Long before Divine Mercy Sunday, and before the Liturgical Reforms of Vatican II, what is now Divine Mercy Sunday, or the Second Sunday of Easter, used to be known as Low Sunday. And as it did then, and still does not, it marks the end of the Easter Ocatve. It is also known as White Sunday and Quasimodo Sunday. The last one, Quasimodo is the easiest one to explain, because that is the Introit of the mass, that is the Pre-Vatican II mass, altough the new mass begins the same, "Quasi modo géniti infántes". Which is the name sake for the charecter in the book or movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which is a cool piece of trivia. The reason for it being called Low Sunday is: "The word "low" may serve to contrast it with the "high" festival of Easter on the preceding Sunday. Or, the word "low" may be a corruption of the Latin word laudes, the first word of a sequence used in the historical Sarum Rite." (Wikipedia). The reason it is called White Sunday is the fact that in the old days the week following Easter, the Octave, was called White Week, even in Liturgical Books, and this was because of the White Garments the Newly Baptized at the Vigil would wear from that day until White Sunday, when it would be removed. The Adjective White remained until 1970.
Divine Mercy is much more than a simply devotional prayer. Divine Mercy goes to the heart of the Sacrifice of Christ upon the cross. I was blest to attend our parish's Holy Hour on Divine Mercy Sunday, yesterday. And the priest who led Exposition, read an excerpt from the Pasion Gospel, very similiar to the ones we read during Holy Week. And this was about Christ on the cross. The most important detail, that relates to Divine Mercy Sunday, was the piercing of Christ with the soldier's lance. When the soldier's lance pierced Christ's side, blood and water poured out.
Above all, when we talk about Divine Mercy, I don't want you to think about the devotion. Above all, this devotion, and the related things, while allowed by the Vatican, since it is private revelation, it is your choice whether you believe or trust in it. But the message of Divine Mercy, and that of Mercy itself, is a universal one, not merely bound to a singular devotion, or a single person's private and personal revelation, such as that of Saint Faustina. Above all, prayer is an important thing, and devotionals are great, but relational prayer is the most important, and that should be the core of our prayer, more than devotionals. As our one priest puts it, don't have a check-list of prayers and devotionals you have to do. That's not how it works with God.
Mercy is an important thing. And the perfect example and showing of Mercy, is the death of Christ upon the cross. The dictionary definitions of mercy are: One, compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power, or, a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion, as well a fortunate circumstance, and finally, compassionate treatment of those in distress. Above all, Divine Mercy fills all of these defenitions.
Above all, Christ's life is a show of mercy. A Show of Divine Compassion. Of Divine Mercy. Christ's death is the greatest show of mercy. Of Mercy towards sinners. Christ's entire life was dedicated to showing mercy to the sick and lowest of his society. He spent his entire life in preaching and caring for souls. In his life he extended not only helaing but forgiveness.
When we look at the Baptism of our Lord, it is often held that Christ did not need to be baptized, he was not a sinner. But by being baptized, he was willing to associate himself with sinners. More than that, Christ was also willing to sit with sinners. But his association with sinners, was not to glorify their sin. Much rather we can say that this is a show of God's mercy. That he is willing to see sinners, and not just look at them from far off, but rather actively and fully wish for them to be in communion with God.
Above all, we now must look at the Cross. The Cross was not only the highest form and show of Love, but also the greatest show of mercy, of Divine Mercy. And the finally action of Christ upon the cross, the pouring of blood and water out of the side of Christ, is the most shining example of divine mercy. Not only were Christ's final words, "It is Finished. Father, into your hands, I commend my Spirit.", but this final act of blood and water, show truly, it is finished. Christ was willing to pour out his entire being, all his blood, out, for our sake.
Thus this water and blood is a showing of our forgiveness. This water and blood that poured out from the side of Christ, pours forth into the chalice at mass. This saving blood and water, is the water that washes us physically in baptism, and that metaphorically washes over us in the sacrament of penance.
The Gospel from this Sunday recounts Christ's appearance to the Apostles. "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, 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.”.
Jesus speaks to his apostles, and gives them their great commision, most especially of forgiveness of sin. The work of preaching does not merely end with the written word, as John concludes this passage, "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.".
The work of forgiveness, the ministry of the church, and that is, the extending of Divine Mercy, began with Christ's commision to the Apostles. That they are to go and extend forgiveness, extend mercy, extend Divine Mercy, to the Entire World.
Divine Mercy, is important, and we can experience it in our lives. Divine Mercy is the greatest and highest gift which God has to offer us. It is the truest and most perfect form of forgiveness.
The Divine Mercy Icon, reminds us of Christ's forgiveness, in the red and white colour extending from the heart of Christ, that not only reminds us of the blood and water that poured forth from the side of Christ, but also of the forgiveness which Chirst has to offer.
Divine Mercy, requires us to say one thing. "Jesus, I Trust in You", which is imprinted upon the bottom of the Divine Mercy Icon, but also which we must imprint on our hearts. Above all, we must be willing to remove whatever keeps us from putting our true and undivided trust in Jesus.
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