“Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. Then the angel departed from her.” (LK 1: 38)

The history of our redemption started at this point: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” God, Who respects our freedom, asked Our Lady for permission to put His plan into action. He respects because He loves; when we practice the steps from Program 1, we learn how to love more. Our Lady answered “yes” because she recognized God’s love for us and her role in God’s plan; when we recognize God’s love, we can see better how to serve. 

“The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us; and we saw his glory.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (JN 20: 22-23)

Our Lord “breathed on the apostles,” and they received the Holy Spirit. With Him came an authority and power: “whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Especially today, on Divine Mercy Sunday, we are so grateful for the beauty of the sacrament of penance, which gives us access to God’s heart and forgiveness. 

“You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; Blessed are those who have not seen me, but still believe!” (Gospel Acclamation)

“But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” (MK 16: 14-15) 

Our Lord “rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart,” and, at the same moment, He sent them to “the whole world” to “proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” He sent them not because they were perfect, but because “the whole world” needs to hear the Gospel.  

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” (ACTS 4: 12) 

This is so important to remember: who we are and Who Our Lord is. Jesus is “given to the human race by which we are to be saved”; we are His beloved children who received this gift—salvation. We are invited to share with everybody our joy: “let us be glad and rejoice in it.”
 
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, ‘You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?’” (ACTS 3: 12) 

St. Peter was so concerned about attributing this miracle directly to Our Lord. He had full understanding that whatever happened, it was because of God’s love for this man, not because of his “own power or piety.” When we pray or when we ask, we direct everything to Him. 

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.” (LK 24: 15-16) 

Our Lord is always with us, but in a very special way when we meditate on His life or when we read the Bible or pray: He “himself drew near and walked with them.”Our eyes, like His disciples, are “prevented from recognizing Him,” but His presence is real. He comes to help us love Him more. 

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples.” (Mt 28: 8) 

We “run to announce the news” to our families and friends. We visit each other to share the same joy. Every meeting these days is based on the same news: He died, but resurrected; He fulfilled God’s will and went back to His Father, but is always with us. We are never alone!!! 

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” (COL 3: 2-4) 

“We have died, and our lives are hidden with Christ in God,” so we should “think of what is above, not of what is on earth” because we belong to Our Lord. In these days we celebrate His victory over death and Satan and our new lives. It is time for us to enjoy and to share our joy with others: “let us then feast with joy in the Lord.” 

“Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)