Acts 4: 32-35;
Ps 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24;
1 John 5: 1-6;
Jn 20: 19-31. Full Readings
Sent to be instruments of Mercy
Brethren, today, the eighth day of Easter, marks the end of Octave Easter but in a special way the mother church celebrates the Divine Mercy Sunday. When Jesus appeared to St Faustina Kowalska, he gave her ways in which devotion to his Mercy in life should be lived. One of the ways was through the celebration of Divine Mercy on this eighth day after Easter. On this day the door gates of Mercy are opened and “every soul which feels sorry, go for confession and receive Holy Communion will receive complete forgiveness of sins and no punishment.” Therefore this is a very important Sunday in the life of the church, the church is Holy but with sinful human beings.
In 1931 (22nd February), our Lord appeared to St. Faustina in a vision. She saw Jesus clothed in a white garment with His right hand raised in blessing. His left hand was touching His garment in the area of the Heart, from where two large rays came forth, one red and the other pale. She gazed intently at the Lord in silence, her soul filled with awe, but also with great joy. Jesus said to her: Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory (Diary, 47, 48). I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You (Diary, 327). I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world (Diary, 47).
At the request of her spiritual director, St. Faustina asked the Lord about the meaning of the rays in the image. She heard these words in reply: The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him (Diary, 299). By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works (Diary, 742). It was on April 30th, 2000 that Pope John Paul II instituted the Divine Mercy Sunday, and canonized St Maria Faustina.
Devotion to Divine Mercy is a ought to do for every Christian. It is the way through which we come back to God and where we find forgiveness. In the diary of the Divine Mercy it is written, "Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. (Diary of Divine Mercy, 699). This therefore clearly shows, we have to turn to devotion to his Mercy for our peace to reign again especially in the contemporary world where we human beings are becoming gods. We really need to be devoted to the Divine Mercy otherwise, we will live in Chaos.
The readings today also show some t of Divine Mercy especially the Gospel. After Jesus had appeared to his disciples, he gave them a sign of peace, but also commissioned them through the power of the Holy Spirit to be instruments of his Mercy. He tells then whatever sins you forgive, they are forgiven and for those you retain, they are retained. Today therefore, we celebrate the institution of the sacrament of Reconciliation. As Catholics, when we have sinned, we have a chance to turn back to God through the sacrament of reconciliation, in which Jesus shows us his mercy and forgives us our sins. Brethren this is the greatest act of Mercy Jesus has shown us because God gave that power to forgive sins to our priests; his mercy endures forever. As the promises of Divine Mercy demands, whoever goes for confession today and also feel remorse for his or her sins and repent with a contrite heart, and receive holy communion will receive total forgiveness of sins, let us endeavour to go for confession today, and it is not possible, then let's go deep into our hearts and feel sorry as Pope Francis urged us and God will forgive us and we get the promise of full forgiveness of sins.
This commissioning was for them to be instruments of Mercy which is also for all Christians. We ought to forgive so that we will also be forgiven, brethren let us endeavor to forgive one another. With this we will experience the mercy of God and so live on peace and Harmony. Let us live to help one another as the first Christian community did (first reading). They held everything in common and nobody lacked anything. This is contrary today, where you find some have even excess and some have nothing and those with much cannot even share. As Christians, we ought to take care of our brothers and sisters for whatever we do to our brethren, that we do unto Jesus. This is the way of those who believe in Jesus for as St John tells us in the second reading; Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten by him. In this way we know that we love the children of God (our fellow Christians) when we love God and obey his commandments.
Reflect today on the Divine Mercy devotion, on how Jesus loves you and how he is always waiting to receive you in the abode of his Mercy. Our duty is to be aware of this mercy, show it to others and we will be saved. Let us pray that the Lord will increase our love of devotion to the Divine Mercy and that for the sake of his sorrowful passion God will have Mercy on us and on the whole world.
Let us Pray
Eternal God in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but, with great confidence, submit ourselves to your holy will, which is love and mercy itself. Amen (Diary, 950)
Peace be with You and Blessed Divine Mercy Sunday
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