Divine Mercy Sunday Year B

• First Reading – Acts 4:32-35: The early believers were united, sharing possessions and resources. The apostles’ powerful testimony about Jesus’ resurrection earned them high regard. They distributed funds from sold properties to meet everyone’s needs, ensuring no one was in need.
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 118: Israel, Aaron’s descendants, and the God-fearing proclaim God’s enduring mercy. He answers in distress, providing strength and salvation. The rejected stone becomes the cornerstone, a marvelous act of the Lord.
• Second Reading – 1 John 5:1-6: Belief in Jesus as the Christ shows we are born of God. Loving God and His children means obeying His commandments, which are not burdensome. Our faith in Jesus as God’s Son overcomes the world, affirmed by the Spirit of truth.
• Gospel – John 20:19-31: In a locked room, Jesus appeared to his disciples, offering peace and showing his wounds, which brought them joy. He empowered them with the Holy Spirit and the authority to forgive sins. Thomas, absent initially, doubted their testimony. Later, Jesus appeared again, inviting Thomas to touch his wounds, leading to Thomas’ declaration of faith. Jesus blessed future believers who wouldn’t see yet believe. These events were recorded to affirm faith in Jesus as the Christ.

The readings for Divine Mercy Sunday (2nd Sunday of Easter) for Year B show us that the mercy of God is given to all of us, even though we turn away again and again. In the gospel for this Sunday Jesus appears to the disciples. Then he comes back and lovingly helps Thomas overcome his doubts.

For Divine Mercy Sunday Year B, the readings introduce several deeply intertwined themes that underscore the essence of Christian life, God’s infinite mercy, and the dynamics of faith and community. Here’s a broader look at these themes:

• Unity and Sharing in Community: The first reading highlights the unity among the early Christians, who shared their possessions and ensured no one was in need. This theme invites us to consider how our communities reflect this spirit of sharing and support.
• Power of Testimony: Also in Acts, the apostles’ testimony about Jesus’ resurrection plays a crucial role, emphasizing the importance of witnessing to our faith through words and actions.
• Faith in Jesus: The second reading underscores that belief in Jesus as the Messiah is a sign of our rebirth through God. This theme challenges us to reflect on the depth of our faith and its transformative power.
• Love and Obedience: In 1 John, love for God and His commandments is portrayed as natural for those born of God. This passage encourages us to view God’s commands not as burdens but as expressions of love.
• Victory through Faith: The idea that our faith allows us to overcome the world offers encouragement in times of struggle, highlighting faith as a source of strength.
• Peace and Forgiveness: The Gospel presents Jesus bestowing peace and the authority to forgive sins, illustrating the central role of forgiveness and peace in Christian life.
• Doubt and Belief: Thomas’ journey from doubt to faith highlights the theme of belief without seeing, offering hope and blessing to future generations of believers.
• Role of the Holy Spirit: Jesus breathing the Holy Spirit onto His disciples underscores the empowerment and guidance the Spirit provides to believers.
• Inclusivity of Belief: Jesus’ blessing for those who have not seen but still believe expands the community of faith beyond the eyewitnesses to include all future generations.
• Purpose of the Gospel: The explicit statement that these events are recorded to help us believe that Jesus is the Messiah invites us to engage with the Gospel in a personal and transformative way.

These themes not only depict the richness of Divine Mercy Sunday’s readings but also call us to live out our faith through community, love, forgiveness, and a deep trust in Jesus’ presence and power.

See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B.

All Things Visible and Invisible – Discussion and Reflection Questions

This lesson plan for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B focuses on the concept of belief in the unseen, inspired by John 20:19-31, where Jesus helps Thomas overcome his doubts. The Scripture reading recounts how Jesus appeared to his disciples, offered peace, and showed his wounds to Thomas, who doubted until he saw Jesus himself. This story emphasizes that faith can be challenging but is rewarding and vital for understanding and experiencing God’s mercy and love. Through Jesus’ interaction with Thomas, we learn that doubt can lead to deeper faith and that belief without seeing is blessed.

Look Beyond Your Fears

Jeff Cavins shares insights for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B, drawing from his personal experience of fear as a child. He connects this to the disciples’ fear in John 20:19-31, emphasizing how fear can imprison us and prevent us from fulfilling God’s purpose. However, just as Jesus appeared to the disciples despite locked doors, He comes to us in our fear, offering divine mercy. Cavins highlights the transition from fear to peace through Jesus’ presence, underscoring the power of confession and God’s mercy to liberate us from sin-induced fear. This reflection encourages us to embrace Jesus’ peace and mission, reminding us that God’s love meets us in our pain and fear.

Doubting Thomas

In today’s Gospel reading from John for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B, we hear the familiar story of Doubting Thomas. After the resurrection, Jesus appears to the disciples, but Thomas is not with them. When the other disciples tell him that they have seen the Lord, Thomas responds that he will not believe unless he can see and touch the wounds in Jesus’ hands and side.

A week later, Jesus appears again, and this time Thomas is there. Jesus invites Thomas to touch his wounds and to believe. Thomas responds with a powerful declaration of faith: “My Lord and my God!”

Similarly, when Thomas doubts, Jesus does not rebuke him or shame him. He simply offers him the evidence he needs to believe and invites him into deeper relationship.

This is a powerful message for us today. We all have moments of doubt and fear, times when we struggle to believe or to trust in God’s plan for us. But like Thomas, we are invited to bring our doubts and questions to Jesus, who offers us peace and the evidence we need to believe.

On this Sunday after Easter, let us pray for the grace to be like the disciples, who were able to find peace and renewed faith in the presence of the risen Lord. And let us pray for the courage to continue Jesus’ mission of forgiveness and reconciliation in our own lives and in the world around us.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation

On this Divine Mercy Sunday Year B, we are called to reflect on the profound message of forgiveness and reconciliation that the resurrected Jesus brings to his disciples. The resurrected Jesus seems to suddenly appear out of nowhere, even though the doors are locked. He is not the same as he was, but he is also not a ghost. He does not dwell on their abandonment and betrayal, but instead focuses on calming their fears and commissioning them to continue his mission of forgiveness and reconciliation. He calms their fears.

It is striking to note that Jesus does not simply offer forgiveness and reconciliation as an abstract concept or an individual spiritual experience. Instead, he calls his disciples to live in community and to work for right relationships within that community and beyond. The restoration of all creation must include God, all people, and even the natural world.

For us today, this mission of forgiveness and reconciliation must start within our own communities. We must strive to live in harmony with one another, to overcome division and conflict, and to work towards the common good. This is not always an easy task, as we are all flawed and prone to sin. However, we can draw inspiration and strength from the example of the early Church, which was able to live in remarkable unity despite the challenges it faced.

As Catholics, we are also called to extend this message of forgiveness and reconciliation to the wider world. We are called to be agents of healing in a broken world, to work towards justice and peace, and to bring the light of Christ to all those we encounter.

On this Divine Mercy Sunday Year B, let us pray for the grace to live out this mission of forgiveness and reconciliation in our own lives and in the world around us. May we be instruments of God’s mercy and love, bringing healing and hope to all those we meet.

• How are your current relationships with God, with others, and with creation? In what ways can you work towards greater harmony and reconciliation in these relationships?
• Is there a situation in your community where you need to be a sign of God’s peace and mercy? How can you bring forgiveness and reconciliation to this situation, and work towards healing and unity?
• How does the hope of resurrection make you different? In what ways can you allow the message of hope and new life to transform your outlook and your actions in the world? How can you share this message of hope with others?
• In what ways do you struggle with doubt and fear in your relationship with God? How can you bring these doubts and questions to Jesus, and allow his peace to calm your fears?
• How do you respond to situations of conflict or division in your relationships with others? Are there ways that you can approach these situations with greater empathy, understanding, and a willingness to forgive?
• In what ways can you live out the mission of forgiveness and reconciliation in your daily life? How can you work towards greater harmony and unity in your community and in the world around you?

For Divine Mercy Sunday Year B, a selection of music that resonates with the themes of mercy, faith, and communal unity is essential to enhance the liturgical experience. These themes are beautifully woven into various types of music ranging from contemporary Christian songs to traditional hymns, each carrying a message of God’s boundless love and forgiveness. Incorporating songs that reflect on the resurrection, God’s loving kindness, and the call to live out the Gospel in our lives invites the congregation into a deeper reflection on the significance of Divine Mercy. This list not only celebrates the joy of Jesus’ resurrection but also encourages believers to embody the mercy and compassion that Jesus exemplified.

• Alleluia! Love Is Alive
• Because He Lives
• Bring Forth the Kingdom
• Bring Your Hand and Feel the Place of the Nails
• By Our Love
• Church of God Elect and Glorious
• Divine Mercy Chaplet in Song
• Every New Morning
• Eye Has Not Seen
• Faustina’s Song
• Glory and Praise to Our God
• Give Thanks to the Lord
• Give Thanks to the Lord (Psalm 118)
• Glorious Day
• God of Mercy and Compassion
• Jesus You Are Mercy
• Join in the Dance
• Lord of the Dance
• One Thing Remains
• Peace My Friend
• Peace, My Friends
• Peace Is Flowing Like a River
• Psalm 118 (Alleluia)
• Sing a New Church
• This Is Amazing Grace
• The Jesus Song
• There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy
• We Walk by Faith

In summary, the music suggestions for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B are aimed at deepening the congregation’s encounter with God’s mercy. From uplifting anthems of praise and thanksgiving to reflective chants about faith and discipleship, these songs serve as a call to action for believers to bring forth the kingdom of God through acts of love and mercy. The selection offers a wide variety, guiding the faithful to contemplate the profound mercy of God and inspiring them to live out this mercy in their daily interactions.

What date is Divine Mercy Sunday Year B?

The next date is Sunday April 4, 2027.
For other years see the links below:
Divine Mercy Sunday Year A
Divine Mercy Sunday Year C

What are the Mass readings for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B?

The Catholic Mass readings for Sunday April 4, 2027 are:
First Reading – Acts 4:32-35: Unity and Generosity in the Early Christian Community
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 118: Praise and Thanksgiving to the Lord
Second Reading – 1 John 5:1-6: The Connection Between Faith, Love, and Obedience
Gospel – John 20:19-31: The Appearance of the Risen Jesus to His Disciples

What is Divine Mercy Sunday Year B all about?

Divine Mercy Sunday Year B is a special day in the Catholic Church where we focus on God’s endless mercy towards us. It comes right after Easter Sunday. On this day, the Bible readings we hear during Mass teach us about God’s love and forgiveness. We learn how the early Christians shared everything they had, how believing in Jesus gives us strength, and how Jesus showed his mercy to his disciples, especially Thomas.

How do the readings for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B teach us about sharing?

In the first reading for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B from Acts 4:32-35, we see the early Christians living together in harmony, sharing their possessions and resources so that no one was in need. This teaches us about the importance of looking out for each other, sharing what we have, and supporting those in need, just as Jesus would want us to do.

What does believing in Jesus mean according to the Second Reading for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B?

The second reading for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B from 1 John 5:1-6 tells us that believing in Jesus as the Christ shows we are born of God. It means loving God and His children and keeping His commandments, which are designed not to burden us but to help us live rightly. Our faith in Jesus helps us overcome the challenges of the world because we are not relying on our strength but on God’s.

How is Divine Mercy shown in the Gospel reading for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B?

In the Gospel for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B from John 20:19-31, Jesus appears to his disciples and offers them peace, showing them his wounds as proof of his resurrection. He gives them the Holy Spirit and the authority to forgive sins, highlighting God’s mercy. When Thomas doubts, Jesus doesn’t turn him away but invites him to touch his wounds, leading Thomas to believe. This shows us that God’s mercy is patient and kind, always ready to bring us back to faith.

Why is Thomas’ story important in the context of Divine Mercy Sunday Year B?

Thomas’ story is crucial because it shows that doubts and questions are a part of faith. Jesus didn’t scold Thomas for doubting but instead met him where he was and helped him believe. This teaches us that God’s mercy extends to our doubts and fears, and He is always ready to strengthen our faith.

What can we take from these readings for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B to apply to our lives?

From the readings for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B, we learn about the power of community, faith, and forgiveness. We are encouraged to share with those in need, trust in God’s commandments, and seek God’s mercy in our moments of doubt. By living out these teachings, we can spread God’s mercy to others and grow stronger in our faith.

How can we prepare for Divine Mercy Sunday?

Preparation can include going to confession, participating in Mass, praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, reflecting on God’s mercy in one’s life, and performing acts of mercy and kindness towards others.