Divine Mercy Sunday ~ 2014 (Second Sunday of Easter)

"I shall sing forever the Lord's mercy."

Jesus to Sister Faustina, "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 graces 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.

"[Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. Write: before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice.

"From all My wounds, like from streams, mercy flows for souls, but the wound in My Heart is the fountain of unfathomable mercy. From this fountain spring all graces for souls. The flames of compassion burn Me. I desire greatly to pour them out upon souls. Speak to the whole world about My mercy."

source: Diary of Sr. M. Faustina Kowalska.

Pope Francis “decreed that Blessed's John XXIII and John Paul II will be enrolled (canonized) among the saints on April 27, 2014, the Second Sunday of Easter, of the Divine Mercy.”

God of everlasting mercy, who in the very recurrence of the paschal feast kindle the faith of the people you have made your own, increase, we pray, the grace you have bestowed, that all may grasp and rightly understand in what font they have been washed, by whose Spirit they have been reborn, by whose Blood they have been redeemed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday, 27 April, 2014
Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday

Reading 1

Acts 2: 42 - 47
42	And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43	And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44	And all who believed were together and had all things in common;
45	and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need.
46	And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts,
47	praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Psalm

Psalms 118: 2 - 4, 13 - 15, 22 - 24
2	Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."
3	Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."
4	Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."
13	I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
14	The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
15	Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
22	The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
23	This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24	This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Reading 2

1 Peter 1: 3 - 9
3	Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4	and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
5	who by God's power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6	In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials,
7	so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
8	Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.
9	As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.

Gospel

John 20: 19 - 31
19	On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
20	When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21	Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
22	And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23	If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
24	Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
25	So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."
26	Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you."
27	Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."
28	Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
29	Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
30	Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31	but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.