J Cleary, 15 Days of Prayer With Saint Faustina Kowalska, [Liguori Publications, Liguori, Missouri, 2002]25.

[2] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments