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HOMILIES

10. Homily - Sunday, April 19, 2020

Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy) - Year A (Jn 20, 19-31)

Holy God! Holy Mighty One! Holy Immortal One! Have mercy on us.

We implore your divine mercy during this pandemic, which continues to engulf us. This feast
of Divine Mercy is a special time, not only to pray for God’s mercy but also to entrust all of
humanity to Him.

This pandemic erupted as a battle, putting not only all of humanity to the test but our indi-
vidual humanity, as well. We are facing an unfamiliar, bewildering battle whose game plan we
have only begun to uncover. Usually, when we think of war, we picture young people going to
the frontlines while their parents remain at home, worried about their children’s fate. In the
current pandemic, however, all generations are at risk and vulnerable, but seniors are most
at risk. The highest percentage of deaths occurs among them. Seniors are on the frontline in
this battle, while their children, confined at home, worry about them, suffer for them, and
suffer with them. The inability to be with their parents during an illness and, in some cases, as
a parent faces the end of their life, is totally distressing. The battle we face seems surrealistic,
a totally new struggle in which all of us are engaged, affecting our whole being, and, at the
same time, all people.

At this time, most probably everyone wishes they could be a doctor, a nurse, an orderly, a
caregiver or an attendant to help those seniors who have been exposed to the virus and are
at risk. And just as likely, among the sufferings we bear is the fear that our parents will fall ill
or that we feel powerless in being able to act on our desire to help out. Whether our parents
are sick, or perhaps deceased, or healthy but in confinement, we all feel deeply concerned
as human beings stemming from the anguish we’re experiencing. We are becoming more
mindful — although already aware — indeed more mindful of the fact that we all share the
same humanity. Even the grief suffered by another in seeing his or her parents sick, vulner-
able or facing the end of life, is a suffering we ourselves feel, not only through compassionate
understanding, but in the way we take on this suffering.

The Psalm of the Good Shepherd speaks about the shepherd who cares for his sheep and
guides us through the valley of death. What is the valley of death? The valley of death is that
space where no one can reach us anymore. It’s the space where we are alone, alone with our-
selves, alone in the face of death. But the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, who bore all our

(cont’d)

Collection of texts by the Most Rev. Christian Lépine 131