Divine Mercy Sunday, also known as the Feast of the Divine Mercy, is
celebrated on the Sunday after Easter during the Octave Day of Easter,
but more specifically on the eighth day of Easter. On this special
occasion we celebrate the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ as revealed by
Christ himself to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun of the
Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.
In the Convent this Religious Sister contemplated the mystery of the mercy of God in the words of the Bible as well as in her daily activities which forms the basis for her spirituality. In her spiritual life she distinguished herself with a great love of the Eucharist and a deep devotion to Mary, the Mother of Mercy.
Sister Faustina had a definite child-like trust in God as well as having mercy for others. She wrote in her famous Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska that “I desire to reflect your compassionate heart, full of mercy, Jesus. I want to glorify it. Let your mercy, O Jesus, be impressed upon my heart and soul like a seal, and this will be my badge in this and the future life.”
Her life spent in the convent was filled with extraordinary gifts such as revelations, visions, a hidden stigmata and even participation in the Passion of Jesus Christ. In one vision she saw two rays of light shining from the heart of Jesus and illuminating the world. Jesus, himself, explained to her one day that these lights represent “Blood and Water.”
On hearing or reading these words, we immediately think of the testimony of Saint John the Evangelist describing when a soldier pierced the heart of Jesus, and water and blood came spilling out of his side. At that critical moment, we recall the sacrifice of the Cross, the foundation of the Church, the Holy Eucharist and of course, Baptism.
Divine Mercy reaches humanity through the Heart of Christ crucified as Jesus tells Sister Faustina, “My daughter, say that I am love and mercy personified. Every soul believing and trusting in my mercy will obtain it.”
The mission of St. Faustina was three-fold.
First, she was charged with reminding the world of the truth of our faith revealed in the Bible about the merciful love of God towards everyone.
Secondly, her writing showed God’s mercy for the whole world and especially for sinners through new forms of devotion presented by the Lord, himself. These acts of popular piety include veneration of the image of Divine Mercy with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You; the Feast Day celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter and the praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3 p.m., the Hour of Mercy.
These promises by Christ provide us with our life entrusted to God and to loving our neighbor.
The third task of the saint’s mission was in starting an apostolic movement of Divine Mercy by proclaiming God’s mercy for the whole world.
As apostle and scribe of Jesus, Sister Faustina was asked to describe and record her encounters with him.
Jesus Christ’s words to her were: “Secretary of my most profound mystery, know that your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about my mercy for the benefit of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me.”
In these difficult days of this unprecedented virus, my joy is truly great in presenting the life and words of St. Faustina.
By Divine Providence, this humble religious sister is linked to us, witnesses and participants in these days of horrible sufferings, sickness and even death from the coronavirus.
Jesus prophetically told Sister Faustina, “Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust to Divine Mercy. Divine Mercy! This is the Easter Gift that the Church receives from the Risen Christ and offers to humanity.” Divine Mercy from God is further underscored by the opening prayer of the Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday as it emphasizes that mercy is the key element in the plan of God for our salvation and the whole world:
“ Heavenly Father and God of Mercy, We no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for He is alive and has become the Lord of Life.” Divine Mercy is our beacon of light during this terrible pandemic we are living.
Saint John Paul II canonized Sister Faustina on April 18, 1993 and she now rests in the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland.
In April of 2005 Pope John Paul II died on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday and he himself was beatified on Divine Mercy Sunday in 2011 by his successor, Pope Benedict XVI.
Three years later, John Paul II was canonized together with Pope John XXIII on Divine Mercy Sunday by Pope Francis.
For us who are quarantined these days, on Divine Mercy Sunday we may obtain a Plenary Indulgence with the recitation of one Our Father and the Creed before the image of Divine Mercy with the words “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you.”
One should also pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and plan to fulfill the sacramental requirements of Confession and Communion at a later date.
These words of Sister Faustina that she wrote in her Diary are quite appropriate today: “I feel tremendous pain when I see the sufferings of my neighbors. All my neighbors’ sufferings reverberate in my own heart. I carry their anguish in my heart in such a way that it even physically destroys me.
Only the love and mercy of God will save us.” Today, focusing our gaze on the statue of Divine Mercy, let us make our own Prayer, the prayer of St. Faustina trusting in God with firm hope:
“For The sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Jesus, I trust in you.
Credits : Father Gus Puleo
In the Convent this Religious Sister contemplated the mystery of the mercy of God in the words of the Bible as well as in her daily activities which forms the basis for her spirituality. In her spiritual life she distinguished herself with a great love of the Eucharist and a deep devotion to Mary, the Mother of Mercy.
Sister Faustina had a definite child-like trust in God as well as having mercy for others. She wrote in her famous Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska that “I desire to reflect your compassionate heart, full of mercy, Jesus. I want to glorify it. Let your mercy, O Jesus, be impressed upon my heart and soul like a seal, and this will be my badge in this and the future life.”
Her life spent in the convent was filled with extraordinary gifts such as revelations, visions, a hidden stigmata and even participation in the Passion of Jesus Christ. In one vision she saw two rays of light shining from the heart of Jesus and illuminating the world. Jesus, himself, explained to her one day that these lights represent “Blood and Water.”
On hearing or reading these words, we immediately think of the testimony of Saint John the Evangelist describing when a soldier pierced the heart of Jesus, and water and blood came spilling out of his side. At that critical moment, we recall the sacrifice of the Cross, the foundation of the Church, the Holy Eucharist and of course, Baptism.
Divine Mercy reaches humanity through the Heart of Christ crucified as Jesus tells Sister Faustina, “My daughter, say that I am love and mercy personified. Every soul believing and trusting in my mercy will obtain it.”
The mission of St. Faustina was three-fold.
First, she was charged with reminding the world of the truth of our faith revealed in the Bible about the merciful love of God towards everyone.
Secondly, her writing showed God’s mercy for the whole world and especially for sinners through new forms of devotion presented by the Lord, himself. These acts of popular piety include veneration of the image of Divine Mercy with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You; the Feast Day celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter and the praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3 p.m., the Hour of Mercy.
These promises by Christ provide us with our life entrusted to God and to loving our neighbor.
The third task of the saint’s mission was in starting an apostolic movement of Divine Mercy by proclaiming God’s mercy for the whole world.
As apostle and scribe of Jesus, Sister Faustina was asked to describe and record her encounters with him.
Jesus Christ’s words to her were: “Secretary of my most profound mystery, know that your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about my mercy for the benefit of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me.”
In these difficult days of this unprecedented virus, my joy is truly great in presenting the life and words of St. Faustina.
By Divine Providence, this humble religious sister is linked to us, witnesses and participants in these days of horrible sufferings, sickness and even death from the coronavirus.
Jesus prophetically told Sister Faustina, “Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust to Divine Mercy. Divine Mercy! This is the Easter Gift that the Church receives from the Risen Christ and offers to humanity.” Divine Mercy from God is further underscored by the opening prayer of the Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday as it emphasizes that mercy is the key element in the plan of God for our salvation and the whole world:
“ Heavenly Father and God of Mercy, We no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for He is alive and has become the Lord of Life.” Divine Mercy is our beacon of light during this terrible pandemic we are living.
Saint John Paul II canonized Sister Faustina on April 18, 1993 and she now rests in the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland.
In April of 2005 Pope John Paul II died on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday and he himself was beatified on Divine Mercy Sunday in 2011 by his successor, Pope Benedict XVI.
Three years later, John Paul II was canonized together with Pope John XXIII on Divine Mercy Sunday by Pope Francis.
For us who are quarantined these days, on Divine Mercy Sunday we may obtain a Plenary Indulgence with the recitation of one Our Father and the Creed before the image of Divine Mercy with the words “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you.”
One should also pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and plan to fulfill the sacramental requirements of Confession and Communion at a later date.
These words of Sister Faustina that she wrote in her Diary are quite appropriate today: “I feel tremendous pain when I see the sufferings of my neighbors. All my neighbors’ sufferings reverberate in my own heart. I carry their anguish in my heart in such a way that it even physically destroys me.
Only the love and mercy of God will save us.” Today, focusing our gaze on the statue of Divine Mercy, let us make our own Prayer, the prayer of St. Faustina trusting in God with firm hope:
“For The sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Jesus, I trust in you.
Credits : Father Gus Puleo
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