The central theme of the Law of Moses and the writings of the Prophets in the Old Testament is that God is forgiving and merciful. These same sacred texts revealed that the full extent of God’s forgiveness was not definitive nor absolute for God’s people. There seemed to be some conditions to receive God’s mercy. So, this question arose: how could God convince his people of the absolute nature of his compassion? Two things were necessary. First, that God would take on a human body. Second, that God-made-man would accept from humanity a total rejection.

Israel's greatest sin in the Old Testament was idolatry, specifically the worship of the Golden Calf. But even so, it could not be matched by humanity's greatest sin in the New Testament: the death of the Son of God. God's forgiveness of this sin, humanity's total rejection of Him, proved once and for all God's absolute compassion.

Before God's Incarnation and the cross, humanity could never know the height, breadth, depth, and length of God's forgiveness. The immensity of God's compassion could only begin to be known in the Incarnation and the Cross. One of the most popular hymns I grew up with in Church in Colombia had these lyrics: “The love of God is wonderful. Great is the love of God. So high that I cannot be higher than it. So low that I cannot be below it. So wide that I cannot be outside of it. Great is the love of God!”. This hymn accurately expresses the reality of God's love for us.

Let's now move to the historic Easter Sunday. The disciples were locked in a room for fear of the Jews. They had heard from the holy women about the news of the Lord's Resurrection. Suddenly, the Risen Lord appeared in their midst. He said to them, “Peace be with you.” Since the disciples were frightened and terrified, the Lord said to them, “Look at my hands and my feet, it is I myself.” Let's see the deep meaning of these words.

As the Lord gives the disciples his peace, he forgives their sin. As the Lord showed the disciples his hands and feet which bore the wounds of the nails of the crucifixion, he revealed the intensity of the sin that required God's forgiveness. This image of the Lord and his disciples is among the most beautiful in the Bible. The Lord standing before his disciples is the embodiment of divine forgiveness. At the same time the Lord is who mediates divine judgment. This is the image of the Lord in His Divine Mercy. His glorious wounds remind us of our sin. His peace assures us of his forgiveness. The peace that the Risen Lord offers is God's forgiveness for all humanity.

At the end of that first appearance, the Risen Lord tells his disciples that, "repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." The Church has been faithful keeping this command of the Lord. Many of us need to hear the Lord giving us his gift of peace in the sacrament of Reconciliation, especially if our sin is considered mortal.

Today the Christian world celebrates the greatest solemnity of the year. Today the Risen Lord addresses his words to all his disciples. Just like on that blessed historic Sunday in Jerusalem, today the Lord offers us the priceless gift of his peace.

The great Easter news is that God's love is truly wonderful; his forgiveness is absolute, since there is no sin that God cannot forgive. The Risen Lord continues to share his saving grace with us through the sacraments for us to be spiritually alive. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Happy Easter!