Homilies & Reflections

One thing I ask of the Lord. This I long to dwell in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life.

2022-04-23 - GOD IS MERCIFUL. A reflection for Divine Mercy Sunday Year C, 24th April 2022 Author: Rev. Fr. Francis Onwunali

Readings
 
Acts 5:12-16
Rev. 5:9-13,17-19
John 20:19-31
 
 
On this Second Sunday of Easter, we celebrate "Divine Mercy"- God's Love for us even while we were still sinners. The readings of today point to God's unconditional care, love and mercy to His disciples who within this Octave doubted His resurrection not until He revealed Himself to them.
 
In the first reading (Acts 5: 12-16), through the faith of the Apostles in the power of resurrection, mercy was granted those who were in need of salvation- healing and wholeness.
 
In the gospel (John 20: 19-31), Jesus appears to His disciples who had locked themselves up for fear of the Jews. He offered them the first words of the resurrection- Shalom. With the gift of peace, Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit, empowered them to forgive sins and commissioned them to spread the Good News. Thomas who was absent doubted the presence of the Risen Lord, however, Jesus showed him mercy revealing Himself to Thomas today. 
 
 
Dear friends, the Octave of the first Easter was disappointing and uneventful  for the Apostles. Possibly the Octave of this Easter might have been disappointing for you also. You may have even sinned against the Risen Lord. You may be concealing Jesus' Resurrection more than revealing it. Nevertheless, Jesus comes to you once again with rays of mercy coming from His wounded heart.
 
I pray as we journey in life today, we will be filled with the Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of truth" (John 16: 13). May He move us to be true to the Lord and not unfaithful, so that with the fruit of Love, we will stop our sinful rejection of the Lord Jesus. By Jesus' mercy and the power of the Holy Spirit, may we be witnesses for the Risen Christ and truly celebrate Easter. Let us be truly merciful to others as God has been to us in Christ. "O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You". Have a Happy Divine Mercy-full Sunday!



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logoThe Diocese of Umuahia was erected on June 23, 1958 with Most Rev. Anthony Gogo Nwaedo C.S.Sp. as its first Bishop and Most Rev Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji as the second Bishop. The diocese was carved out from the then Diocese of Owerri. Since its inception, two other dioceses: Okigwe (1981) and Aba (1990) have been excised from it. Its present area of about 2,460.40km2 spans six Local Government Areas: Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ikwuano, Bende, Ohafia and Arochukwu.

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