This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday, a recent yet very popular feast which falls on the Sunday following Easter Sunday. But why is such a recent feast so popular amongst the faithful? Paul Elarde discusses the significance of Divine Mercy Sunday and what Christ offers us on this day.
Although Divine Mercy Sunday has been celebrated now for around 12 years, it is still a relatively new feast and so it is not uncommon for people to ask, ‘what’s so special about Divine Mercy Sunday?’ In order to understand its significance and importance, let’s look briefly at just a couple of key messages that Jesus gave the world through St Faustina.
On 5th May 2000 at the Canonisation of St Faustina, Blessed John Paul II declared that the Sunday after Easter would be known as Divine Mercy Sunday. In doing so the Pope fulfilled Jesus’ request made to St Faustina some 64 years earlier, that each year, this day be celebrated as the Feast of Mercy.
Here are those very words Jesus spoke to St Faustina:
“My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow, are opened.
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. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.” (Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, # 699)
So Jesus is saying that if we go to confession during this Easter season and receive Holy Communion worthily on Divine Mercy Sunday in honour of His mercy, all our sins and debt due to sin will be wiped completely away! (For an explanation of ‘debt due to sin’ see FAQ web link below.)
The only provision is that we trust in His mercy and include some work of mercy either through works or prayer for others.
The theologian who presented the Vatican investigation into the writings of St Faustina referred to this exceptional grace that Jesus offers us on Divine Mercy Sunday as similar in its effects only to baptism. By that he meant that this special grace can remove all sin and debt due to sin; an outcome that usually is only achieved through the Sacrament of Baptism. Note, that this gift it is not the same as a Plenary indulgence (see FAQ link below for further explanations).
So no matter what we’ve done in our past, we can stand before God as innocent as a baby! That’s the gift Jesus is offering us on Divine Mercy Sunday!
As you can see – this promise, along with so many other gifts from Jesus makes the Message of Divine Mercy, more than ‘just another devotion’.
It’s an extraordinary gift from God to really help us appreciate the depth of His mercy. It was something very dear to Blessed John Paul II, and also to Pope Benedict XVI. You might recall that Blessed John Paul II passed away to his eternal home after he received Holy Communion at the Divine Mercy Sunday vigil bedside mass.
Most of you would be familiar with very popular Divine Mercy Image. On one occasion when Jesus appeared to St Faustina, he said these words:
“Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and then throughout the world” (47)
“I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over its enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory.” (48)
Notice how Jesus said that the image must have the signature: ‘Jesus I Trust in You’. Why?
Because Jesus said that TRUST is the key to receiving His mercy – the more a soul trusts – the more Mercy they will receive.
Once again let’s hear the exact words of Jesus – notice the strength of the language Jesus uses – it shows us just how much He loves us and wants to embrace even the most hardened sinners.
“I desire trust from My creatures. Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins than there are grains of sand in the world, all will be drowned in the immeasurable depths of My mercy.” (1059)
“The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is – trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much.” (1578)
So in summary, here’s what we have to do to receive this extraordinary blessing on Divine Mercy Sunday, that is, receive the gift of total remission of our sins and punishment:
- Celebrate the feast
- Sincerely repent of all our sins
- Place complete trust in Jesus
- Go to confession – if not during the Easter week then soon
- Receive Holy Communion – worthily of course – so you may need confession before Divine Mercy Sunday.
- Venerate the image of the Divine Mercy (ie to venerate means some gesture of deep religious respect) – for example, touch the image with reverence and say, “Jesus I trust in You.”
- Be merciful to others through our actions, words and prayers on their behalf.
For a more in depth look at Divine Mercy Sunday see Frequently Asked Questions.
See also the Diary of St Faustina – “Divine Mercy In My Soul”
