This Sunday we celebrate the feast of the Divine Mercy. On April 30th, 2000, the day of the canonization of Sr. Faustina Kowlaska, the late Pope John Paul II officially proclaimed that the second Sunday of Easter would be known as the Divine Mercy Sunday. This is after the Church recognized the messages given to Sr. Faustina by Our Lord when she was still living. Sr. Faustina received a series of private revelations and messages from Our Lord and she wrote them in her diary. One of them was the explicit desire of Our Lord to celebrate the feast of the Divine Mercy on the first Sunday after Easter. "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" (Diary 341).

In his homily, at the canonization of Sr. Faustina on April 30th, 2000, Pope John Paul II said: “it is important that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church, will be called “Divine Mercy Sunday”.

He continued to say, “it becomes clear why Jesus insisted that the sacred image of Himself as The Divine Mercy is to be venerated throughout the world in connection with the observance of this Sunday because before speaking these words, Jesus shows His hands and His side. He points to the wounds of the Passion, especially the wound in His Heart, the source from which flows the great wave of mercy poured out on humanity.”

“From that Heart, Sr. Faustina saw two rays of light shining from that Heart and illuminating the world: 'The two rays', Jesus Himself explained to her one day, 'represent blood and water'” (Diary, 299). “Blood and water!” We immediately think of the testimony given by the Evangelist John, who, when a soldier on Calvary pierced Christ's side with his spear, sees blood and water flowing from it (cf. Jn 19:34). Moreover, if the blood recalls the sacrifice of the Cross and the gift of the Eucharist, the water, in Johannine symbolism, represents not only Baptism but also the gift of the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 3:5; 4:14; 7:37-39).

And because our Lord asked Sr. Faustina to spread Him to the world as love and mercy “Tell, My daughter, [all people] that I am Love and Mercy itself” (Diary,1074), we are observing it in our Church which we started the novena last Good Friday and celebrate his feast this Sunday.

As promised to Sr. Faustina, anybody who will have devotion and observe the feast of the Divine Mercy with the following conditions - to go to confession and receive communion - will be granted complete forgiveness of his/her sins.

“I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy” (1109). “Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (300). “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (699).

So let us take this opportunity to receive the grace that Our Lord is offering us on this feast of Divine Mercy.