I AM THE LIVING ONE

II EASTER SUNDAY - Apocalypse 1:9-13,17-19

On this Second Sunday of Easter, we celebrate the Divine Mercy. It is a fitting way of ending the octave of Easter. At Easter, we celebrate God’s love and mercy.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16).

In Jesus Christ, who shed his blood for us, we are reconciled with God. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul speaks of God as “being rich in mercy, because of the great love” he has for us:

“God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:4-7).

That’s why we sing with the Psalm 118:2-4:

“Let Israel say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

Let the house of Aaron say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

Let those who fear the Lord say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

In this Sunday’s gospel, John presents the Risen Jesus Christ joining the disciples while they were gathered on a Sunday evening (on the first day of the week) and giving them the ministry of reconciliation, that is the power to forgive sins. After breathing on them, he said:

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

For those whose sins you forgive,

they are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.”

Jesus’ resurrection represents his victory over death. He is truly the Son of man who is endowed with divine glory. To John, the writer of the Apocalypse, who was suffering like so many others for preaching the  Word of God and giving witness for Jesus Christ, He said:

“Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld.” (Rev 1:17-18).

Indeed, Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, has set us free and has opened the gates of heaven for us, if we become one with him. Through him, we will be healed from our wounds and redeemed from our sins.

Let those who fear the Lord say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”