Saints encourage us to embrace mercy and witness love
by Sister Mary Kabat
Though last Sunday was Divine Mercy Sunday, we hear similar messages this Sunday from both St. Peter and St. John in the 1st and 2nd readings from Scripture. Peter says it plainly – “You denied the Holy and Righteous One…the author of life you put to death.” Peter could have been remembering his own denials of Jesus, not once but three times. But then Peter speaks from his experience, “Repent…that your sins may be wiped away.” John reminds us that if we do sin, “We have an Advocate…Jesus Christ…He is the expiation for our sins.”
In this Sunday’s Gospel from St. Luke, all are in the upper room listening to the two disciples who ran back to tell of meeting Jesus along the road to Emmaus and recognizing him in the breaking of the bread. When Jesus appears in that moment they think they are seeing a ghost. He shows them his wounds and eats some fish to assure them he is indeed alive. Then like he did with the two disciples on the road, he explains the Scriptures about himself, his sufferings and he rising from the dead. Then Jesus missions them, “You are witnesses of these things.”
Like Jesus, we bear our wounds and as humans, we bear our failures, our weaknesses, our sins. But we have One who knows us and is ever ready to offer us peace and forgiveness. I think that deserves an Alleluia! Let us go forth this week and seek out opportunities to witness to Jesus’ love, mercy, patience and desire to bring others to fullness of life.
I greatly appreciate your message of God’s love and mercy in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, our Advocate. “Alleluia” indeed! Thank you, Mary.