Tomorrow, the second Sunday of Easter, the Church celebrates the Feast of Divine Mercy. The Feast of Divine Mercy is not an ancient Catholic tradition. It dates back only to the year 2000 when John Paul II first instituted and celebrated the day called for by St. Maria Faustina, the first saint of the new millennium. St. Maria Faustina's mystical vision, first repressed by the Church and then embraced, is one of those stories that feels older than it is.
The message of Christ's Divine Mercy as revealed to St. Maria Faustina rings true to our hearts: Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of Christ's Mercy.
"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.Tomorrow as we celebrate this feast day, doubting Thomas will again make his annual appearance in the Gospel reading. But don't think of doubt as a sin. Remember instead the Divine Mercy.
"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." Excerpted from Diary of Sr. M. Faustina Kowalska.
4 comments:
I have a biography of Sister Faustina and frankly I love the Divine Mercy prayer. Thanks for reminding me. We don't of course celebrate her feast day in TEC, but there is much cross over and I'll contemplate her great faith.
Sorry, don't mean to bug ya, but I lived in Detroit for years. Where is St. Anne's? I went to St. Christopher's in Marysville and then Our Lady of Guadalupe in Flint. I was at the Cathedral a couple of times for a chrism mass I recall. Just wondering! Blessings.
St. Anne's in Ortonville. There is one in Warren, too.
I don't know St. Christopher's, but I'm working in the vicariate next to them--I am DRE at Sacred Heart in Yale and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Emmett.
I'll be taking our Confirmation students on a pilgrimage to the Cathedral soon. I've never been to a Chrism Mass--I imagine it's pretty crowded for that!
Peace~
Divine Mercy is a real big thing in Puerto Rico. When you walk in viejo San Juan, you can see its image made out of tiles on many houses. I dream to have one myself. It says of course, En ti confio...
Happy Sunday of Divine Mercy, Missy!
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