DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY BY Rev. Fr. Solomon Zaku.
SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER (DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY)
Readings: Acts 5:12-16; Ps 118:2-4.13-15.22-24; Rev. 1:9-11a.12-13; Gospel – John 20:19-31.
THEME: HIS MERCY HAS NO END
We thank God for giving us the opportunity to celebrate another Divine Mercy Sunday. Mercy is one of the attributes of our God. Out of love and mercy Jesus died on the cross to redeem us. As a merciful God he always assures us of his mercy. The book of Lamentations 3:22-23 says “‘the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness’’
Second Sunday of Easter is known as Divine Mercy Sunday. It was named Divine Mercy Sunday by Pope John Paul II on 30th April, 2000 during the mass for the canonization of St Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), the Apostle of Divine Mercy. Pope John Paul II proclaimed to the whole world: “from now on throughout the Church this Sunday will be called Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus appeared some many times to St. Faustina and Spoke to her about the Mercy Of God.
Jesus’ promise is recorded three times in the Diary of Saint Faustina, each time in a slightly different way. This is the first teaching from Jesus,
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. {Isaiah 1:18} ‘‘Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’’ 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)
Second teaching from Jesus, "I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy." (Diary §1109)
This is Jesus’ third teaching, "Ask of my faithful servant [a priest] that, on this day, he tell the whole world of My great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy." (Diary §300). Going to confession is not the only way to prepare ourselves for this feast. We are also to be merciful, to perform acts of mercy. Jesus said,
My daughter, if I demand through you that people revere My mercy, you should be the first to distinguish yourself by this confidence in My mercy. 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. I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first – by deed, the second – by word, the third – by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. Yes the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant great 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)
As we celebrate Divine Sunday the readings of Today invite us to reflect of the Mercy of God and how to be Merciful. The first reading dwells on the corporal work mercy and kindness of the first Christian community (Acts 5:16). In that part of Psalm 118 we read today, we hear three times “His mercy endures forever’’. The gospel from John 20:19-31 presents Jesus as appearing to his disciples to give them peace and institute or establish the sacrament of mercy and love called Confession or Penance and Reconciliation. He gives them the Holy Spirit or power to forgive sins. Jesus Gave Power to his Apostles to forgive sins so that we will always enjoy the mercy of God.
On a day like this, it is good to also talk on one of the devotions in the church- THE CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY ( which is usually said by 3pm- the hour of mercy) This devotion has three main themes:
i. To ask for and obtain the mercy of God;
ii. Trust in Christ’s abundant mercy;
iii. To show mercy to others and act as a conduit (passage) for God’s mercy towards them.
How do we ask for God’s mercy? We can do this through prayer (for instance, the divine mercy chaplet and novenas).
How do we show we trust in Christ’s abundant mercy? Confession, especially when we have to confess a particular sin over and over again while still being confident of being forgiven by God!
And how do we show God’s mercy to others? We must grow in our commitment to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The 14 works of mercy are:
Corporal Works of Mercy
i. Feeding the hungry ii. Giving water to the thirsty iii. Clothing the Naked IV. Sheltering travelers
v. Comforting prisoners VI. Visiting the sick Vii. Burying the dead
Spiritual Works of Mercy:
i. Teaching the ignorant ii. Praying for the living and the dead iii. Correcting sinners IV. Counseling those in doubt
v. Comforting the sorrowful vi. Bearing wrongs patiently vii. Forgiving wrongs willingly.
As the world suffers from the pandemic of corona virus, may God whose mercy has no end be merciful to us and bring an end to this scourge. May we also be Merciful to others by carrying out the corporal and spiritual works of Mercy. What Coronavirus is to us, the Jewish Authority was to the Apostles and the early Christians. In the midst of their fear Jesus brought the message of peace and God’s mercy to the Apostles. In our lockdown, he will still do the same to us, let us always trust in God’s Mercy. Let us always remember the words of St. Faustina “Humanity will not find peace until it turns trustfully to divine mercy.”
JESUS- I TRUST IN YOU.
Readings: Acts 5:12-16; Ps 118:2-4.13-15.22-24; Rev. 1:9-11a.12-13; Gospel – John 20:19-31.
THEME: HIS MERCY HAS NO END
We thank God for giving us the opportunity to celebrate another Divine Mercy Sunday. Mercy is one of the attributes of our God. Out of love and mercy Jesus died on the cross to redeem us. As a merciful God he always assures us of his mercy. The book of Lamentations 3:22-23 says “‘the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness’’
Second Sunday of Easter is known as Divine Mercy Sunday. It was named Divine Mercy Sunday by Pope John Paul II on 30th April, 2000 during the mass for the canonization of St Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), the Apostle of Divine Mercy. Pope John Paul II proclaimed to the whole world: “from now on throughout the Church this Sunday will be called Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus appeared some many times to St. Faustina and Spoke to her about the Mercy Of God.
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| Rev. Fr. Solomon Zaku |
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. {Isaiah 1:18} ‘‘Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’’ 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)
Second teaching from Jesus, "I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy." (Diary §1109)
This is Jesus’ third teaching, "Ask of my faithful servant [a priest] that, on this day, he tell the whole world of My great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy." (Diary §300). Going to confession is not the only way to prepare ourselves for this feast. We are also to be merciful, to perform acts of mercy. Jesus said,
My daughter, if I demand through you that people revere My mercy, you should be the first to distinguish yourself by this confidence in My mercy. 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. I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first – by deed, the second – by word, the third – by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. Yes the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant great 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)
As we celebrate Divine Sunday the readings of Today invite us to reflect of the Mercy of God and how to be Merciful. The first reading dwells on the corporal work mercy and kindness of the first Christian community (Acts 5:16). In that part of Psalm 118 we read today, we hear three times “His mercy endures forever’’. The gospel from John 20:19-31 presents Jesus as appearing to his disciples to give them peace and institute or establish the sacrament of mercy and love called Confession or Penance and Reconciliation. He gives them the Holy Spirit or power to forgive sins. Jesus Gave Power to his Apostles to forgive sins so that we will always enjoy the mercy of God.
On a day like this, it is good to also talk on one of the devotions in the church- THE CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY ( which is usually said by 3pm- the hour of mercy) This devotion has three main themes:
i. To ask for and obtain the mercy of God;
ii. Trust in Christ’s abundant mercy;
iii. To show mercy to others and act as a conduit (passage) for God’s mercy towards them.
How do we ask for God’s mercy? We can do this through prayer (for instance, the divine mercy chaplet and novenas).
How do we show we trust in Christ’s abundant mercy? Confession, especially when we have to confess a particular sin over and over again while still being confident of being forgiven by God!
And how do we show God’s mercy to others? We must grow in our commitment to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The 14 works of mercy are:
Corporal Works of Mercy
i. Feeding the hungry ii. Giving water to the thirsty iii. Clothing the Naked IV. Sheltering travelers
v. Comforting prisoners VI. Visiting the sick Vii. Burying the dead
Spiritual Works of Mercy:
i. Teaching the ignorant ii. Praying for the living and the dead iii. Correcting sinners IV. Counseling those in doubt
v. Comforting the sorrowful vi. Bearing wrongs patiently vii. Forgiving wrongs willingly.
As the world suffers from the pandemic of corona virus, may God whose mercy has no end be merciful to us and bring an end to this scourge. May we also be Merciful to others by carrying out the corporal and spiritual works of Mercy. What Coronavirus is to us, the Jewish Authority was to the Apostles and the early Christians. In the midst of their fear Jesus brought the message of peace and God’s mercy to the Apostles. In our lockdown, he will still do the same to us, let us always trust in God’s Mercy. Let us always remember the words of St. Faustina “Humanity will not find peace until it turns trustfully to divine mercy.”
JESUS- I TRUST IN YOU.
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