Well it truly is a great blessing and honor to be here at Mercy Home for boys and girls and for all of our people here who are here in the chapel and all of our viewers at home on this Sunday of divine mercy. We are still, I hope, caught in the joy and the great celebration of the Easter season, as is the Easter octave. The Easter season is just a glorious way in which we can unpack this divine mystery and especially today where we get to visit and see this beautiful scene of the risen lord coming through those locked doors. Encountering great fear and shock no doubt, but also encountering them with the gift of mercy, the gift of divine mercy, the gift of peace. Peace be with you he says over and over again. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. So how blessed they are at that moment of seeing the risen lord, but blessed are so many Jesus says, that have not seen and yet believe.

We believe, we share our faith. We share that joy of that divine mercy. We have an opportunity then today to reflect in our own lives as we see Christ walking through those locked doors. How he confronts fears and doubts, perhaps not only those apostles but our own fears and doubts. He confronts them with peace and mercy, divine mercy and divine peace. Eventually he sends those followers of his out into the world to be the beacon of mercy, to be the instruments of peace in the world. As we continue to share the Easter joy that we experience throughout this season of Easter, let’s turn to the father in heaven. Let’s pray for the father of mercies as we hunger for his mercy, as we hunger for his peace, and be ready on this Sunday of divine mercy to share that divine gift of mercy and peace. And share in our baptismal promises with one another.