10am
12pm
5pm
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday.
It is celebrated on the First Sunday after Easter.
The events of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (that
we celebrated last week at Easter) are SO powerful that the eight days – also
called the Octave of Easter – are considered in the Church’s liturgy as
celebrating one day. The 8 days of the
Resurrection are really the one day of the new creation when we are risen to
new life. They are 1 single event.
In today’s Gospel, we see this one single event in the opening line. When the Risen Jesus appeared to his
frightened disciplines behind locked doors, this took place “on the evening of
that first day of the week.” During that
Octave or 8 days of the Resurrection, the Risen Jesus said to them, “Peace be
with you.”
St. Augustine in his Sermon #156 called the 8 days of Easter “the
summary of the days of mercy.” Augustine
called the Octave the “days of mercy and pardon.”
We see his mercy of God in not just Scripture and Sacred Tradition,
but also in today’s Magisterium of the Church.
The Magisterium of the Church (the Church's official teaching office) has recognized that on Feb. 22, 1931,
the Risen Jesus appeared to a simple nun named Sr. Faustina in Poland. When Jesus appeared to this nun, he said, “I
want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I
want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it.” We see how the red and white rays GUSH OUT –
not just ooze out or trickle out – from the sacred heart of Jesus. Just yesterday, I had to fix a water pipe
because the valve broke off. The water
gushed out (and drenched me from head to toe).
On Calvary, the same blood and water that gushed forth from the Cross and
the Heart that was pierced with a lance gave us Baptism and the Eucharist.
The saintly Pope John Paul the Great said in his homily canonizing
Sr. Faustina that the whole message of Divine Mercy is strictly connected with
the Easter Mystery of Redemption, to the suffering, the death, burial,
resurrection and ascension of Jesus and sending of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost. As sang in the Responsorial
Psalm, “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love is everlasting.” [Think of all our sins in one little drop off
and toss that little drop in an Ocean; that’s like God’s ocean of mercy for all
our sins.] This simple nun was a cook at
her convent, yet Jesus chose her to prepare for his Second Coming.
During the 8th Day, the Risen Lord Jesus Christ said to
his apostles, “Peace be with you.” And
then Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and
whose sins you retain are retained.”
Here, Jesus gives the divine power of forgiving sins to ordinary, sinful
human beings in the Sacrament of Penance.
We don’t baptize you again for new sins but those sins are forgiven
through Penance and Confession. St.
Faustina wrote in her Diary, “The
priest does not act of himself, but I act through him.”
Here, we see Jesus giving his priests the authority to forgive our
sins in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. (We go to Confession to a priest b/c Jesus
gave them the authority to forgive sins.)
When Jesus appeared to Sr. Faustina, he said, “Whoever approaches
the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins
AND punishment.”
The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will
obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” This day of the Resurrection is SO powerful
that not only sins are removed but the punishment due to sins are removed. Baptismal innocence is restored.
[If time, distinguish between plenary (full) or partial indulgences
where even purgatory is removed.]
So, yes, we must prepare ourselves properly. Here is a quote from the Divine Mercy:
“My daughter, tell the world of my inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge
of souls. On that day, I pour out a
whole ocean of graces on those souls who approach My mercy. On that day, the soul that goes to Confession
and receives Holy Communion will have complete forgiveness of sins and
punishment. … He who refuses to pass
through the doors of mercy must pass through the doors of justice.”
[Perhaps, next Good Friday, I encourage you to do the 9 day novena
starting on Good Friday, to prepare for Confession and a worthy reception of
Holy Communion.]
Finally, we too must do acts of mercy. As we see in the First Reading, the first
Christian community were of one mind and heart.
They were in koinonia. They were
in communion. Today, the members of the
Church are in much confusion. There is
discord everywhere, and even the members do not follow her teachings. By returning to Divine Mercy, Jesus said that
he will grant peace. Let us acclaim like
St. Thomas did, “My Lord and my God!”
[If time allows, explain baptismal godmother saying “I trust you”
to God.]
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love is ever lasting.
Amen.
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
(2nd Sunday of Easter)
April 8, 2018
10am, 12pm & 5pm Masses
Homily #128: "The Complete Forgiveness of Sins on Divine Mercy Sunday (Jn. 20)
by Deacon Dennis Purificacion
St. Catherine's Catholic Church
Vallejo, CA, USA
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