Divine Mercy Sunday Presents a gift of God for our time.
At a time when we are all wondering how long this pandemic induced anxiety and confinement to our homes will last, we need a word of hope and our Church offers the essential hope. For that reason, I am pleased to share with you a wonderful inspiring short reflection from my good friend, Fr. Anthony Saroki from Our Lady of Carmel parish in San Diego. He will be helping us prepare for the upcoming Feast of Divine Mercy. Fr. Anthony gives a little history of this feast which goes back to the 1930s and presents the life and witness of Polish Roman Catholic nun, now Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska who is a gift of God to the whole Church for our time.
During this pandemic, we may be asking how long will this last? Another month? Another year? How long will we be in the hurt? Pope John Paul II mentioned in his homily of the canonization Mass of St. Faustina Kowalska, April 30, 2000, that “no one can say. We are not given to know. But the light of divine mercy, which the Lord in a way wished to return to the world through Sr. Faustina's charism, will illumine the way for the men and women of the third millennium.”
Beginning with a discussion of the nature and manner in which Jesus revealed Himself to St. Faustina, Fr. Anthony details the explanation, the meaning of the image and chaplet of the Divine Mercy as well as relates everything to the daily Mass readings from this week and what we are experiencing in our lives now.
The message of Divine Mercy is especially relevant today calling us, to among other things, to put our trust in Jesus, to combat evil and to be instruments of God’s mercy in the world by practicing the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.
Enjoy Father’s reflection today and discover the keys for hope and mercy to be effective in our lives today.
Finally, if you haven’t taking time to exercise the Spiritual Communion Service at Home we have been providing since Masses were suspended with your family, please take time to review and consider starting now with this week’s special edition fashioned for Divine Mercy Sunday.
Get Your Divine Mercy Sunday Spiritual Communion Guide