Catechism Corner

This second Sunday of Easter is the celebration of the Feast of the Divine Mercy. In a decree dated 23 May 2000, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that "throughout the world the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that mankind will experience in the years to come." The celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday is an opportunity to reflect on the theme of how God's mercy can overcome sin.

The first revelation of Jesus in His message of Divine Mercy to St. Faustina on 22nd February 1931 was to say how much He desired mankind to avail of the infinite mercy of God on earth and this was why He was establishing the Feast of His Mercy. So, the Feast of Mercy was the first revelation in the message of Divine Mercy and is considered the first and most important element of the whole devotion.

Jesus devoted fourteen revelations in all, more than He devoted to any other element of this devotion because of the importance of the extraordinary graces He desired to give to all souls on this holy day. He stated, "I desire that My mercy be worshiped, and I am giving mankind the last hope of salvation; that is, recourse to My mercy. My Heart rejoices in this Feast". (Diary 998)

The Feast of Mercy is the most important day of the year within the devotion to Divine Mercy. Jesus offers us extraordinary graces on this special holy day, a new feast day within the church. It is akin to a second baptism and a complete cleansing of our souls, a grace we will probably never fully comprehend. We must take seriously the conditions for receiving the graces offered to us on the Feast of Mercy and make every effort to meet the requirements for receiving these unfathomable graces on the Feast of Mercy. We must remember that the Feast of Mercy is a gift from God to mankind and He wishes everyone to avail of His mercy so that all will be saved. We should be immensely grateful to Jesus for the kindness and goodness He shows us on this truly unique and special Feast of God's infinite mercy.

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Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm.