Divine Mercy Sunday, 19 April 2020 ~ Second Sunday of Easter

JESUS King of Mercy

I TRUST in YOU.

Divine Mercy Sunday was instituted by Saint Pope John Paul II on 5 May, 2000. The feast of Divine Mercy always is on the Octave of Easter or Second Sunday of Easter. It is about mercy, trust and the forgiveness of sins. 

Our Lord promises that 

• "Whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment of sins and punishment." 
• "On this 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 are open all the divine floodgates through which graces flow."

"The two rays, according to what Jesus Himself told her, denote blood and water. The blood recalls the sacrifice of Golgotha and the mystery of the Eucharist: the water makes us think of Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Spirit."

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.

Receive the Holy Spirit.

Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,

and whose sins you retain are retained.

Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska was canonised by Saint John Paul II on 30 April, 2000. 

Apostle of Divine Mercy

Saint Faustina, pray for us.

Saint John Paul II, pray for us.

Divine Mercy Sunday (Sunday after Easter Sunday or the Octave Day of Easter) ~ 8 April, 2018

Jesus told St. Faustina to “Do whatever is within your power to spread devotion to My mercy. I will make up for what you lack. Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it with peace.” (Diary, 1074)

In the Jubilee Year 2000, Saint Pope John Paul II fulfilled the will of Christ by establishing this special Feast of Divine Mercy on the Octave Day of Easter, in the Catholic Church, and gave it the name “Divine Mercy Sunday”. By God’s Providence, Saint John Paul II died, on this feast, in 2005. 

"As a gift to humanity, which sometimes seems bewildered and overwhelmed by the power of evil, selfishness, and fear, the Risen Lord offers His love that pardons, reconciles, and reopens hearts to love. It is love that converts hearts and gives peace.

How much the world needs to understand and accept 

Divine Mercy! 

Lord, who reveal the Father’s love by Your Death and Resurrection, we believe in You and confidently repeat to You… 

Jesus, I trust in You, have mercy upon us and upon the whole world. Amen." 

~ Saint Pope John Paul II ~

Saint Pope John Paul II said, it becomes clear why Jesus insisted that the sacred image of Himself as The Divine Mercy is to be venerated throughout the world in connection with the observance of this Sunday (Diary, 49, 88, 299, 341, 570, 742). Saint Pope John Paul II said: "Before speaking these words, Jesus shows His hands and His side. He points, that is, to the wounds of the Passion, especially the wound in His Heart, the source from which flows the great wave of mercy poured out on humanity.

Jesus made it very clear that He would pour out a whole ocean of graces on that day and that the Divine Floodgates would be wide-opened. Jesus promised that the soul that would go to Confession and receive Holy Communion, on that day, would receive the total forgiveness of all sins and punishment. Let us all remember what Jesus said “I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners” (Diary, 699)

In Saint Faustina's diary, she recorded that Jesus also indicated that He Himself is right there in the confessional. Jesus told her, "When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy. Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity." (Diary, 1602) 

Jesus knew that people would really need to hear these words of re-assurance today, so He went on to say "Come with faith to the feet of My representative...and make your confession before Me. The person of the priest is, for Me, only a screen. Never analyze what sort of a priest that I am making use of; open your soul in confession as you would to Me, and I will fill it with My light." (Diary, 1725) "Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy. (Diary, 1602)

Many feel that their sins are unforgivable but, Jesus said, "Were a soul like a decaying corpse, so that from a human standpoint, there would be no hope of restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full. In the Tribunal of Mercy (the great sacrament of Confession) ...the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated." (Diary, 1448) "Here the misery of the soul meets the God of Mercy". (Diary, 1602) Every sin imaginable could be forgiven by Him!

So many people are weighed down by sin and their prideful nature keeps them away from the confession of their sins. They are living in misery. Jesus said, "Oh, how miserable are those who do not take advantage of the miracle of God's Mercy! You will call out in vain, but it will be too late." (Diary, 1448) "Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it with peace." (Diary, 1074) "There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy. (Diary, 1273) Jesus came to restore sinners and one would be foolish to turn away from His merciful love.

"On the day of My feast, the Feast of Mercy, you will “go” through the whole world and bring fainting souls to the spring of My mercy. I shall heal and strengthen them.”, (Diary, 206) . Jesus said to "go" out and bring "fainting souls" to Him. Jesus wants us to go out and evangelize and to bring these souls to Him to receive His Divine Mercy.

We are also called to be merciful: Without deeds of mercy our devotion would not be real. For Christ does not only reveal the mercy of God, but at the same time He places before people the demand that they conduct themselves in life with love and mercy. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy' (Matthew 5:7). Let it be a mercy that is forgiving and true, and universal, with good words, deeds, and prayer for others!" "Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of 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" (Diary, 742).

"Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy. If they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all eternity...tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice, is near. (Diary, 965) Wake up, and repent of your sins, this just might be our last hope of salvation!

St. Augustine called the eight days of Easter (which the Church liturgically considers as constituting a single day ‑ the day of the new creation) "days of mercy and pardon."

Take this chance to start a new life, go for Confession and receive Jesus in Holy Communion, on Divine Mercy Sunday, and receive the total forgiveness of your sins and punishment..

"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).

"Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment" (Diary, 300).

Church of Divine Mercy, Sungai Ara, Penang. 27-04-2014 (Divine Mercy Sunday)

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.