Today, on the second Sunday of Easter, as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, we commemorate Divine Mercy Sunday. The opening collect prayer at Mass today addresses the Father as the “God of everlasting mercy” who kindles the faith of the people he has made his own. Then, in the psalm today, it states three times that his mercy endures forever. God’s mercy is revealed to us in different ways on journey of faith. His mercy is embodied first and foremost in the sending of his only begotten son to the world as our Lord and Savior, revealed to us in Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. God’s divine mercy is given to us each time we celebrate one of the sacraments of the Church, which were instituted by Christ to sanctify us and to strengthen us in our faith.
Our Gospel message today speaks to us very profoundly on the theme of Divine Mercy Sunday. Thomas has a hard time believing in the resurrected Christ as he is overwhelmed with hurt, defeat, pain, and a lack of hope. Seeing his Lord crucified, his faith was devastated. Thomas saw Christ’s wounds as Christ endured his passion and died on the cross. Thomas had to touch those wounds in order to be made whole and have his faith restored. Thomas would not know peace until he surrendered himself to the wounds of Christ. Rather than condemn him, Christ showed him mercy and allowed him to touch those wounds. This account of Thomas and his encountered with the risen Lord is a fitting Gospel for Divine Mercy Sunday.
Our celebration of Christ’s divine mercy this weekend has some very interesting origins. In the 1930s, a humble Polish nun named Sister Faustina Kowalska began receiving private revelations from Jesus. In his messages to her, he asked that a feast dedicated to his divine mercy be established on the Sunday after Easter. In her diary, Sister Faustina recorded Jesus saying: "I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, especially poor sinners. On that day, the very depths of My tender mercy are open.” Pope St. John Paul II brought this request to fulfillment when he canonized Sr. Faustina on April 30, 2000, officially establishing Divine Mercy Sunday for the universal Church. This date wasn't chosen by chance, as it coincides with the completion of the Easter Octave, highlighting that God's mercy flows directly from Christ's Paschal sacrifice.
Divine Mercy Sunday reminds us that no sin is beyond God’s forgiveness. When we approach our Lord Jesus Christ in our prayers with a sincere heart, his mercy washes over us like the rays in the Divine Mercy image. They cleanse us, heal us, and restore us. Our celebration of Divine Mercy this weekend offers us extraordinary graces, particularly for those who receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist around this day.
The message of Christ’s Divine Mercy speaks to everyone. It speaks to those who are carrying heavy burdens of sin or who are struggling on their journey of faith. Christ’s Divine Mercy reaches out to those faithful souls who are seeking deeper conversion. His mercy reassures us that God's love isn't earned; rather, it is a freely given gift. Christ’s mercy calls us to action, challenging us to extend that same mercy to others.
Christ’s mercy isn't to be confined to this one Sunday during the Easter season. We're called to make mercy a way of life each day on our journey of faith. This means offering forgiveness when it's difficult, showing compassion to those most in need, and remembering always that we ourselves are to depend entirely on God's mercy.
St. Faustina wrote in her diary: "Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful... that my ears may be merciful... that my tongue may be merciful... that my hands may be merciful... that my feet may be merciful... that my heart may be merciful.”
In our modern world, the message of Christ’s Divine Mercy offers us hope and healing. It reminds us that God's love is stronger than our sins, stronger than our fears, and stronger than death itself. We are to place our trust in Jesus' Divine Mercy. We are to open up ourselves to his transforming grace.
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