Divine Mercy Sunday (Fr. Vinner)
Brothers & Sisters in Risen Lord,
In the year 2000 our Holy Father Pope john Paul instituted a new feast, the feast of divine mercy to be celebrated for the first time in 2001 on the second Sunday of Easter, today. It arises out of a series of apparitions which a polish nun, Sr.faustina, received. Today we celebrate the feast of divine mercy and so we usually call today divine mercy Sunday. St. Faustina was privileged to receive apparitions from Jesus emphasizing his mercy, and especially his mercy today.
It’s a special day for us to reflect on and rejoice in the merciful love of god has for us. It’s an opportunity for us to celebrate the eternal inheritance Jesus has won for us, and inheritance that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. We all know what mercy looks like. It’s the judge who knows you are guilty but pardons you anyway. It’s the mother who has caught you in a lie but forgives you. It’s Jesus saying, your sins are for given….. Go in peace’ it’s the mercy that brings you “an indescribable and glorious joy”.
The first reading tells us how the early Church grew every day because of the acts of mercy and sharing, the sacrificial agápe love practiced by the early Christians. In the second reading, St. Peter glorifies God, the Father of Jesus Christ, for showing us His mercy by granting Resurrection from the dead and glorious Ascension into Heaven to His Son, Jesus, thus giving us the assurance of our own resurrection. The gospel vividly reminds us of how Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a sacrament of Divine Mercy. The risen Lord gave his Apostles the power to forgive sins with the words, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn 20:19-23). Presenting the doubting Thomas’ famous profession of Faith, “My Lord and my God,” the Gospel illustrates how Jesus showed his mercy to the doubting apostle and emphasizes the importance of Faith.
Joke of the week – A priest was forced by a police officer to pull over for speeding. As the officer was about to write the ticket, the priest said to him, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” The police officer handed the priest the ticket, and said, “Go, and sin no more.”
The divine mercy reminds us of many parables taught by Jesus emphasizing God’s Mercy. We remember the three beautiful parables of Lk – 15. God is like a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to go in search of the one lost one. God is like a woman who searches the entire house to find the coin she lost. God is like a father who comes out of the house to welcome back his prodigal son and who comes out of the house a second time to entice the elder son to come in and join in the party. Today God has thrown a party during
Life messages: 1) We need to accept God’s invitation to celebrate and practice mercy in our Christian lives: One way the Church celebrates God’s mercy throughout the year is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Finding time for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another good way to receive and give thanks for Divine Mercy. But it is mainly through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that we practice mercy in our daily lives and become eligible for God’s merciful judgment. 2) Let us ask God for the Faith that culminates in self-surrender to God and that leads us to serve those we encounter with love. Living Faith enables us to see the risen Lord in everyone and gives us the willingness to render to each one our loving service. The spiritual Fathers prescribe the following traditional means to grow in the living and dynamic faith of St. Thomas the Apostle: a) First, we must come to know Jesus personally and intimately by our daily and meditative reading of the Bible. b) Next, we must strengthen our Faith through our personal and communal prayer. c) Third, we must share in the Divine Life of Jesus by frequenting the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) presents it this way: “If we pray, we will believe; if we believe, we will love; if we love, we will serve. Only then we put our love of God into action.”
May God Bless You,
Fr. S. Vinner HGN.