From ancient times the Easter octave, culminating on the 8th day, has been centered on the theme of God’s mercy and forgiveness. The final day of the octave celebration of Easter is meant to be a day of thanksgiving to God for his goodness to mankind through the Paschal mystery, that is, the Passion, death, and Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. The Second Sunday of Easter was named Divine Mercy Sunday by Pope St. John Paul II following a request from Our Lord in his private revelations to St. Faustina Kowalska. On this day Jesus promised to open the floodgates of his inexhaustible mercy and shower abundant graces on those who participate in this feast day. A plenary indulgence is granted (under the usual conditions of sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father) to the faithful who, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus.
“Whoever seeks the truth, that is, who practices what is good, comes to the light, illuminates the paths of life. Whoever walks in the light, whoever approaches the light, cannot but do good works. This is what we are called to do with greater dedication during Lent: to welcome the light into our conscience, to open our hearts to God’s infinite love, to His mercy full of tenderness and goodness, to His forgiveness.” Pope Francis
We’ve heard this Gospel proclaimed year after year. But, have you ever wondered how Peter, James, and John knew it was Moses and Elijah? There were no pictures or artists that could paint them; there was no Facebook, no Tic-Toc, and no selfies. So, how did they know? You ever ask yourself that? Remember, Moses and Elijah died a thousand or so years before the apostles showed up. So, how did they know? In the transfiguration, our good Lord gave the apostles, Peter, James, and John, a taste of what Heaven would be like…just a little taste. They saw the glorified bodies of Moses and Elijah. They knew it was Moses and Elijah. They saw them with their eyes. They saw Heaven, and the people there were talking to God. You will know people in Heaven…if you get there. If you are concerned about that, come see me, and we can work it out. But, you will know people in Heaven, and you will be able to talk to them about future events. In Heaven, everything is now, because God is the Eternal Now and not the past, present, or future. He is the Eternal Now. He is present always. So, you will know and be enlightened.
There is forgiveness after death – in purgatory. Moses was in the Promised Land; he was right outside Jerusalem. God told Moses that he would never enter the Promised Land because he had sinned. But he did. So, there is forgiveness after death. Our good Lord, in this vision, lowered the veil of His humanity to show the apostles part of His divinity. They saw Heaven on Earth. He gave them this great revelation of what Heaven is like to prepare and strengthen them for the scandal of the Passion which would happen in less than two weeks. After all of the miracles they had seen, this was their final gift. Now, all of us would like to receive consolation and great gifts from God. We pray for them. We look for them, and if we get one, we want more. What are the gifts of consolation? First of all, they don’t come as often as we’d like. They usually come before our great trials or afterward as consolations.
Heaven is only meant for after this life and not during, just as it was for the apostles. Most of us would like to say, “If I had such a dramatic experience with God, I would have no problem believing and would never doubt the faith again. I would go to confession more often. I might even go to daily Mass occasionally. I just need to be convinced.” But, scripture is contrary to those statements. Jesus had three years of public ministry. How many people did the apostles see raised from the dead? At least three. Scripture says that not all of the miracles Jesus performed were recorded. He fed 5,000 people, walked on water, cured lepers, and the apostles cast out demons. The apostles saw all sorts of miracles, because they were there. Yet, where were they ten days later?
We are like the apostles. We have these great gifts. “Oh, I will never doubt again.” Yes, you will. We all do. This is the struggle we have. We are tempted to be disconsolate. The devil will say, “Well, if you were better; if you were doing what you are supposed to do, what your Lord said to do, you would always feel good.” Blah, blah, blah. That’s a bunch of spiritual fertilizer. It’s not true.
Our Lord does not distance Himself from us. He is always with us, we just can’t see Him. I was driving up to the VA the other day. I was doing 60 mph in a 55 mph zone, so I was cool. From out of nowhere, this van comes up right behind me and passes. Then, all of a sudden, I see the blue light special. I didn’t see the trooper, but he was there. You don’t see God, but He is always there. Your Guardian Angel is always with you. Just because you don’t see Him, doesn’t mean He isn’t there. You look for Him. “I cannot find Him.” But, He is there.
You might look at someone, and tell them they look great. But, a doctor might look at that same person, and tell them they don’t look so good. The doctor has the eyes of a physician. I have the eyes of a bozo. My eye doctor says I’m not ready for a stick and a seeing eye quite yet. But, it’s how we see it.
Our Lord is always with us. He is always giving us signs of His love and His presence. Sometimes, we overlook consolations, because we are too busy to see them, or we are looking the other way. Our Lord gives us great consolations. Maybe not as many as we would like, but as many as we need. They come and they go as our Lord sees fit. Look for small consolations, because He is there. Make sure you do not give up hope, and do not give in to despair. You may worry and ask Him, “Lord, have you forgotten about us? Do you see what is happening?” Yes, I am here. You cannot see Me, but I see you, and I am with you.
How will you apply this message to your life? Are you overlooking the signs of His love and His presence?
Father’s Afterthoughts…
While I was at the VA, I saw a nurse practitioner I know. I said, “Doc, can I ask you a question? She’s a medical professional. She said, “Sure!” “Doc, does this mask make me look fat?” You have to make your own fun at the VA.
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“Christ’s entire ministry is a struggle against the evil one in its many manifestations: healing from illnesses, exorcisms of the possessed, forgiveness of sins. It is a struggle. After the first phase in which Jesus demonstrates that he speaks and acts with the power of God, it seems that the devil has the upper hand, when the Son of God is rejected, abandoned and finally captured and condemned to death. The devil appears to be the winner. In reality, death itself was the last “desert” to cross in order to definitively defeat Satan and free us all from his power. And in this way Jesus won in the desert of death, so as to win in the Resurrection.”Pope Francis
“Hope as “living water” enabling us to continue our journey… Hoping with Him and because of Him means believing that history does not end with our mistakes, our violence and injustice, or the sin that crucifies Love. It means receiving from His open heart the Father’s forgiveness.”
“As the rain and snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth and making it yield…so the word does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do” (Isaiah 55:10–11).
Isaiah is writing in the fullness of the Babylonian exile, Jerusalem has fallen, no end in sight, and still he (some say “she”!) can speak with totally calm inevitability, kind certainty, and even joyful trust. (Treat yourself and open your Bible to 55:12–13 to see the final exclamation point, which is not included in the Lectionary reading.)
Then we have Matthew’s version of the “Our Father,” preceded by a warning against “rattling on” with too many prayers, and ending with a promise of a perfect and fair equivalence between how you forgive and how you will be forgiven. Jesus made the essential requirement for the forgiveness of sin rather clear and definitive here: As you do it, it will be done to you. If you do not do it, it cannot be done to you.
We are merely and forever inside of the divine flow, just like Isaiah’s “rain and snow.” Forgiveness is not some churchy technique or formula. Forgiveness is constant from God’s side, which should become a calm, joyous certainty on our side. Mercy received will be mercy passed on, and “will not return to me empty, until it has succeeded in what it was sent to do.”
Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies.” – 1 Samuel 4:3 NASB
As a nation, Israel had defied God and disobeyed His Word. But, when facing strong opposition from the Philistines, they seemed to forget these past mistakes.
They didn’t feel it was necessary to admit their sins, to repent, or to get their lives right with God. Instead, they concluded that they just needed to have the Ark with them when they went into battle. Then, they felt invincible.
Going into battle, they had complete confidence. They were so confident that they shouted so loudly that “the earth resounded” (v. 5). In the face of this superficial confidence, the Philistines initially reacted with fear but recovered to achieve victory in the ensuing battle. They realized that the Israelites just were operating on emotions.
And they experienced a horrible defeat. All the Israelites fled and “the slaughter was very great” (v. 10). Most devastating, the Ark itself was captured.
Israel had received an emotional boost from the presence of the Ark. But their lives hadn’t changed. They failed to realize that God was more concerned about their relationship with Him, their attitudes, the things they had done, and the condition of their heart.
Seek to be clean in God’s sight. Be honest with Him and allow Him to convict you of any sin. Humble yourself before Him, and accept His forgiveness. Faithfully seek to keep His Word to be sure that you have His blessing.
Prayer
Father, give me a sensitivity to know Your Word. I focus on You. Help me to be clean and pure in Your sight. In Jesus’ name, amen.
