Divine Mercy Sunday

 

This weekend is the Feast of Divine Mercy, given to us by Jesus through St. Faustina. The readings today speak about God’s mercy. But, what is mercy? The Latin word, “misericordia” is the word that means “mercy”, but the word is actually two words. “Miseri” stands for “misery” and “cordia” stands for “heart”. To be merciful is to open one’s heart to the misery of another and to relieve that misery by a deed of kindness. Whenever someone performs a deed of mercy, their heart is moved to compassion to relieve the misery of another person.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the early Christians devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles, to the communal life and the breaking of the bread (the Mass) and to prayers.

In just this one sentence we have a number of deeds of mercy. For example the Apostles were teaching the early Christians and therefore, instructing the ignorant, and through the offering of Mass, helped the people to be present at one of the fonts of mercy. Through prayers, the people were praying for the living and the dead, which is a spiritual work of mercy.

The early Christians sold their property and possessions and divided them among them to those in need. In another words through corporal works of mercy, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the poor, the widows and orphans, they early Christians did deeds of mercy, as an example for future Christians, including us.

In the first letter of Peter, the head of the apostles, in the second reading, it states, that God in His great mercy gave us new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This new birth came about through the sacrament of baptism, which is a tremendous act of mercy. God opens His heart to relieve the misery in the souls of the unbaptized, and washes away original sin, personal sin, makes us children of our heavenly Father and a member of God’s family. Even before our baptism, the very act of creating us in our mother’s womb was an act of mercy.

The second reading today, also speaks about trials and sufferings being more precious than gold or silver. Even trials and sufferings can be act of mercy, because they purify us and help us to become holy.

In the Gospel today, Jesus gives multiple deeds of mercy. First, He forgave His apostles who abandoned Him during His Passion. When He first appeared to them, after He rose from the dead, He could have corrected them, for failing to stand beside Him in His hour of need, but He didn’t. Rather, He said to them, “Peace be with you!” Then He commissioned them to give mercy, when He said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Our Lord then counseled the doubtful, by saying to Thomas who doubted Jesus rose from the dead, “Peace be with you!” and said to him, “Put your finger into the nailmarks, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

At the general judgment, we will be judged on mercy. In Matthew 25, Jesus said, “When I was hungry, you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, when I was naked you clothed me, when I was ill or in prison you visited me.’ What you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me”. But, He also said, “What you did not do to the least of my brothers and sisters you did not do to me. And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Jesus told St. Faustina now is the time of mercy, but soon will come the day of judgment. He said, He wants to prepare the world for His second coming, and so, He demands deeds of mercy. He said,"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.”

Jesus explains the importance of the feast of divine mercy. Our Lord told St. Faustina, "My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and a 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 are opened all the divine floodgates through which graces flow. 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 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."

A priest from Poland, Canon Rozycki, came to the conclusion that the extraordinary grace promised by Jesus on the Feast of Mercy is a gift of grace equaled only by the grace of Baptism. Therefore, on Divine Mercy Sunday, our soul becomes like it had been at the moment it was baptized and after receiving Holy Communion, if we would die, we would go straight to heaven.

Through the chaplet of Divine Mercy, Jesus wants us to pray for mercy for our self and the whole whole world. St. Faustina saw an angel about to execute God’s punishment on a city. She prayed for mercy but her prayers were without effect. Then suddenly she heard this prayer, “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.” which caused the angel to lose its power to punish the city. It was later revealed to Sr. Faustina, the reason why God was going to punish the city, was because of the sin of abortion. With this prayer, as well as the prayer, “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world”, it’s called the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Jesus said, “Say unceasingly this chaplet. Anyone who says it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as a last hope. If the most hardened sinner recites this chaplet even once, they will receive grace from my infinite mercy. I want the whole world to know my infinite mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in my mercy.” Jesus also said, “I desire the confidence of my people. Let not even the weak and very sinful fear to approach me, even if their sins be as numerous as all the sand of the earth all will be forgiven in the fathomless pit of my mercy.”

Jesus said, “Paint a picture according to the vision you see and with the signature, ‘Jesus I trust in You!’ I desire that this picture be venerated first in your chapel and then throughout the whole world.” Later Jesus explained, “The rays represent the Blood and Water which gushed forth from the depths of my Mercy when My agonizing heart was pierced on the cross. The pale rays symbolize the water which cleanses and purifies the soul: the red rays represent the blood, which gives new life to the soul.” Today, we come to understand, the white rays represent baptism, and the red rays represent the Eucharist as fonts of mercy. The Divine Mercy picture we have in the church is the image Jesus wants venerated, especially on the Feast of Divine Mercy.

To forgive one another can, at times, be exceedingly difficult. I have known someone who, by the grace of God, forgave a murderer. Others to forgive a parent, who abandoned their children. How difficult it must be to forgive a sibling for stealing the family’s inheritance. Some had to forgive their boss, for ruining their reputation. Some had forgive someone who physically and emotionally abused them.

To forgive, another person, is an act of the will. Its a choice. So, when we say in our heart, “Jesus, I forgive.”, then we have forgiven. Because we are human, our emotions can fool us into thinking we haven’t forgiven. We can still have thoughts of anger or revenge. When we forgive someone, we expect the hurt feelings to disappear, but they don’t. But, that does not mean, we haven’t forgiven, it means our emotions have been wounded and it takes time for them to be healed. To forgive the other person, is to wish the ultimate good for them. Its to wish, that when they die, they will go to heaven. At times, we need to ask Jesus to help us to forgive and Our Lord teaches us how to forgive on the Cross, when He said, “Father, forgive them, for the know not what they do.” He taught us to make an excuse for them and to pray for them. If we pray for them, it help them to change their life and it will soften our heart and heal the wounded emotion.

Since we receive mercy, through Confession, we are expected to give that mercy to others. As Jesus said in the Lord’s prayer, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. In another words, the forgiveness we receive from God, is conditional based upon, if we forgive others. For if we do not forgive them, God will not forgive us.

Today, let us resolve to everyday be fonts of mercy, by accepting God’s mercy, who forgives us and be doing deeds of mercy for those whose misery we see and therefore desire to alleviate their misery, by an act of love.

If you have gone to Confession sometime since Lent started, up today, and when you receive Holy Communion, thank Jesus for washing away all your venial sins and the punishment due to your sins, in the ocean of God’s mercy. As the psalm for today said, “His mercy endures forever.” And let us thank the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Mercy, for interceding for us, to obtain this special grace.