by Rev. Fr. Julius C. Lupot

READINGS:     Acts 4: 32-35  /   Psalm 118: 2-4. 13-15. 22-24  /   1 John 5: 1-6/    JOHN 20: 19-31

HIS WORD…“PEACE BE WITH YOU”… PUT YOUR FINGER HERE AND SEE MY HANDS, AND BRING YOUR HAND AND PUT IT INTO MY SIDE, AND DO NOT BE UNBELIEVING, BUT BELIEVE… HAVE YOU COME TO BELIEVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEEN ME? BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND HAVE BELIEVED…

my words…St. Thomas the Apostle – St. Faustina Kowalska – St. John Paul II = Divine Mercy Apostles.

Today’s celebration of the Divine Mercy Sunday reminds us of three key apostles to Jesus’ fountain of His Mercy; namely, St. Thomas the Twin, one of the 12 Apostles, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a nun from Krakow, Poland, and St. John Paul II, also from Poland and the 264^th Pope of the Catholic Church.

1. THOMAS THE APOSTLE has the mind of a scientist; he would not believe unless he would see the mark of the nails in his hands and put his finger into the nailmarks and put his hand into his side (Jn 20:25). What was the significance of that wound at the side of Jesus that Thomas wanted to touch and examine? From that wound there flowed blood and water, the source and fountain of His great divine mercy. In other words, it was Thomas who traced back the channel of God’s Divine Mercy at the side of Jesus. And when he touched it, he said: “My Lord and My God!”
2. MARIA FAUSTINA KOWALSKA has the heart and mind of a secretary; she recorded in a “Diary” Jesus’ revelation to her regarding the immensity of His great love and mercy for sinners.In the 1930s, she started recording the revelations about God’s mercy in her Diary of 600 pages with the instruction to spread these messages especially to sinners. And the mission will continue even beyond her death (Diary 281). To the praise of His Divine Mercy, she said: “Jesus, I trust in You!”
3. JOHN PAUL II has the heart and mind of a pastor and intercessor; in an April 15, 1978 “Notification” to the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla interceded for the lifting of the 20 year old ban (1958 to 1978) on the spread of the devotion of the Divine Mercy. The Holy See granted it; and six months later, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II. During the 27 years of his Pontificate, he was dubbed as the “Mercy Pope”. What reward has he received? John Paul II died on April 2, 2005, the vigil of the Feast of the Divine Mercy; and was canonized a saint together with St. John XXIII, on April 27, 2014, the Feast of the Divine Mercy. His last words: “I have searched for you, and now you have come to me, and I thank you!”

The above witnesses on the powers of the Heart of Jesus and of His Great Mercy are clear signs and manifestations that Jesus gave up Himself for us because of His great love and mercy for us, sinners. And Pope Francis continued the mission on the mercy of Jesus when he said: “Mercy is the core Christian message… for God never tires of forgiving us… It is we who get tired of asking His forgiveness!”

HAPPY FEAST DAY OF THE DIVINE MERCY… JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!!!