Feast of Divine Mercy (Year B)

The late Pope John Paul II had decreed to celebrate on the Second Sunday in Easter this Feast of Divine Mercy. God is merciful to all of us. This mercy is embodied in the person of Jesus and in his Passion. As followers of Jesus, we should constantly seek the mercy of God and be merciful ourselves. In the Beatitudes of Luke, we find this verse.
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:36).
We are told to become ambassadors of God's mercy.
In the gospel reading today, we read of the apparition of Jesus to his apostles on the first Easter Sunday.
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." (John 20:19)
This is a peace the apostles were badly in need. How could there be peace? They were in great fear for their own lives when Jesus was crucified. Soon, it would be their turn. They fully expected to be slaughtered like their Master. It was only a matter of time unless God intervened. They went hiding. God did intervene. They heard reports, or rather rumours that Jesus had risen. Therefore, what a relief to meet Jesus. They were liberated.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:21-23)
No, they would not remain hiding. Jesus sent them out to the world as new creatures. But they did not need to worry because Jesus equipped them with the Holy Spirit, the spirit of love and of truth. Just as the Adam who became a living being when God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 2:7), the apostles became new spiritual creatures when they received the Holy Spirit from Jesus. They were not mere intelligent animals like Adam. They were sent out to the world, to be ambassadors of God's mercy. As ambassadors of mercy, they will forgive others, to reconcile them to God. Of course, if people reject this mercy, their sins will be retained.
Today is also my 39^th anniversary of Confirmation. I received the Holy Spirit 39 years ago from the late Hong Kong Bishop Francis Hsu. Throughout these years, my faith remains cerebral and now, I should live up my faith more with my heart.
Somehow, Thomas was not present when Jesus appeared to the apostles on the first Easter. Always an empiricist, Thomas would not accept the testimony of his fellow apostles unless Jesus passed the verifications he demanded. All too often, we live like Thomas, demanding God to meet our requirements. We simply don't know whom we are dealing with. God works according to His schedule.
Eight days later, Jesus appeared again to his apostles, this time, including Thomas. Of course, Thomas was dumbfounded, but not quite. Jesus really came to meet his challenges, his requirements! Thomas surrendered.
Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28)
Fr. Lajeune advised us to whisper the same words in mass when the priests hold up the consecrated Host. Here is the risen Jesus in the form of bread and wine. Here is the mystery of faith.

My Lord and my God. You give us the Holy Spirit to be ambassadors of reconciliation. Let us benefit from Your mercy and convey this mercy of Yours to our neighbours. Amen.