The Glory of Easter: Divine Mercy, a gift of God for us for our salvation
Divine Mercy closes the octave of Easter
The Divine Mercy Sunday completes the octave of Easter. According to the Jewish people, whenever there was a big religious feast that could not be celebrated in one day, they would celebrate it in 8 days. As Catholics, we carry this tradition to celebrate Christmas and Easter. Of course, our biggest Octave is the Easter octave, which starts on Easter Sunday, that is the day our Lord opened the door to heaven. He wants to find us spotless in our wedding garment, that is our soul.
Jesus the bridegroom who takes us back to his Father’s house
It is important to note that (7) seven is the perfect number for the Jewish people, however, that is with regards time and creation. But when we speak of the Divine mercy Sunday, we speak of the (8) eighth day, which is a divine representation of eternity. Jesus is the bridegroom who will come back to take us as his bride to his Father’s house (John 14: 1-2). For us to enter eternity, we need to be cleansed of the stain of sin of our wedding garment, that is our soul.
“The bride must resemble the bridegroom”
Mercy as a response to sin. (Romans 6:23)
The word of God reminds us that the wage of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. God's mercy is the antidote against the wage of sins and their consequences in our lives. We cannot enter heaven with sins. And even if the valid confession takes away our sins, the temporal punishment may remain, and this can still cause our souls to be punished in purgatory. No wonder, the Book of revelation tells us that
“Nothing impure will ever enter it (heaven)” (Rev. 21:27).
The Divine Mercy Sunday is a gift of God to the Church. For the Divine Mercy Sunday, Jesus gave this extraordinary promise to us:
“On that day, the soul that will go to confession and receive Holy communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (Diary 699).
Faustina wrote: “God’s mercy is stronger than our misery” (#1507)
Receiving plenary Indulgence on Divine mercy or any other time.
A plenary (meaning “full”) indulgence is a special type of indulgence that, if all the requirements are met, removes all temporal punishment due to one's sin. Receiving such indulgence can avoid one to pass through the purgatory. However, this demands total purification of heart and mind from impatience, ill thoughts, lust, gluttony, and daily struggle. This is quite difficult to achieve. Christians may obtain plenary indulgences by visiting the Blessed sacrament for adoration for thirty continuous minutes; devoutly participate in a Eucharist procession, especially on Corpus Christi or spend three entire days in retreat; Then go to confession, receive holy communion and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.
On Divine mercy Sunday, which St. Augustine considers as the compendium of the days of mercy, we are advised to go to confession before or on the same day; then receive communion in a state of grace. The main purpose of the Divine mercy Sunday is the forgiveness of our sins and our readiness to welcome back our Lord anytime he comes back for us. This is a day whereby our souls are cleansed again purely just as they were on the day of our baptism. However, remember how important your conversion is for the future. Please calmly say the following prayer as all grace flows from mercy.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner. Jesus, you promised St. Faustina that, the soul who has been to confession and (I have been) the soul that receives Holy Communion (I just did), will receive complete forgiveness of all sins and punishment. O please give me this grace. Amen.
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC