THE WORK OF DIVINE MERCY

It’s Divine Mercy Sunday... and homily at mass made me connect some dots from past readings....  

 

I jotted down 4 take-aways.  May you be blessed too!

 

• In our trials in life, we have moments of doubts, unbelief, inability to understand.... even in those moments, we want to trust, and to remain with the community under the umbrella of God’s protection.  We want to continue to proclaim “My Lord and my God!” despite our ignorance and doubts.

• Many things in our lives are not the plan of God.  We  commit sins, we go against the will of God and there are consequences.  The Lord, in his mercy, can use our sinfulness to bring about something greater in our life and that is the work of divine mercy. 

• The mercy of God includes and accepts our sinfulness. The will of God never includes sin.  This is the difference between the will of God and the mercy of God.

• In Gods justice, we are given what we deserve.  In His mercy, He does not give us what we deserve,  And in His grace, He gives us what we do not deserve. 

May the Lord continue to work His Divine Mercy in our lives despite our sinfulness and despite our ignorance and doubts.  Thank you, Jesus, for giving us Easter.

REFERENCES:

Notes taken from Rev Fr Adrian Yeo’s homily

Today’s Gospel reading was from John 20:19-31 (Doubting Thomas).  Rev Fr Adrian Yeo reminded us that like Thomas, at the end of the day, in our ignorance and unbelief, we want to be able to proclaim, “My Lord and my God”.  We believe even though we have not seen.  We believe even though we do not understand.  

We are reminded that Easter is a celebration of God’s merciful love for us even in our ignorance and doubts.  

Notes taken from a friends sharing

A friend shared about a similar homily at her parish which highlighted Thomas’ actions while in his disbelief and doubt.  Thomas did not leave.  He remained.  He remained with the community, he remained under the umbrella of God’s protection.  In His time, God worked his mercy upon Thomas that he could declare “My Lord and my God.”

Notes taken from video sermon by Rev Fr Bobby Emprayil

• The will of God does not include sin.  The will of God is our holiness.  God’s nature is love.  He will never go against his nature.  God’s will for our lives is all goodness. 

• The mercy of God includes and accepts man’s sinfulness.  A man sins, and out of that sin, God brings out something good, that is the mercy of God – the compassion of God.  

Fr Bobby illustrated this point by the life of Ishamel.

• Ishmael is the illegitimate child of Abraham.  God was with him despite this illegitimacy.

• The will of God - The boy was not in the original plan of God because the plan of God cannot come from sin.   The child was the product of sin because the sexual act Abraham committed with Hagar originated from the lack of faith of Sarah.   The birth of Ishmael was out of lack of patience, endurance of Sarah. And Abraham consented to it.  

• The mercy of God - God is merciful to the son, and his mother Hagar and He takes care of them.  “I will make a nation out of him.” God was with that boy as he grew up.  This is called divine mercy - the mercy and compassion of God.

Many things in our lives are not the plan of God.  We  commit sins, we go against the will of God and there are consequences. 

The Lord, in his mercy, can use those consequences also to bring about better blessings in our life. 

This does not mean that we commit those sins by the will of God.  But God can use our sinfulness to bring about something greater in our life and that is the work of divine mercy. 

Noted taken from a book I read

I recall a book I read which spoke also about mercy, justice and grace…

• Justice is giving people what they deserve.
• Mercy is not giving people what they deserve. 
• Grace is giving people what they do not deserve.

We are called to be merciful to others just as God has been merciful to us, to forgive and bless others just as God forgives and blesses us.

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