Divine Mercy Sunday Good morning every one, I am so happy to welcome you all for today’s Holy Mass. Today the Holy Catholic Church celebrates the solemn feast of the divine mercy called divine mercy Sunday. Dear friends, every time we come to Church, we celebrate divine mercy, we are given divine mercy to continue our mission of preaching the Good News of our Risen Christ to all and every time we come to Church, we are called to share divine mercy with our brothers and sisters in need. Once there was a servant who used to bring fresh fruits to the king every morning. The king enjoyed the fresh fruits and one day, the king was in a very bad mood. As the servant brought some fresh black berries, he tasted it and did not like it so he vented his anger by throwing the berries on his face. Then the servant bowed before the king and said, “God is merciful”. The king looked at him and said, ‘why do you say God is merciful?’ The servant said because this morning I thought of bringing you pineapple but I changed my mind for that I am saying that God is merciful. Once a mother sought from King Napoleon pardon of her son. But the king said that it was the man’s second offence and justice demanded his death. She then looked at him and said, “I am here not for justice but for mercy. The king said, he does not deserve mercy. She then said it would not be mercy if he deserved it and mercy is all I ask.
Then the king looked at her and said, “Then I have mercy for your son”. Dear friends, we do not need justice from our God but mercy and compassion. Our God is full of mercy and compassion and that is why He sent His only Son Christ to us all. Today we celebrate divine mercy Sunday. Pope John Paul the second blessed the second Sunday of Easter as divine mercy Sunday. As we all know the story of Sister Faustina to whom Jesus our Lord appeared and asked her to let the world know how much he loves us and has compassion for us all. This private apparition and revelation does not reveal some thing new to the world but instead give us reassurance of God’s mercy and compassion for the world. This divine mercy we are going to recall three importance things such as Ask trust and share. Yes, we are called to ask God for his mercy and compassion without any hesitation. Jesus promises that those who ask will receive not thirty or sixty but hundred fold of love, kindness and mercy. To those who ask the gift of the Holy Spirit is given. Let our prayer of thanksgiving and spiritual celebration becomes a form of asking God our father. The divine mercy Sunday also invites us to trust in the mercy of god our father. Yes, every time people came to Christ for healing, all He asked them was, “ do you have faith? Or do you believe and trust and when they said, “Yes” lord we trust in you and Christ said, your faith has healed you, go in peace. Let us trust in God and celebrate as though we have received it already. To remember the whole celebration of Divine Mercy, let us keep in mind an acronym — F.I.N.C.H. F — The Feast of Divine Mercy, or the Second Sunday of Easter. The divine flood gates through which all graces flow are open on that day. On that day the Good Shepherd goes after us with love and mercy. The promises of Divine Mercy Sunday are real. On that day we should pray with boldness for the deepest intention of our hearts. The grace of Divine Mercy Sunday cleanses our souls completely of all sin and the punishment due to those sins. I — The Image. At Jesus' command, St. Faustina had an image painted to remind us that God wants to forgive us. Jesus wanted at the bottom of the image the signature "Jesus, I trust in you." If we trust, He will do the rest. Jesus promised special graces for those who spend time before this image. N — The Novena helps us prepare for Divine Mercy Sunday. Each day for nine days we bring a specific group of people before the mercy of God. The novena begins on Good Friday and ends on Holy Saturday. However, it can be prayed anytime. C — The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy is a short but powerful prayer to the Father that Jesus taught to St. Faustina when she was praying for Poland. It looked like Poland was about to be destroyed by the angel of wrath because of Poland's sins. Saint Faustina's prayers seemed fruitless. She heard in her soul the words of the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy. When she began to pray that prayer, the angel of wrath was powerless. We must pray the Chaplet for mercy and conversion for our country and the whole world. Father Michael noted Jesus' message to St. Faustina that if you pray the Chaplet at the bedside of the dying, He will give them the grace of salvation. At the end of their life, I come to them not as a Just Judge but as a Merciful Savior. Jesus told St. Faustina to pray for the dying, since the salvation of some souls was dependent on her prayers. H — The Hour of Mercy from 3to 4 p.m. daily, commemorating the death of Jesus, is like a mini-Divine Mercy Sunday. If possible, we are asked to do at least one of these three things: 1. Pray the Stations of the Cross 2. Try to visit Jesus in the chapel 3. Remember Jesus in His abandonment on the cross Jesus wants us to remember the 3 o'clock hour every day. One of the most important ways to receive God's mercy is to trust in His mercy and be willing to give that mercy to others. And the divine mercy Sunday invites us to share the divine mercy with others. The whole of Christianity is based on serving others. Dear friends, our loving saviour will judge us on how we served and helped others. Any thing we do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to the Lord. So let us celebrate divine mercy and recall the goodness of the Lord. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment