Today, the Second Sunday of Easter, the Universal Church celebrates with great joy and hope the Divine Mercy. Liturgically, this Sunday is called Divine Mercy Sunday.
On Divine Mercy Sunday, a very special Sunday, the Divine floodgates from Heaven are wide open and Jesus offers us total forgiveness for all the sins we have committed and also liberates us from the punishment we have incurred on our soul by sinning, provided that we go to confession and receive Him in Holy Communion on that day.
Regarding the feast of Mercy, Jesus is so clear about what He demands from you and me in order that we can benefit from the salvation He wants to give us! In her Diary, St Faustina writes the following Jesus’ saving wishes for us: “Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (Diary 300). I want the image solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it (Diary 341). This feast emerged from the very depths of my mercy and it is confirmed in the vast depths of my tender mercies (Diary 420). I want to grant complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy.” (Diary 1109).
“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. 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).
“In a world torn apart by violence, hatred, jealousy, power and control Divine Mercy has to become our lifelong attitude. Jesus said to St Faustina: “I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbour: 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. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. 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 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)
“A great source of mercy, according to Jesus, is the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Say unceasingly the chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire that the whole world know My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy.” (Diary, 687).
Let us pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet daily to implore that invincible power of God’s Mercy on our world, nation, family, community and, above all, ourselves.
Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap