by Fr. Andy
Divine Mercy Sunday
The Second Sunday of Easter is called “Divine Mercy Sunday.” “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love is everlasting!” Today those words from Psalm 118 are especially significant as we thank God for His merciful love as the Church celebrates Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus told Sr. Faustina:
“Humanity will not find peace until it turns trustfully to divine mercy” (
Diary, p. 132). What is mercy if not the boundless love of God, who, confronted with human sin, restrains the emotion of severe justice and, allowing Himself to be moved by the wretchedness of His creatures, spurs Himself to the total gift of self, in the Son’s cross? O happy fault... which gained for us so great a Redeemer!" (Easter Proclamation)
At Easter, peace comes to us as a gift from God and invites us into a right relationship with Him, with ourselves, with others and the entire world. Peace that implies well-being, harmony between God and ourselves and the world surrounding us. With this harmony comes security, happiness and a profound experience of peace – the first gift of the Risen Lord.
The peace brought by the Risen One is consequently the
triumph of Divine Mercy. The message of the Divine Mercy is simple. It is that God loves us— all of us. And He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share His peace and joy. The message of the Divine Mercy, although not new to the teaching of the church, sparked a great movement and a strong and significant focus on the mercy of Christ. St. Faustina Kowalska, an uneducated Polish nun, received from the
Lord a message of mercy that she was told to spread throughout the world. In obedience to her spiritual director, she wrote a diary of about 600 pages recording the revelations she received about God's mercy and this devotion was officially approved by the church in the year 2000.
“
My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. 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 grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. 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)”
This Sunday invites us to spend time and to learn more about the mercy of God, learn to trust in Jesus, and live your life as merciful to others, as Christ is merciful to us. At 3:00 pm on Sunday, we will pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. Please plan to join us.
I also want to express my profound words of appreciation to everyone who helped with preparation to celebrate the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter. I want to thank our Missionary Sisters of the Holy Family for their tremendous work with serving the parish in so many different capacities including decoration. I want to thank our Music ministry for their hard and dedicated and exceptional work to beautify the liturgies, our liturgical ministries – ushers, greeters, altar servers and anyone who in any way helped with preparations and celebration. May the Risen Lord bless each and every one of you!!!
St. Faustina, pray for us!
With prayers,
Fr. Andy