Resources, Prayers, Games, and Lesson Plans
More Thoughts and Reflection Questions
Mass Readings for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B
- First Reading – Acts 4:32-35: The unity and generosity of the early Christian community is described. The believers were of one heart and one mind, sharing everything they had and selling their possessions to provide for those in need.
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 118: The psalmist then declares his trust in God, and proclaims that the Lord is his strength and salvation. The psalm ends with a declaration of praise and a call for God’s blessings to be upon the people.
- Second Reading – 1 John 5:1-6: Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God will love God and their fellow believers, and that this love is evidence of their faith. The passage also speaks about the importance of following God’s commandments, and how our love for God is demonstrated by our obedience to His commands.
- Gospel – John 20:19-31: Jesus appeared to his disciples in a locked room, greeted them, and showed them his wounds as proof of his identity. Thomas, who was not present, doubted that Jesus had truly risen from the dead. A week later, Jesus appeared to the disciples again and this time Thomas was present. Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds and believe.
Themes for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B
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. Some topics for this weekend include the Sacrament of Reconciliation, forgiveness, and God’s love for us.
- God’s universal mercy: The readings convey the message of God’s universal mercy, which is available to all who repent and turn to Him.
- Faith and doubt: The passages address the interplay between faith and doubt, recognizing that doubt is a normal part of the Christian journey but ultimately calling for faith and trust in God’s goodness and love.
- Accepting our failures: The gospel portrays the disciples’ failure to remain faithful to Jesus, but also shows how Jesus accepts them and calls them to a higher standard of faith and obedience.
- Showing mercy and forgiveness to others: The readings highlight the importance of showing mercy and forgiveness to others, as a reflection of God’s mercy and forgiveness towards us.
- Sacrament of Reconciliation: The gospel demonstrates the importance of the sacrament of reconciliation, as Jesus grants the disciples the power to forgive sins in his name. This theme is also related to the idea of showing mercy and forgiveness to others.
- Community and fellowship among believers: The first reading emphasizes the sense of community and shared ownership among the early believers, while the gospel highlights the importance of being part of a community of believers for the strengthening of one’s faith.
- Sharing and generosity: The first reading describes how the early believers shared their possessions and resources with one another, demonstrating a spirit of generosity and mutual support.
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.
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Resources for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B
All Things Visible and Invisible – Discussion and Reflection Questions
All Things Visible and Invisible – Discussion and Reflection Questions
This reflection will help youth think about what it means to believe in something which can’t be seen. How do we know it is real? Use with youth ministry for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B.
Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
Consider going to reconciliation as a family or with youth group or youth ministry for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B. And then do something afterwards to celebrate this beautiful gift of grace from our Lord. Go out for pizza together or something similar.
Divine Mercy Chaplet
The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a devotion which reminds us that God is merciful and that we too must show mercy. We pray for mercy for ourselves and the whole world.
Washed Away Prayer Service
This washed away prayer service makes a nice accompaniment to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It could also be used for a youth ministry meeting about forgiveness or baptism or on its own for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B.
Homilies and Reflections for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B
Look Beyond Your Fears (Jeff Cavins)
Divine Mercy (Bishop Robert Barron)
Look Beyond Your Fears
Jeff Cavins offers insights on the readings for the 2nd Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday Year B. Jesus wants us to look past our fears and accept his divine mercy.
Divine Mercy
A homily for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B from Bishop Robert Barron. “On this Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, we remember the dedication of this day by Saint John Paul II in honor of St. Faustina’s vision of Christ, in which the Lord’s heart radiated forth with divine mercy for the world. But what does mercy mean? It designates the suffering of the heart, a type of compassion, a deep, loving identification with people in their suffering. It is the characteristic of God, for God is love. Nothing in the world would exist if it were not, at every moment, loved into being by God—a great act of tender mercy. How is this love made manifest in us? Precisely through following God’s commands and through forgiveness.”
The Day the Lord Made
A reflection for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B from Scott Hahn. “Three times in today’s Psalm we cry out a victory shout: ‘His mercy endures forever.’ Truly we’ve known the everlasting love of God, who has come to us as our Savior. By the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ pierced side (see John 19:34), we’ve been made God’s children, as we hear in today’s Epistle.” Continue reading.
Life in the Church
Another homily for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B from Bishop Robert Barron. “Friends, today’s Gospel reveals the dawning of Christianity. With his wounds bared to his disciples immediately upon his arrival in their midst, Christ shows to us also our greatest sins in those nail and spear scars. God came, and we killed him—but no sin is greater than the Lord’s love, and so he arose, offering us peace and forgiveness beyond all understanding.”
More Thoughts for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B
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.
Reflection Questions for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B
- 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?s
- 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?
Quotes and Social Media Graphics for Divine Mercy Sunday Year B
For whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
1 John 5:4
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
John 20:27
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