A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 5, n. 20)
2nd Sunday of Easter, Year C – April 15, 2007
“A Touch of Divine Mercy”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 5:12-16 // Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19 // Jn 20:19-31
N.B. Series 5 of BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy of Year C from the perspective of the First Reading. For another set of reflections on the Sunday liturgy of Year C, please go to the PDDM Web Archives: WWW.PDDM.US and open Series 2.
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS
On this second Sunday of Easter, which is also celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday, we thank the Lord for the many touches of divine mercy that are palpable in daily life. One example of this may be verified in the following experience narrated by the Maryknoll missionary, Fr. Joseph Fedora, derived from his AIDS ministry in Lima, Peru (cf. MARYKNOLL, March 2007, p. 34-35).
Olga, her body ravaged by HIV, is in mourning. So much loss in such a short life – 28 years old, going on 82. Gone is the luster in her long black hair, and her cheeks, deep craters surrounded by bony ridges, no longer blush. Too anemic for that. Her dark eyes, made darker by shadows and dimmed by pain, glow less brightly. Gone too are her once full lips, now stretched thin by chronic malnourishment, her teeth impossibly large in a face wasting away.
Olga smiles when she sees me approaching her bed. I bend down and kiss her forehead. “How are you?” I ask. “My back hurts,” she says. “Could you turn me on my side?” It seems easier than it should be; she weighs so little. “Hmmm,” she purrs, “much better.” Blessed respite, I think, but just then a coughing fit – like a spiteful taskmaster – cuts the respite short. Her body convulses, and with each cough one can almost hear her bones rattle. When the attack subsides, Olga moans. I gently rub her back, feeling every contour of every vertebra. Within moments she begins to purr once more. “That feels so good,” she says. She closes her eyes and smiles. We don’t talk for a while, comfortable in the silence and in the healing touch – healing for her, healing for me. No simple massage this, I think. Something much greater is afoot – something holy. After a moment, with eyes still closed, Olga invites me to apply more pressure, “but only if you’d like,” she says. “My pleasure,” I respond …
I close my eyes and pray my touch – like Jesus’ – comforts and heals this wounded woman now sleeping. She’s at peace, as I am. I savor the moment silently, then open my eyes. “No need for holy oils now,” I muse. “Better she sleeps. Besides, was not that backrub a sacrament?” I kiss Olga on her forehead and whisper goodbye. There’s a spring in my step as I make my way to another patient in mourning, to another encounter with the Word Made Flesh Wasting away. It pains me to see pain, but, oh, the comfort in comforting others.
The missionary brought Christ’s healing touch and comfort to the sick woman, and the woman’s ailing body became an instrument of God’s healing touch and comfort to the ministering missionary. The touch that both the missionary and the sick woman experienced was a touch of divine mercy.
In this Sunday’s Easter account, the Risen Lord - in his divine mercy - was offering himself to be touched by the doubting Thomas, so incredulous of the reality and magnanimity of God’s love. Jesus invited Thomas: “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe” (Jn 20:27). The Risen Lord, with his glorious body, obliged to give Thomas and his despondent and weary soul a palpable sign of his love.
Part of the Easter gift of the Risen Lord was his healing touch. And this healing touch was passed on to his apostles who received the ministry to cure the sick and those troubled in spirit. Indeed, God continued to work signs and wonders among the people through the instrumentality of his apostles. The power of the Holy Spirit, the Risen Lord’s Easter gift, enabled the apostles to communicate his healing touch and power to the broken hearted and the sick. The people in distress were so desperate for the healing touch that “they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them” (Acts 5:15). The touch of Peter’s shadow was enough to heal the sick for it was an encounter of faith with the healing power of the Risen Lord, of which Peter was a channel of grace.
The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 3, assert: “Though they continue Jesus’ work, neither Peter nor the other apostles pretend to replace the Christ whom they proclaim. It is in his name that the sick are cured (Acts 3:6). They have received the power they wield from the Lord, and they know it. Jesus had sent the Twelve “to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Lk 9:2). The seventy-two exercised this mission during the Lord’s lifetime (Lk 10:9); they told him in astonishment: “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name” (Lk 10:17). As a sign of the coming of the kingdom, the healing of the sick shows that the Lord is always at work in his Church through the ministry of his messengers, at whose head Jesus placed Peter. But they also refer to other cures, other resurrections that are constantly performed in the Church, in the name of the Lord Jesus, for all who believe.”
“Redemption Joy”
AN EASTER REFLECTION
By Dr. Andrew Gill, Th.Psy.D.
So often we spend our days concerned about this or that and finding ourselves wanting something we don’t possess or that someone else possesses. We are driven away from suffering and toward some gratification. This is part of our fallen nature that is self-centered and pleasure seeking. We spend our days searching for fulfillment and wanting to escape harm's way. Yet, our nature battles against us because it is fallen, in need of redemption. How are we to overcome such thoughts, desires and actions that work against who God created us to be?
As Christians we are called to repentance. St. John the Baptist said, “Repent from your sin.” Repentance mean to once again (re)offer penance (regret, amendment, retribution for one’s actions and the actions of others). We often think of repentance negatively as suffering the consequences of our actions; however, we do not often see that repentance truly is a positive action toward reception of redemption.
Repentance is a participating in the victory of the cross. Repentance is both the positive participation in redemptive suffering and the much forgotten participation in redemptive joy. When we repent from our sin, we ask God to help us move away from our fallen nature. When we repent from our sin, we ask God to remove our fallen ways. When God grants us the grace to move away from our fallen nature and it’s ways are we not also moving toward a new redemptive nature and way?
Each time we repent and turn again toward God we rely on the grace of the triumph of the cross and are made into a new creation. Our contrition, our confession, our acceptance of God’s mercy and God’s just consequences, and our confirmation of absolution moves us away from our fallen nature toward a redemptive state. This is what we prepare for in Lent, the joy of the resurrection of Jesus, the victory of the cross, and the redemption of mankind. This is Easter.
During Easter we celebrate the joy of repentance. During Easter we put aside our sorrows and our woes; we put aside all that we have suffered to once again bring our attention to the reason, motivation, and incentive to suffer and be joyful. We become more aware during the Lenten season of who we suffer for after meditating on who suffered for us. During Easter we become more aware of who we rejoice with after meditating on who brings us joy, Jesus Christ.
This passage from St. John Chrysostom really says it all,
“If any man be devout and loves God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphant feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall nowise be deprived therefore. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of His honor, will accept the last even as the first; he gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour. And he shows mercy on the last and cares for the first; and to the one he gives and upon the other he bestows gifts. And he both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts, and praises the offering.
Wherefore, enter all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full laden; feast sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go away hungry. Enjoy all the feasts of faith: receive all the riches of loving-kindness. Let no one bewail of his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one weep his inequities, for pardon has shone forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, he made Hell captive. He embittered it when is tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.
O Death where is thy sting? O Hell where is thy victory? Christ is risen, and thou are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.
Let us rejoice in God’s saving grace. Let us rejoice … Let us simply rejoice. For God is love, and we are loved. Let us truly rejoice this Easter season.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
A. Why did Thomas want to touch the Lord? What was the Lord’s response to his temerity and boldness in asking for a palpable sign? How did the Risen Lord’s offer of touch transform Thomas? Do we yearn for the healing touch of our Lord Jesus – in what situations? Have we ever experienced the Lord’s touch of divine mercy?
B. What were the signs and wonders done among the people by the hands of the apostles? What hope did the apostles give to the people broken in body and spirit? Why did the people yearn for the touch of the apostles – that even the falling of the shadow of Peter was a source of consolation? Do we believe that the healing ministry and charism is an integral part of the apostolic Church? Do we give thanks to the Risen Lord for this wonderful gift?
C. What are the various cures and “resurrections” that we witness and experience in today’s broken world? What role do we play in these “signs and wonders”? Do we strive to be instruments of God’s healing touch and expressions of the divine mercy? Do we acknowledge that conversion is a healing experience of which we need to take a part? Are we heartened by the astounding reality that “Christ is risen” and that he is ever present in the faith community with his touch of divine grace and healing love?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD
(Cf. L. Groslambert, Fiche de chant I 168 // Days of the Lord, vol. 3, p. 106)
Leader: Without having seen we believe. Christ fulfills the promise.
Assembly: Christ is truly risen. He is our rebirth.
Leader: The spirit of the Son witnesses to it, burning desire for the Father.
Assembly: Alleluia, alleluia! Christ is our rebirth.
Leader: Christ is lifted from the dead and draws us into glory.
Assembly: Christ is exalted in his flesh. He is our hope.
Leader: Why seek among the dead the living heart of the earth?
Assembly: Alleluia, alleluia! Christ is our hope.
Leader: We feel this day rise like a shining sun.
Assembly: Christ strikes fire in our hearts, the burning love of the Passover.
Leader: On our paths may we find the torch that dispels the night.
Assembly: Alleluia, alleluia! The burning day of the Passover!
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles.” (Acts 5:12)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION
A. ACTION PLAN: Pray that the Risen Lord’s touch of divine mercy may reach all those who need comfort and healing. In your own way endeavor to bring the Risen Lord’s healing touch to those who desperately yearn and seek for it, especially the sick, the destitute, the marginalized and the “untouchable”.
B. ACTION PLAN: To help us participate more intimately in the Easter joy of our glorified Lord Jesus Christ and to help us delve more deeply into our mission as an Easter people to make his healing touch palpable in today’s wounded world, make an effort to spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Visit the PDDM WEB site (www.pddm.us) for the EUCHARISTIC ADORATION THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (Vol. 3, n. 20): A Weekly Pastoral Tool.
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US