16 April 2023 | YEAR A(I)

Praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. (Acts 2:47)
What a beautiful vision! The first believers' experience of the Spirit was so life-changing that they felt compelled to come together to worship the Lord and love one another as family.
But this ideal situation didn't last long. Only a short time later, prejudice and tribalism crept in, leading some to neglect the needs of the poorer widows among them (Acts 6:1). Later, some members of this mostly Jewish Christian community began telling Gentiles falsely that they had to be circumcised if they wanted to "be saved" (15:1). This attempt to treat Gentiles as second-class citizens caused "no little dissension" among the believers (15:2). Stories like these might make us wonder, if the first Christians couldn't live together, what hope does our Church have?
But today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Today we celebrate the good news that God is al- ways ready to forgive and to heal divisions. Take the early Church, for example. By all counts, it should not have lasted more than a decade or two. But in fact, it not only survived but continued to grow and spread. That's because God's mercy, poured out at every Eucharist and every time his people gathered together, softened believers' hearts and moved them to resolve their conflicts peacefully and lovingly. What a powerful testament to a God whose merciful love triumphs over every imaginable obstacle!
Even today, God's mercy continues to flow. Every division and conflict can be overcome as we come together to worship him, confess our need for him, and strive to make love our aim. Every sin can be washed away and every relationship restored! Jesus, our merciful Savior, is always ready to help us love one another.
"Lord Jesus Christ, merciful Son of God, draw your people together in love!"
Source: The Word Among Us https://wau.org
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