Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

In other years: Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen (1578-1622); Saint Erkenwald (-693); Saint Egbert (639-729)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 66 The Porter of the Monastery

Mass: Acts 5:12-16; Resp Ps 118; Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19; Jn 20:19-31

By the Lord has this been done.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY,

PRAY FOR US.

On this Divine Mercy Sunday, my thoughts have been on mercy, one of the fruits of charity, as our Catechism teaches us: "The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy" (CCC 1829). May we bask in the shadow of God's mercy (cf. Acts 5:15), and feel Jesus' breath on us: Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained (Jn 20:22-23).

 

Jesus Christ taught that [we] not only receive and experience the mercy of God, but that [we are] also called "to practice mercy" towards others: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." The church sees in these words a call to action, and she tries to practice mercy. All the beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount indicate the way of conversion and of reform of life, but the one referring to those who are merciful is particularly eloquent in this regard. One attains to the merciful love of God, His mercy, to the extent that he himself is interiorly transformed in the spirit of that love towards his neighbor.

(Pope Saint John Paul II, Dives in misericordia God who is rich in mercy, 14)

Never lose hope in God's mercy.

(Rule of Saint Benedict 4:74)

Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful,

have mercy on us.

SAINT FAUSTINA KOWALSKA,

SAINT FIDELIS OF SIGMARINGEN,

SAINT ERKENWALD,

SAINT EGBERT,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: This azalea is wonderful in our eyes.

© Gertrude Feick 2022