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Divine Mercy Sunday, Year A.

Dear Friends,

Even as we reel under the grips of the COVID-19, the consolation we get from the church’s celebration of the Eucharist and the Scriptures is undeniably precious. This week we celebrate as the Divine Mercy Sunday, a day on which the very depths of His tender mercy are open. It is the Feast of Mercy and mercy is the greatest attribute of God. The readings prescribed for us today are breathtaking. The refrain for the Responsorial Psalm taken from Psalm 118 reads like this: “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.” How blessed are we to acknowledge that Our God is LOVE and his love for us is undying and has no expiry date on it? It is everlasting. But we can choose not to have his love; we can choose to replace his love with some other fleeting and evanescent loves in life mistaking them to be everlasting. One beautiful thing Coronavirus has taught us is this: it has brought to light our delusions of omnipotence. It has destroyed every part of our lives that we held on to as lifesaving. St. Peter in his first letter (1:3-9) prescribed for this weekend says this emphatically: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.

The Gospel today is the ultimate source of comfort for us to know that the Risen Lord appearing with his fresh nail marks intact from the crucifixion offers forgiveness and Peace to the apostles who were hiding behind locked doors for the fear of the Jews. Thomas’ expression of doubt and non-acceptance of Jesus’ offer is truly emblematic of our position most of the time. We refuse to accept the offer of forgiveness and Peace by the church. We tend to place too many conditions; we would like the Lord to follow our dictates. It is so providential that Thomas comes around to believing and finally uttering something that is again uniquely providential. His utterance of “MY Lord and My God” speaks volumes of our own position when we do accept the offer of mercy from the Lord. I would like you to repeat these golden words of faith expressed by Thomas and make them your own.

On this Divine Mercy Sunday, we are privileged to know of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, the patron saint of mercy, through whose Diary titled “Divine Mercy in my Soul,” we have come to know of the immense love the Lord has for us. In # 589 of her diary St. Faustina writes: “Love casts out fear. Since I came to love God with my whole being and with all the strength of my heart, fear has left me. Even if I were to hear the most terrifying things bout God’s justice, I would not fear Him at all, because I have come to know Him well. God is love, and His Spirit is peace.”

Isn’t that comforting to know that he casts out fear, the fear of what will days after Coronavirus look like? We are certainly going through this unprecedented time of misery. The Lord reassures us again in his revelation to St. Faustina in # 1273: “I am Love and Mercy itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted – it increases. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I myself take care of it.”

Again, what Jesus said to St. Faustina in # 1491 is remarkable at this time of COVID-19 pandemics: “The Lord visited me today and said, My daughter, do not be afraid of what will happen to you. I will give you nothing beyond your strength. You know the power of My Grace; let that be enough.”

The Risen Lord repeatedly said, “Peace be with you.” May we contemplate on these consoling words of Jesus.

With Love,

Fr. John Britto Antony C.S.C.