Divine Mercy Sunday




Over many years I’ve observed that Catholics have a built-in tendency to be a bit suspicious of anything new, particularly if it pertains to the supernatural. This is actually quite understandable. The Gospel at today’s Mass tells the episode of ‘doubting Thomas’ who was similarly skeptical of the novelty of the apostles’ claim of Jesus rising from the dead. He didn’t want to be a dupe and so he set very high standards of evidence: “Unless I can put my finger into the holes made in His hands…I refuse to believe.” Well, in a way we might say ‘fair enough’. To believe in claims of supernatural phenomena requires either solid firsthand evidence or, failing that, a very compelling witness of impeccable character.

When we examine the history of various apparitions, such as Our Lady appearing to St Juan Diego at Guadalupe, or the apparitions of the Sacred Heart to St Margaret Mary Alacoque or Our Lady’s apparitions at Lourdes and Fatima, we see in every instance a pattern of skepticism on the part of Church authorities. I don’t think this is accidental, any more than it was an accident that Thomas happened to be ‘out’ when Jesus appeared to the apostles on Easter Sunday. God permits this element of skepticism within the Church because He can use it to create an even more compelling case when the skeptic is finally convinced of the truth. The doubting of Thomas in the long run made him an even stronger witness (in Greek, martyr) to the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. The fact that ‘Thomas the skeptic’ was ultimately willing to die a martyr for his faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, means at the very least that he was utterly convinced of the truth of what he witnessed with his own eyes, ears and hands. I mention this because over the years I’ve encountered a considerable amount of skepticism or suspicion towards the Divine Mercy devotion. It’s still treated as an ‘optional extra’ by many Catholics. Ironically, the strongest opposition to the Divine Mercy message comes from opposite poles of the Church – the ultra-traditionalists who regard anything promulgated after the Second Vatican Council as suspect, and ultra-liberals who don’t seem to believe in either miracles or sin, and so dismiss it all as pious hog-wash.

The faith of Christianity is founded upon the credibility and reliability of the witness of those first apostles. We don’t have video footage of Jesus risen from the dead, so their personal witness is everything. Similarly, the credibility of the Divine Mercy apparitions and its message hangs upon the character of the ‘apostle’ of Divine Mercy, St Faustina Kowalska. Throughout her life and later as her cause for canonisation was formally investigated, the Church subjected Sr Faustina and her writings to relentless scrutiny. Following the apparitions she was required to undergo multiple psychiatric evaluations all of which showed her to be of very sound mind. Her spiritual director and the nuns of her convent could all attest to the impeccable character and personal sanctity of this nun who throughout her life safeguarded her own obscurity in the enclosure of the convent. She neither sought nor attained fame, status or riches in her life, but rather humbly accepted the task Christ had entrusted to her to announce Christ’s mercy to a world in need of repentance.

On 22^nd February 1931, Jesus appeared to Sr Faustina Kowalska in her convent cell, in Płock, Poland. Jesus appeared to her as the "King of Divine Mercy" wearing a white garment with red and pale rays emanating from His heart. This was to be the first in a series of apparitions whereby Jesus was to reveal to St Faustina His desire for devotion to His Divine Mercy. This included instructions on the recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet, as well as His desire to have painted the now well-known image of Divine Mercy, which shows Jesus as He appeared to St Faustina accompanied by the inscription: “Jesus, I trust in You.” Perhaps even more remarkable than either of these directives was St Faustina’s insistence that Jesus had specifically requested the institution of a new Feast Day on the Octave of Easter that would be dedicated to the celebration of Divine Mercy. In God’s providence, Jesus’ will was finally fulfilled by the Polish Pope, John Paul II. On the 30th April 2000, at the canonisation of St Faustina, the Second Sunday of Easter was officially given the title ‘Divine Mercy Sunday’ in the General Roman Calendar.  

In several entries in her diary, Faustina recorded promises of Grace and Mercy which He would pour out upon the faithful on Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus stated:

“I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day, the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.” (Diary 699)

Accordingly, the Church offers the faithful a Plenary Indulgence to any of the faithful who either: 1) take part in the prayers and devotions in honour of the Divine Mercy in any church or chapel, OR 2) recite an Our Father and the Creed in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, exposed or reserved in the tabernacle. This Plenary Indulgence is obtained by observing the usual requirements that are in place for the granting of any Plenary Indulgence, that is: Sacramental Confession (the confession may take place some days before or after), reception of Holy Communion, prayers for the intentions of the pope (an Our Father and Hail Mary is the minimum requirement), and lastly, having the requisite detachment from all sin.

I for one firmly believe in the authenticity of the apparitions and the necessity of the message of Divine Mercy for our times. St Paul writes in his letter to the Romans “Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more” (Rom 5:12). Sin has abounded in this past century to a degree unknown in recorded human history: Immorality, immodesty, marital infidelity, avarice, lies, violence, murder, the normalization of abortion, contraception, pornography, drug abuse, euthanasia and the corresponding collapse of religious belief and practice. We are living in a very broken world, and our need for Divine Mercy could not be more self-evident. Our culture stands at a crossroads. We can either accept that we need to repent and accept the free gift of God’s mercy which he continues to extend to us, or we can obstinately deny our need of Christ and continue to exult ourselves in the spirit of Satanic rebellion which defines our age. Christ came to save what was lost (cf. Luke 19:10). This was always his mission, and it remains his mission today. Where sin has abounded, God’s grace abounds all the more and this ought to give us hope whilst being a stimulus to action. I believe in Divine Mercy because I know how desperately I am in need of it, and the truth that I would be lost without it. We are each day called to humbly walk the path of conversion, but today’s feast gives us the encouragement to run with greater eagerness and hope.

From its obscure beginnings in a convent in Poland devotion to Divine Mercy has now swept across the whole world. In many churches (including St Patrick’s Lilydale) there will be special Masses held at 3:00pm – commemorating the hour when Christ died on the cross for love of us and when the pierced side of Christ became for us the fount of grace. There will be two priests available for confessions from 1:30pm at St Patrick’s with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction until 2:45pm. Even if we can’t make the 3pm Mass, every Mass this Sunday is an opportunity to turn again with renewed trust in the mercy of God: to cry from the heart, “Jesus I trust in You!” As we celebrate the Octave of Easter Sunday let us especially open our hearts to receive the gift of Divine Mercy, so that we might share more perfectly in the joy of Christ’s Resurrection.