“Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets… so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.”  (Acts 5:15) 

The early Church in Jerusalem was alive with signs and wonders. Empowered by the Holy Spirit after Pentecost, the apostles performed miraculous healings, casting out unclean spirits and drawing vast crowds. The Church gathered publicly in Solomon’s Portico, yet a sense of awe and reverence surrounded them. People brought the sick just to touch the apostles or be touched by their shadow. This was no ordinary gathering—this was the Church in her infancy, radiating divine power, mercy, and unity. It was not strategy or marketing that grew the Church, but holiness, healing, and Spirit-led witness. 

There’s something breathtaking about the image of people laying their loved ones on the streets in hope that “even Peter’s shadow” might fall on them. That’s not superstition—it’s faith. It’s the deep belief that Christ’s healing presence lives in His Church and flows through her apostles. And it’s the same Church we belong to today. 

Pope Francis reminds us that “the Church is not a fortress, but a field hospital” for those wounded by life and sin. In Evangelii Gaudium, he calls every parish to be a place of mercy “where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel”. 

In this Sunday’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see that healing and unity are not side-effects—they are essential marks of a Church alive in the Spirit. The apostles were united in mission, the people were united in faith, and Christ’s mercy overflowed into their lives. 

And that same mercy flows today, most especially in the Sacraments—especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation. Divine Mercy Sunday invites us to draw near to Jesus, whose heart is open wide to forgive, heal, and restore. 

Bishop Ruggieri speaks of the early Church as a model for today: joyful, Spirit-led, and committed to the Eucharist. The early disciples didn’t drift into routine—they broke bread with exultation and sincerity of heart (Acts 2:46). Sunday was the day when heaven touched earth and lives were changed. 

Our challenge is to reclaim that. Let our parish become a place where people encounter mercy, not judgment—healing, not shame. Let the Sunday Eucharist be the fountain of this mercy: where wounds are bound up, sins forgiven, and burdens lifted. 

Because here’s the truth: Jesus still walks among us. And yes, His shadow still falls—on every sinner who approaches His mercy, on every soul who dares to hope again. 

Questions 

• What does it mean for a parish to be a “field hospital”? Have you ever experienced the Church this way?
• How can our Sunday celebrations be more healing, welcoming, and merciful to those who are hurting?
• In what ways does your parish extend Christ’s mercy beyond the walls of the church building?
• What role do the Sacraments—especially Reconciliation and the Eucharist—play in your own experience of healing?
• Pope Francis speaks of the Church needing to go to the “peripheries.” Who in our community needs to feel the healing shadow of Christ through us?

Let us not wait for others to do this work. Let us be the ones who clear the path for mercy to flow—because the world is waiting, the streets are full, and the shadow of Christ still heals.