Was This Ever Called Low Sunday? - 2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday) (4/11/2021)
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Acts 2:42-47
Psalm 118
1 John 5:1-6
John 20:19-31
As a kid I was fascinated with the Church calendar hanging in my grandma’s kitchen. I would look at the saints who were pictured there each month and read what it said about them. I remember being curious that the Wednesday of Holy Week was called “Spy Wednesday,” and the Sunday after Easter was named “Low Sunday.” I found out that it was called “low” only because Easter is so “high.”The ancient name for today was “Dominica in albis deponendis” or “Sunday for putting aside white garments.” The catechumens who were baptized during the Paschal Vigil wore white garments all week and put them aside on the Sunday after Easter.Based on the revelations to St. Faustina, this Octave Sunday of Easter was officially designated “Sunday of the Divine Mercy” by St. John Paul II on April 30, 2000. Today we are called to faith in Divine Mercy shown forth in the Paschal Mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We have come a long way from “Low Sunday!”ACTS
The first reading gives us an insight into the life of the primitive Christian community. “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.” It indicates that “wonders and signs” - miraculous acts - were performed by the apostles. Obviously, this created a sense of awe in those who witnessed them.
We are told of the remarkable charity and generosity that characterized the early Church: “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need.”
The first Christians shone like a light to the society around them. They enjoyed the favor and good will of the people, “And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” The early Church grew and spread by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit working in their midst!
GOSPEL
The first part of today’s gospel recounts the Easter apparition of Jesus, when he breathed on the apostles and imparted the Holy Spirit with the power to forgive sins.
The second part of the gospel is the very familiar account of “Doubting Thomas,” who was absent from the apparition of Jesus on Easter Sunday evening. Thomas makes his famous declaration of doubt: “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.”
That brings us to today, a week later, when Thomas was present, and Jesus invites him, “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.” Then Thomas makes his famous declaration of faith: “My Lord and my God!” Jesus addresses all of us who have come after Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
It’s interesting to note that while the noun “faith” does not appear in John’s gospel, some form of the verb “to believe” comes up over 100 times. The gospel calls upon all of us to “energize” our faith – to actively believe in Jesus!
FIRST LETTER OF JOHN
Several themes emerge from our second reading: Believing in Jesus as the Christ; love for the Father and the Son; loving the children of God; loving God means obeying his commandments.
This powerful reading promises victory: “for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world…and the victory that overcomes the world is our faith.” The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God is victor over the world!
The last sentence connects baptism (water) with the passion and death of Jesus (blood) and the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. By our baptism into the Paschal Mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit and become children of God!
DIVINE MERCY PIONEERS
On this Sunday I think of two great priests whom I was privileged to call dear friends, both tireless promoters of Divine Mercy: Fr. George Kosicki and Fr. Harold Cohen. Both lived to see Sr. Faustina canonized and the Sunday after Easter designated as Divine Mercy Sunday. I am reasonably certain that Fr. Kosicki had memorized the entire Diary of St. Faustina, chapter and verse! And I accompanied Fr. Cohen on trips when I was afraid we would miss our flight because he was busy handing out Divine Mercy prayer cards (and giving a detailed explanation of the devotion!). On this Divine Mercy Sunday, may we remember them, as well as St. John Paul II, who went home to the Lord on the Vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday in 2005.
Low Sunday? Not at all…but rather the culmination of the Paschal Feast of God’s mercy on this Octave Day of Easter!
