Without Divine Mercy, There’d Be No Easter
Moira Gillmore, Durban – Some people still feel that celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday detracts from the greatness of Easter. This actually shows a lack of understanding as the Divine Mercy Sunday celebration deepens the Easter experience. We would have no Easter if God were not merciful!
Jesus said: “I have not come to condemn the world but to save it.” This is mercy, which is God’s greatest attribute.
The whole Gospel and indeed the whole Bible evidences God’s merciful love. Think of the healings, the feeding of the multitudes, the forgiveness Peter received from Jesus after denying Jesus three times. And many more examples could be mentioned.
The Psalms are full of words of praise to the mercy of God. An example from Isaiah 41:10 says: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” This is our merciful God.
To the thief on the cross Jesus says. “This very day you will be with me in Paradise.” Great mercy indeed!
There are so many instances in the life of Jesus where he evidences the mercy of God.
Bearing all this in mind, it’s hard to understand how some people feel that celebrating God’s mercy on the Sunday after Easter is detracting from the Easter message or celebration.
To St Gertrude, in her visions in the 13th century, Jesus says, “The rigour of my justice is even thus limited within the bounds of mercy which I exercise towards men [people] in the dispensation of this sacrament [Holy Mass]” — Easter!
Then again to St Gertrude, Jesus says: “In order that you may know that my mercy is above all my works, and that the abyss of my mercy cannot be exhausted, I am ready to grant you, through the merit of this life-giving sacrament, more than you dare to ask me.” This life-giving sacrament is our Catholic Holy Mass which is Calvary — Easter!
So following from this we can see why Jesus asked St Faustina for the celebration of his mercy on the Sunday after Easter, which to my mind shows us the greatness of the Easter celebration.
And we need not be sorry that when Jesus died on the Cross and rose from the dead, we were not yet born, because we have the Death and Resurrection of Jesus in every Catholic Holy Mass.
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