Divine Mercy Sunday!
Divine Mercy Sunday!
We celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday on the Second Sunday of Easter season. Pope St. John Paul II declared that the second Sunday, the octave day of Easter, should be Divine Mercy Sunday. On the 30th of April 2000, the Second Sunday of Easter, Pope St. John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist in Saint Peter’s Square and proceeded to the canonization of Blessed Sister Faustina. St. Faustina invites us by the witness of her life to keep our faith and hope fixed on God, the Father, rich in mercy, who has saved us by the precious blood of His Son. St. John Paul II has a great role in spreading the message of Divine Mercy.
In a dream, St. Theresa of Lisieux asked St. Faustina, an apostle of Divine Mercy, to trust in Jesus and she will be a saint (Dairy 150). Later St. Faustina wrote in her diary 1588, "In the Old Covenant I sent prophets wielding thunderbolts to My people. Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart."
God entrusted St. Faustina a mission: 1) to remind the world of the truth of our faith revealed in Holy Scripture about the merciful love of God towards every human being, even the greatest sinner; 2) conveying new forms of devotion to Divine Mercy; 3) initiating a great movement of devotes and apostles of Divine Mercy who would lead people toward the renewal of Christian life in the spirit of this devotion, means childlike confidence in God and an active love of neighbor.
Pope Francis continues to spread the message of Mercy. During the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis said in one of his homilies, “Dear brothers and sisters, I have often thought about how the Church might make clear its mission of being a witness to mercy. It is a journey that begins with a spiritual conversion.”
On the Second Sunday of Easter we are looking at the Gospel of John 20:19-31, the very famous story of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples without Thomas and then his appearance with Thomas — the famous story of Doubting Thomas. In the first part of the Gospel, Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Here we see the institution of the power of the Sacrament of Confession – the Sacrament of Divine Mercy. This reading is fitting and meaningful on the day of Divine Mercy. Jesus tells St. Faustina: I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet (699).
When Jesus appeared to the Apostles, he breathed on them. We read in the book of Genesis 2:7, God breathed on the first man and gave him life. We read in the book Ezekiel 37:9, where God raises an army of corpses to new life by the breath of the spirit. In the first book of King 17:21, we see Elijah revive the dead son of the widow of Zarephath. After the resurrection, Jesus breathed on the Apostles and gave them new life. In the Gospel, Jesus showed Thomas his wounds and asked him to put his finger on them. Jesus carries the marks of earthly sacrifice with him even when he ascends into heaven. Thomas experienced the love and mercy of Jesus and proclaimed his faith, “My Lord and My God.”
What is our story? When and where do we experience God’s mercy? I am sure we all have our own faith story. We need to cherish those moments. God invites us in this Easter season, in a special way on this Divine Mercy Sunday to enter into a deeper experience of God’s mercy. Last part of the 699 says, “Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy.” We exist because of God’s mercy. Then we are sent out to be an instrument of mercy.
Today, Sunday, April 7 at 2:30 pm, our cluster will have Divine Mercy Sunday service at Immaculate Conception. It includes Adoration, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available. Please come and join. Thank you.