Divine Mercy Sunday

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Sometimes we can be afraid of what God is calling us to do. We try to hide ourselves away from the world or from God because we are anxious about the path that lies before us. The way ahead looks scary to us. We aren’t certain we can overcome all the obstacles in our way. Many times the destination is unknown or murky. We are faced with fears and doubts and choose to lock away our talents and treasures. Better to be safe than sorry. But if we want to be disciples of Christ, then we have to be open to him coming into our lives and sending us forth. We might not know how we will accomplish the mission he sends us on. However, if we allow his peace to be with us and trust that His Holy Spirit will always be by our side, then we have nothing to fear. We learn the important lesson that it is better to be saintly than sorry.

What are we afraid of? What is God asking us to do in our lives? How can we prepare ourselves to accept our calling with peace and joy?

O Lord, as your Heavenly Father sent you, so send us to where we are needed.

Amen.