Homily of the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)

Saint Pope John Paul II, April 30^th, 2000, declared the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. Saint Pope John Paul II believes in Jesus’ command to Saint Faustina: “I want this image… to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; that Sunday is to be the feast of Mercy.” (Diary 49)

Many Catholics still ask: Why do we need to know about the Divine Mercy? Is it not enough to believe in the gospel and keep his commandments?

In the modern world, more people left their Catholic faith; more people don’t believe in God; more people rejected Catholic teachings of faith and morality; so, Jesus, through St. Faustina, revealed to the world that people need to turn and ask for God’s mercy before the end of time.

The Gospel of John today somehow connects to God’s mercy. How? 

First, Jesus appeared to his disciples although the door was locked because of the fear of the Jews. He breathed on them and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” This is the institution of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In other words, Jesus gave his apostles a power to forgive sins. We cannot have peace with sins in our hearts, so Jesus wants to give us his peace through this sacrament.

Secondly, Saint Thomas was the one who received God’s mercy in the gospel today. When other apostles told Saint Thomas: Jesus is risen! We have seen the Lord; He just did not believe. He said: “unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the nail marks, and put my hand in his side, I will not believe.” That was a tough request, but Jesus, in his mercy, did not give up on him. On the next appearance, Jesus satisfied his challenge.

I ran into a young catholic man who has been in the world for a couple years now. When he was still in Regis, I saw him go to Mass with his mom. But after he goes to college, I have not seen him as before. I asked him if he still goes to Church on Sunday. He said: I go sometimes, but not every week. Why? I asked. He said: Father, I am taking protestant approach which I believe: God is everywhere, not only at Mass. So I can pray at home and anywhere. I told him he was misled. He needs to go to Mass. I thought to myself, he may stop going to confession to ask for God’s mercy.

This is one of the reasons we should pray to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Jesus promised if we pray the Divine Mercy with faith every day, we will convert many sinners to Him.

Dear friends in Christ, the Church has one mission which is to make God’s mercy known to the world, and to bring humanity back to God. Our charity works like: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, etc., have to serve this mission. Our world and our country are in constant threat of wars, violence and blasphemy. So the world needs to know the message of Divine Mercy. Jesus said to St. Faustina: “mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to God’s mercy.” Besides praying Rosary, Jesus gave his Church the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to convert hard unbelievers and to save souls in purgatory.

To conclude this homily, I would like to quote Jesus’ promises on this Feast of Divine Mercy. He said: “On this 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. … Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins are as scarlet.” (Diary 699.)

“Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”