A profound message in today’s first reading is the reaction of the people after listening to Peter’s speech. The author of the “Acts of the Apostles” says that “they were cut to the heart” and they asked the question “what are we to do.” To be cut to the heart means that the words spoken made a deep impact on their lives. They listened with an open mind and their hearts burning with a great desire to make a change. “God’s words are spirit, and they are alive” and when one opens his heart to God’s word it provokes a response of change of heart.

Peter, in the first reading of today, stood up and proclaimed to the Jews how they used lawless men to condemn and crucify Jesus whom God commended to them, a man filled with mighty deeds and powers. He put it to them that they know how Jesus worked miracles in their midst and did many wonders but even though they killed Him out of wickedness that God raised Him up on the last day. The speech of Peter, in this first reading, testifies to the power of the risen Lord. This is the same Peter who could not stand before a teenage girl now speaks directly to the leaders of the religious authority, even blaming them for killing Jesus to their faces with boldness. What it means is that the power of the risen Lord had transformed him in such a way that he speaks boldly without fear. When we allow the risen Lord to transform our lives we have nothing to fear because having conquered death; there is nothing more to worry about. As we celebrate this power of the risen Lord let us recognize that His power transforms situations, events and lives that He touches.

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter as we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday instituted by Saint John Paul II in the year 2000. On the institution of Divine Mercy Sunday, he said, “there is nothing that man needs more than Divine mercy. Apart from the mercy of God there is no other source of hope for mankind.” Today, our world needs God’s mercy more than anything else. We need God’s mercy as the world battles with all kinds of political crisis, injustice especially in the war going on in Ukraine. We pray for the Mercy of God to come down like rain from heaven to bring an end to this war and many other countries where there are crises. We pray for God’s mercy on many families who have lost their loved ones in this war in Ukraine. Many people have been displaced and forced to leave their home; we pray that the mercy of God would bring consolation to them. We cannot forget the military who have been over stretched as result of this war that they may be encouraged.

Today we celebrate the greatest solemnity of our Faith, the foundation on which our hope and faith as Christians stands. We celebrate and rejoice that Our Lord Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. By rising from the dead, He has defeated the power of death, Satan, evil forces, falsehood, and injustice and claimed the Glory. God made Him to rise from the dead to prove that He has power over life and death. As Paul would say, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and our faith is in vain.” (1Cor 15:14-15) But because Christ has been raised, we have hope and our faith is credible and that is what we celebrate. That is the reason we shout Alleluia! Alleluia! Indeed, the Lord has truly risen.

The passion narrative gives us an insight of what Jesus suffered for us, especially the love He has for us that made Him endure all the insults and humiliation for our sake. Today’s liturgy does not require a long homily but allows the events of the passion story to speak directly to us in the silence of our heart. Our meditation is on Jesus’ suffering and death for our sake. He gave Himself completely to us by His preaching, miracles and healing and sacrificing Himself humbly on the cross.