Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles says the community of believers was of one heart and one mind. What a beautiful description of people who care for each other. Today we celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Easter known as Divine Mercy Sunday so we too can come to know the love and mercy of Jesus with one mind and one heart.
Pope John Paul II established Divine Mercy Sunday April 30th in 2000 referring to it as the happiest day of his life. The writings of Sister Faustina were originally approved by a local Bishop in Poland but were later condemned by the Congregation of Faith in 1959. Cardinal Wojtyla sought to reopen the case in the 70’s because of a poor translation from polish to Italian. The pronouncement was reversed just a few months before Cardinal Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II in 1978 leaving the door wide open for the Holy Father to promote this devotion.
The cause for establishing a Divine Mercy feast Day was at the very core of Pope John Paul II pontificate who would one day dedicate the Sunday after Easter to Divine Mercy. The same day the holy Father established Divine Mercy Sunday he canonized St. Faustina, who had received the revelations from Jesus asking her to reveal his mercy to his people. It is now emphasized that the Holy See did not give the directive to speak in Divine Mercy as an option for Priests but as a requirement. Pope Benedict XIV declared on the Feast of Divine Mercy in 2006 that Devotion to Divine Mercy is not secondary - to any devotion - but an integral part - of one’s Christian faith.
On March 13thin 2014 at a Lenten Penance Service at St Peters Basilica, Pope Francis announced a jubilee year of Mercy to highlight the Catholic Church’s mission to be a: “Witness to Mercy,” beginning December 8th 2015 until November 20, 2016.
At the time of the announcement the Pope emphasized that “No one can be excluded from God’s mercy!” He also stated how he would frequently think about how the church needs to make more evident its mission as a “Witness of Mercy.” The Biblical theme of that year was Be merciful, just as your Father is Merciful. A Holy Year emphasizes pilgrimages, calls to conversion, repentance and special opportunities to experience God’s grace thru the Sacraments - especially the sacrament of Confession.
The following words are from St Faustina’s diary
I have opened my heart as the - living fountain of mercy. Let all souls draw
life from it. Let them approach - the sea of mercy - with great trust. (1520)
On the cross - the fountain of mercy - was opened wide - by a lance - for all
souls - no one’s excluded. I am offering people a vessel to which they are to
keep coming for graces, to the fountain of mercy. That vessel - is the image
of Jesus with water and blood coming from his side with the words printed
Jesus, I trust in you. (327)
The more a soul trusts, the more a soul receives. Jesus said “I never reject a contrite heart There is more to trust than believing God is trustworthy - We have to act upon that belief. TRUST involves turning back to God, a real conversion of our whole life repenting of our sins and forgiving others. Trust is living one’s faith and allowing God to write the script of our lives instead of insisting that we write our own script. i often think about how Judas and St Peter both committed a serious offence against our lord. Judas betrayed him and Peter denied him. Both are serious sins but there is a big difference in how each of them responds to it. Peter, realizing he sinned, had great remorse and wept. Judas however felt his sin was too great to be forgiven so he never asks forgiveness No sin is too great for God to forgive. The sin against the Holy Spirit is not asking for forgiveness or thinking God isn't able to forgive you. The only one I'm aware of in Scripture who didn't make it to heaven is Judas. Jesus tells us that the one - who betrays him - it is better he had never been born. Never reject God's mercy.
Jesus said: I am love and mercy itself. When a soul approaches me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces, that it cannot contain them within itself but radiates them to other souls. Scripture is filled with examples of how to trust in God and ask for his Mercy. Abraham and Moses pleaded to God for mercy, The man who persuaded his friend to rise in the middle of the night to give him bread was shown mercy. The persistent widow who received justice from the unjust judge was shown mercy and when Jesus’ mother asked him to perform his first work of mercy at the wedding feast at Cana she was shown mercy when - he acknowledged - his time has come
In today’s Gospel Jesus extends his mercy to Thomas who disbelieves his brothers when they tell him of the Lord’s appearance. Thomas emphasizes his disbelief by stating he will not believe unless he sees the nails marks in his hands and puts his fingers in them and his hand into his side. A week laterJesus again appears to his apostles, Thomas is with them. Jesus tells Thomas to put his fingers into the nail marks and his hand into his side and no longer disbelieve, but to believe. Thomas says: My Lord and my God
Jesus was merciful to Thomas because he wanted him to believe. he also says to his Apostles that they believe because they have seen but blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. Devine Mercy Sunday is the day our Lord is merciful to us because he wants us to believe and as believers in our Lord and God we need to Trust in Him. Jesus told St Faustina “Tell souls about my great mercy because that awful day of my justice is near. Souls who spread the honor of My mercy I shall shield through their entire life. Tell priests, that harden sinners will crumble beneath their words when they speak about my unfathomable mercy and about the compassion I have for them in my heart. To priests who will proclaim and extol My mercy I will give wonderful power and I will anoint their words and touch the hearts of those to whom they speak. This is the divine privilege.
In 1935 an interior voice dictated to Sr Faustina an elaborate prayer cycle that has come to be known as the divine mercy chaplet. She was later assured by God that at the hour of their death, “I defend as my own glory every soul that will say this chaplet or say it for a dying person (811) God also promised those who recite the Divine Mercy Novena, for nine days. “every possible grace for souls.” (para 796)
in 1936 Christ told Faustina to advocate for a new feast day in the church’s calendar. I want this image… to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, that Sunday will be the Feast of Mercy. On that day the very depths of my mercy are open. The soul that will go to confession and receive holy communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of their sins and any punishment due to sin (para 699)
in other words you will not have to suffer purgatory due to the consequences of sin. (The sacrament of confession can be received 8 days before or 8 days after Mercy Sunday)
Toward the end of her life, Faustina recorded messages from Christ, concerning the hour of great mercy. Starting at 3 pm, the hour associated with Christ’s crucifixion, she was urged to pray for God ‘s mercy on behalf of sinners. On this hour of great mercy for the whole world, I will allow you to enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was at this hour of grace - for the whole world - mercy triumphed over justice (para 1572)
Many priests questioned her revelations except for Fr Jozef Andrasz SJ and Fr Michael Sopocko, who made the promotion of the revelations of St Faustina his life’s work. His support helped Faustina gain credibility in her community. He is also the one who commissioned an artist to put the image on canvas and he promoted the printing of pamphlets and prayer cards, containing the image and the prayers of the chaplet.
St Faustina had a vision that one day the Feast of Divine Mercy would be celebrated in her chapel in Krakow, and also be held one day in Rome, by the Pope. St Faustina died October 5th 1938, 33 years old. I don’t know when the world is going to end, We are told no one knows. I do know God is a merciful God and wants you in heaven so my guess would be that the world wouldn’t end until after everyone had the opportunity to partake in the sacraments of Eucharist and reconciliation the week of Divine Mercy
God Bless you and allow God’s Divine Mercy – to change your life.