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_{Divine Mercy Sunday
March 30, 2008}

          It is important that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the Word of God on this 2nd Sunday of Easter, now known as "Divine Mercy Sunday."  In the various readings, the liturgy seems to indicate the path of mercy which, while re-establishing the relationship of each person with God, also creates new relations among human beings.  Christ has taught us that "man not only receives and experiences the mercy of God," but is also called "to practice mercy" towards others:  "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

          "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.  His mercy endures forever."  So the Church prays on the Octave of Easter, as if receiving from Christ's lips these words of Psalm 118, from the lips of the Risen Christ, who bears the great message of Divine Mercy and entrusts its ministry to the Apostles in the Upper Room:  "Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I send you...Receive the Holy Spirit.  Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."

          Jesus also showed us the many paths of mercy, which not only forgives sins, but reaches out to all human needs, both physical and spiritual.  Sr. Faustina, who Pope John Paul II called "The Great Apostle of Divine Mercy," exclaims on the image of Divine Mercy:  "Jesus, I Trust In You!"  That is our job!  To be open to the gift of faith in our lives, to completely trust in Jesus, and to believe in his unfathomable Divine Mercy!

In John's Gospel today we here the story of Thomas, the apostle, source of the phrase "Doubting Thomas," and how the crucifixion of Jesus impacted his faith.  You might expect Thomas, an apostle who walked with Jesus for three years, to be unshakable in his faith.  Not so! 

The experience of Thomas bears out what Jesus said about the road of faith.  It is not a six-lane interstate.  It is not even a two-lane highway.  It is more like a narrow dirt road.  Let's take a closer look at what Jesus had in mind when he said the road is narrow and difficult.

To begin with, faith is a lot like the sun.  There are times when the sky is clear and the sun shines bright and beautiful.  There are other times when the sky clouds up and the sun vanishes from sight.  Our faith is a lot like that.  There are times when our faith is bright and beautiful, and we wonder how we could ever have doubts about it.  There are other times when our faith barely glows, leaving us in virtual darkness.

These times of darkness are usually traceable to one of three sources: our human nature, ourselves, or God.  First, they may be traceable to our human nature.  They simply reflect the natural mood swings of life.  We all know that on some days everything goes right; and everyone is cheerful and pleasant.  Life is great.  On other days everything goes wrong; and everyone is cranky and impatient.  Life is difficult at best.  Our faith goes through similar mood swings.  They go with the territory of being human.

Second, times of faith darkness may be due to ourselves.  We can bring them on by neglecting our faith in such ways as sinning, not attending Mass and receiving the sacraments regularly, and failing to have a daily prayer life.  In other words, we can let our faith grow weak from sin or lack of spiritual nourishment.  That is, just as our body grows weak from abuse or lack of nourishment, our soul does the same thing.

Third, times of faith darkness may be traceable to God.  Just as God uses physical suffering to help us grow in our faith, so can God use spiritual darkness to deepen and mature our faith.  Abraham is certainly a great example of that.

Regardless of the source of faith darkness, the spiritual agony it can cause is great.  It can even lead to a temporary eclipse of our faith.  This seems to have happened in the case of Thomas in today's Gospel.

Listen to this poem that summarizes what I have been talking about and how we should respond to it.  The poem, author unknown, reads:

The road of life was bright.  It stretched before my sight.

The Lord was at my side to be my friend and guide.

And so I started out.

But then the sky turned dark; the road grew steep and stark.

Rocks and ruts cut my feet.  My legs grew sore and weak.

I scarce could travel on.

I turned and cried, "My Lord!

Why this pain; why this plight?

Why these ruts; why these rocks?

Where’s the road; where's the light?"

I cannot carry on!

The Lord turned and said, "My child, where is your faith?

Where is your childlike trust?  Love chose this road for you.

Just trust and travel on."

 In her diary Sr. Faustina writes, "His goodness no one has fathomed, no one can measure, his compassion is untold.  Every soul that approaches him experiences this," and "The mercy of the Lord I will sing forever.  Before all the people will I sing it.  For it is God’s greatest attribute and for us an unending miracle."

I urge you to trust completely in God's Divine Mercy revealed to us in Christ Jesus, who died and rose again for our salvation.  May the personal experience of this love and mercy commit all of us to becoming a witness of active love and mercy towards our brothers and sisters.  We resemble God most when we forgive our neighbors. My prayer for you on Divine Mercy Sunday is that you make Sr. Faustina's beautiful exclamation your own:

"Jesus, I Trust In You!" 

St. Peter Claver Catholic Church:  Sunday Afternoon

2:00 P.M.  Confessions     3:00 P.M.  Chaplet of Divine Mercy