SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER (OR SUNDAY OF DIVINE MERCY), APRIL 12, 2026
- Maria Knox
- 11 hours ago
- 4 min read
Gospel John 20:19-31
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
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.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
REFLECTION
Today, Second Sunday of Easter, we also celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. This feast was instituted by Pope St. John II in the year 2000. It is celebrated the Sunday following Easter.
From the diary of St. Faustina Kowalska:
The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My mercy. (Diary 699)
One of the benefits we obtain from this feast is the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence. Sad story, growing up, the only thing I knew about plenary indulgences was what we were taught in middle school about Luther. So I had absolutely no clue on what this is.
In reality, an indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to our sins. According to the CCC:
"An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints." "An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin." Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead. (CCC 1471)
But what is temporal punishment? This is more complicated to explain. We can repent and confess our sins. However, we might still have an attachment to creatures and the world. There are also the consequences of our sins, on how we hurt ourselves or others. We need to purge our souls, and in a way, "repair" this damage. We can purge here on earth or in Purgatory. A plenary indulgence "pays" or "repairs" this damage to our souls.
We should not treat this benefit as a "get out of jail free card", but be grateful of His love for us, and to use this opportunity to grow closer to God:
To ensure that the faithful would observe this day with intense devotion, the Supreme Pontiff himself established that this Sunday be enriched by a plenary indulgence, as will be explained below, so that the faithful might receive in great abundance the gift of the consolation of the Holy Spirit. In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their neighbor, and after they have obtained God's pardon, they in turn might be persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters (Holy See's Apostolic Penitentiary Decree)
On Divine Mercy Sunday, a plenary indulgence will be granted under the usual conditions
Sacramental confession (20 days before or after)
Eucharistic communion
Prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff
Complete detachment from sin, even venial sin
Take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy in any church or chapel
Or who in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!")
A partial indulgence, granted to the faithful who, at least with a contrite heart, pray to the merciful Lord Jesus a legitimately approved invocation.
