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WORD AMONG US WAU.ORG Reflections
⛪2nd Easter Sundayđź’’
:Daily Meditation: 1 Peter 1:3-9
. . . in his great mercy. (1 Peter 1:3)
As he opens his letter, St. Peter blesses God, whose “great mercy” has given us “a new birth” (1 Peter 1:3). On this Divine Mercy Sunday, let’s look at some of the blessings that God’s mercy has won for us.
A living hope (1 Peter 1:3). Jesus, risen in glory, has opened heaven! We aren’t doomed to a life of hopelessness marked by sin and death. Now freed from these forces, we can live every day in the sure knowledge that the God of heaven is walking with us. We can know a living hope that assures us that we can be “transformed . . . from glory to glory” as we stay connected to him (2 Corinthians 3:18).
An inheritance that is imperishable (1 Peter 1:4). Just as parents leave their children an inheritance, Jesus has left one for us—an imperishable one. Silver and gold, valuable though they may be, can give us only earthly security. But Jesus has left us with the gifts of faith, hope, and love, and these last forever (1 Corinthians 13:13). They sustain us and lift us up in good times and in bad, in plenty and in need. They bind us to the God who loves us without end.
A salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time (1 Peter 1:5). We often look at divine mercy as a gift for today, but God takes a longer view as well. He promises that in “the final time,” at the very end, he has a great salvation waiting for us. As we enter into eternity, “we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). All pain, suffering, temptation, sadness, and sin will be wiped away, and we will enter the new creation to live forever in the presence of the Lord.
A living hope. An imperishable inheritance. A final salvation. Our God is merciful beyond compare. May we never cease to praise him!
“Jesus, my Savior, I am in awe of your overflowing mercy!”
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First Reading ⎯ Acts 2:42-47
How can a person who isn’t in a religious vocation “devote” themselves to the teachings, communal life, breaking bread, and praying?
What do you think attracted others to put their trust in Jesus for salvation, and unite with these early Christians?
Second Reading ⎯ 1 Peter 1:3-
Salvation is described as being “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.” Explain each of these terms in your own words.
Gospel Reading ⎯ John 20:19-31
How do you feel when you hear someone express doubt regarding Christ? What do you think causes doubt and fear to arise in our lives?
What is Jesus’ message for our fears and doubt?
What does the phrase “that you may come to believe” imply to you?
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