ALL SAINTS MARGARET STREET

Easter II Evensong

Fr Ivan Aquilina

Even in the most glorious moment of His life here on earth Jesus was misunderstood. After three years of intensive teaching and sharing his innermost thoughts with the twelve, after all those signs and wonders performed before their eyes, after a most bitter passion and a cruel and slow death, after the vindication by God, when death and sin are destroyed the response Jesus gets from those whom he loved to the end is summed up in the last verse we read in tonight’s gospel: “…these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.” Even the most pious of human beings would be excused if they gave up on such friends. What more could he do? “It is finished”, he said on the cross, from an earthly point of view there was nothing more possible for him to do. He led the horse by the water, it would not drink. Jesus was perfectly entitled to give up on them.

What does Jesus do?

Instead of going his way, he takes the way of his disciples. Immediately after the section we read tonight we see Jesus on the road to Emmaus. He walks with the disciples, hidden. He does not push himself on them; they see when they are ready. With all patience and love he starts all over again: he walks with them teaching them afresh. Hearing his teaching they were immersed in it, they would not let him go. His words were quenching their thirst. And than in the breaking of the bread they realise, and he is not to be seen as now it is them who have to do what he was doing. Look at this carefully: is not this mercy of the first order? Are there any words that can describe to us or that can illustrate to any one the depths of this Divine Mercy?

No words can come near to explain the Divine Mercy. Divine Mercy is fulfilled in action. In the actions of Jesus, merciful towards his first disciples, merciful towards humanity, merciful with us we see the depths of this Divine Mercy. Indeed Divine Mercy is the heart and soul of the Gospel. If we really look at how God has revealed Himself in Scripture and Church Tradition, we discover afresh how mercy is essential to understanding His message of love and salvation. Mercy even reveals His very identity. How can we ever doubt this Divine Mercy? This Mercy is so generous and infinite that it covers all the sin of humanity. However big our sins are, our only hope and guarantee of forgiveness is given to us in this Divine Mercy.

Let us also remember that we need to be Merciful as our Father in heaven is Merciful. The Mercy we receive is efficacious only if through us it reaches others. We are not only to receive the mercy of God, but to use it by being merciful to others through our actions, our words, and our prayers; in other words, we are to practice the works of Mercy. The Lord wants us to do these works of mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no use without works.

What are the Works of Mercy?

They are: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, offering shelter and care to the homeless, comforting prisoners, visiting the sick, giving a decent burial to the dead, teaching the ignorant, praying for the living and the dead, calling sinners to penitence, rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep, bearing wrongs received patiently and forgiving those who trespass against us.

This is the programme of Divine Mercy! This is the Easter gift that the Church receives from the risen Christ and offers to humanity at the dawn of the third millennium. As a gift to humanity, which sometimes seems bewildered and overwhelmed by the power of evil, selfishness and fear, the Risen Lord offers his love that pardons, reconciles and reopens hearts to love. It is a love that converts hearts and gives peace. How much the world needs to understand and accept Divine Mercy!

Lord Jesus, you reveal the Father's love by your death and Resurrection; we believe in you and confidently repeat to you today: Jesus, I trust in you, have mercy upon us and upon the whole world.