This past week, the whole of Christendom once again
commemorates our Lord Jesus Christ’s passion, death and
resurrection. It is a time to reflect over how we have lived
our lives as Christians and how we have followed the
example set by Jesus. It is likewise a perfect time to repent
for our sins, return to the Lord, and be blessed with His
overflowing love and eternal mercy. This Sunday is also a
fitting time to recall how merciful the Lord Jesus is despite
our sinfulness, as we celebrate the Feast of the Divine
Mercy.
The Feast of the Divine Mercy was established by the late
Pope John Paul II (who coincidentally died on the vigil of
the Divine Mercy Sunday in 2005) on April 30, 2000 on the
occasion of Blessed Sister Faustina’s canonization. The
Feast is dedicated to the Devotion to the Divine Mercy.
The liturgical readings of the Second Sunday of Easter
affirm the appropriateness of the Divine Mercy Sunday:
They speak of the blood and water that was poured out
from the Savior’s heart and about the sacraments of
Baptism and Confession and about His mercy. The Gospel
of the Day also speaks of the wonderful things that Jesus
did on the day of His resurrection during His first public
appearance.
Similar to all other celebrations in the Church’s calendar,
certain preparations are to be made before the Feast of the
Divine Mercy. In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus
willed the Divine Mercy Sunday to be preceded by a
novena commencing on Good Friday. Each day of the
novena will bring to His mercy a different group of souls
and shall be prayed for penance and absolution. Aside
from praying this novena, believers are also admonished to
confess, receive Holy Communion and pray for the
intentions of the Pope in order to be granted a plenary
indulgence. In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus
encouraged believers: “Let no soul fear to draw near to Me,
even though its sins be scarlet. My mercy is so great that
no mind will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity.”
(Diary of Sr. Faustina, 699).