Events

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday

This Sunday, April 11, is Divine Mercy Sunday.

If you are like me, you may be unfamiliar with the topic of Divine Mercy (e.g. what it is and how it relates to you and your life).  To be honest, Divine Mercy has always been difficult for me to understand, as well as to participate in.  With Divine Mercy Sunday fast approaching, let’s can change that.  Let’s approach this topic by defining Divine Mercy and by illustrating what Jesus promised on Divine Mercy Sunday.

Divine Mercy Defined – Knowing that I am not a learned theologian, I wish to borrow the words of a popular author and speaker, Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, from his book Divine Mercy Explained – Keys to the Message and Devotion.  On page 6 of this book, Fr. Gaitley notes the following:

    “To begin, mercy is ‘love’s second name.’[1]  It’s a particular kind of love, a particular node of love when it encounters suffering, poverty, brokenness, and sin.  Divine Mercy is when God’s love meets us and helps us in the midst of our suffering and sin.  In fact, because this side of eternity we’re all sinners and because suffering is a lot in life, God’s love for us here always takes the form of mercy.  It’s always the Lord stepping out in compassion to help us poor, weak and broken sinners.  From our perspective, then, every good we receive is an expression of Divine Mercy.”

So, Divine Mercy is a form of God’s love that is available to all of us.  It is God waiting for us to turn/return to him and, when we do, God showering us with his blessings and grace.  If we wish to have a story to illustrate God’s Divine Mercy for us, the Parable of the Lost Son is perfect.  In this parable, the father never forgot about his lost son.  He never gave up on him, but patiently waited for his son’s return.  And, when the son returned, the father ran out to meet him.  The father didn’t punish the repentant son, but graced him with his robe and ring.  He further had a meal prepared to celebrate the son’s return.  This is what God’s Divine Mercy looks like and how we encounter it.

Divine Mercy Sunday – Divine Mercy Sunday, the second Sunday of Easter (April 11^th this year), is a Feast Day that Jesus told St. Faustina that he wanted us to celebrate…that he wanted us to know about.  Why?  In Jesus words…On that day [Divine Mercy Sunday] the very depths of My tender mercy are opened.  I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon the souls who approach the fount of My mercy.  …On that day, all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened.  Regarding Divine Mercy Sunday, Jesus also told St. Faustina, “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.

I don’t know about you, but this sounds AWESOME!  We all know that is has been difficult to go to confession and attend Mass during this unprecedented time.  If you have not been able to do so, move to receive such graces—and the promises of Divine Mercy Sunday—through the following:

1. Offer an Act of Spiritual Communion and
2. Offer an Act of Contrition, in complete dependence upon the mercy and love of God, in sorrow for all sins and with a firm resolve to confess all serious sins at the next available time.

That’s it, my friends.  Offer away, and be prepared for the floodgates of God’s Divine Mercy to be opened for you on Divine Mercy Sunday!

Peace…
Deacon Paul Onischuk

PS: See Deacon Paul’s video, Divine Mercy Delivered: https://bit.ly/3dCh6jr

[1] Dives in Misericordia, 7.