As we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, we hear of our Lord coming to the twelve Disciples and revealing himself to them. The Disciples were overjoyed at this, and after offering them His wish of peace, he breathed upon them so that they received the Holy Spirit and commissioned them to go forth with the power to forgive sins. This was a difficult mission, as they would be going out among the very people whom they had seen crucify our Lord, yet this was not a mission given to them without preparation – they had seen our risen Lord and had received the Spirit to strengthen and embolden them.
Seeing Jesus standing before the disciples must have been an amazing moment, to see Him standing there despite the wounds to His hands, feet, and side. To hear His voice once again, and to simply know that no matter what they thought previously about what He suffered, He was there right in front of them, and none could deny that He had vanquished death itself.
Think about this for a moment, if you are called to go out among people who mean to do you harm because of what you stand for, that can be rather intimidating. However, if you know that no matter what they do, there is still a power greater than they are, that will ultimately save you and preserve you from that which you fear, that is a game changer. It was for the disciples, and it can be for us. We too are called to go out amongst people and to proclaim what we believe, and that will not always be popular with those who do not accept Christs teaching. Yet we have no reason to fear, because like the Disciples, we have the assurance of our Lords protection and help. We too are commissioned to go forth, and we too have received the Spirit through the Sacraments we have received and through God’s grace. We have mission, just as surely as the Twelve, and we are called to go forth into a world that is full of uncertainty. We need to trust in only one thing, that Jesus rose from the dead, and has changed the game for all of us as well.
Saint John Paul II had a consistent message for all who follow Christ that is worth remembering as we ponder our own commission as disciples of Jesus Christ – he told us “Be not afraid!”
The Deacons Bench 