Divine Mercy Sunday

The Second Sunday of Easter has been designated by the Church as the Feast of Mercy. According to Saint Faustina, Jesus Himself, in many instances, had requested that people honor the Divine Mercy on the Sunday after Easter.

This Feast, which initially was granted to the Catholic faithful of Poland and celebrated in Vatican City at the express desire of the late Pope John Paul II, was granted by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the canonization of Sr. Faustina on April 30 in the Great Jubilee Year 2000. In his homily, Pope John Paul II said: “It is important then 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.” The Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated in its decree following the canonization and announcement of the observance of the Feast of Mercy 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 liturgical readings of the Second Sunday of Easter are focused on the forgiveness of sins. The Gospel dwells on Christ’s appearance to His disciples gathered in the Upper Room: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you... Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (Jn 20:21-23)

The Church also encourages the faithful to meditate on the image of Jesus, the Divine Mercy, not only on this day but all throughout the year. This means that we must have a special place of honor for Jesus, the King of Mercy, a visual reminder of all that Jesus did for us through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection and a constant reminder, too, of what He asks of all of us in return to trust Him and be merciful to others.

As we celebrate the Feast of Mercy, let us be grateful for the love and mercy that God grants to each one of us. We are so privileged that we have a loving and merciful Father who is ready to welcome us back to His home. Let us also avail of the Sacrament of Reconciliation because in this sacrament, we encounter the loving Father who, in spite of all the things that we have done, continues to love and care for each one of us. May the Divine Mercy also lead us to be merciful to others and forgive our neighbor as God forgives us.