Celebrating the feast of Divine Mercy on the 2nd Sunday and Octave of Easter in this Jubilee Year of Mercy makes one ponder on the great heart of the Risen Lord that continues to unlock hearts paralyzed by shackles of fear that they be open to the Truth of God’s unending mercy, and thus experience the freedom of God’s redeemed children.
Our most merciful Savior freely offered Himself as sacrificial lamb of sacrifice to take away the sins of many and win pardon for their offenses. Pope Francis, reflecting on the mystery of divine justice and mercy, writes; “God’s justice is his mercy given to everyone as a grace that flows from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (MV21).
Jesus crucified, who offered himself in perfect obedience to the Father’s will, has become the model of all saints and martyrs, living and dead, who have cooperated with divine grace to become agents of mercy and compassion in response to the loving Savior’s challenge. Our sorrow is not for the death of Jesus but for our sins which caused him such suffering, for in the end there is unending joy to feast on from the mysterious certitude of God’s forgiving love and eternal life.
St. Faustina Kowalska, the Polish nun and messenger of Divine Mercy, wrote this private revelation from the Lord in her diary: “Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity” (Diary, 699).
(Errata: Please note correction in the name of Chesterton that appeared in the previous issue: It is not Mark,but G.K. (Gilbert Keith), renowned lay theologian and Christian apologist from UK in the 1920’s.)
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