Divine Mercy Sunday

04-28-2019Weekly ReflectionFr. Julius Kundi

Indeed, our hearts are still filled with Easter joy as we continue to celebrate the victory of the Cross and Resurrection. The victory of life over death, of good over evil, of the Father of mercies over the father of lies.

The tradition of celebrating the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday was started by St. John Paul II, who was inspired by the visions of St. Faustina. We are all familiar with the image of Jesus that St. Faustina had painted. The painting shows Jesus with the rays of light flowing from out of His wounded side, like the blood and water that flowed from His heart on the Cross. This is what calls for our celebration today. Little wonder the readings for the feast are carefully selected to tell us more about God’s mercy, the necessity for trusting Faith and the need for the forgiveness of sins.

Beginning with our opening prayer we address God as "God of everlasting Mercy” because this image and understanding of Him as a Father full of mercies is projected more than anything in all the scriptures. The Prophets in the Old Testament deeply believed and projected the understanding of Yahweh as a source of consolation to the Israelites: "For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that He swore to them" (Deuteronomy 4:30). Again we read, "The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made" (Psalm 145:9). Also St. Paul teaches that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:23-24); and that "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit"( Titus 3:5). The words and deeds of Our Lord Jesus all through His ministry on earth confirms this above. We Catholics see this Divine Mercy given to us in each celebration of the sacraments as they were all instituted by Christ to sanctify us.

As we take part in our Sunday Mass we are to understand that we are not here just to remember the historical Jesus but to meet the risen Christ in person, who is glorious and full of compassion. As many spiritual advisors often teach, our sharing in the Eucharist is a statement of loyalty, both of personal and shared faith. In praying together we also help each other to stay faithful and produce the fruits of mercy. The first reading today reveals how the early church achieved this. The infant church grew every day because of the acts of mercy and sharing, the sacrificial agape love practiced by the early Christians and how the healing influence uplifted the morale of all the followers, especially the new comers. However, in the second reading St. John glorifies God, the Father of Jesus Christ, for showing us his mercy by granting Resurrection from the dead as He testifies to His vision of the risen glorious Son of Man; a profession of faith that reminds us of our own hope for the resurrection to eternity.

Therefore, let us accept God's invitation to celebrate and practice mercy as we too are beneficiaries of same. Our faith is a great gift from God. But it is not an inert gift that we can lock away like some precious jewel. It is a living gift that needs nurturing, to grow and mature. Like other life-forms, faith can wither from neglect. We need to pray about it, think about it, and express it in actions arising from love. This does not mean that we will never have any doubts. But if like Thomas we continue seeking, we too will come into the presence of Jesus and say “My Lord and my God!”

With St. Thomas Aquinas let us strive to know Jesus personally and intimately by our daily and meditative reading of the Bible. This will give us the grace to share in the divine life of Christ by becoming ambassadors of love and mercy.

Happy Easter!

Fr. Julius