For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven
Today we celebrate the Sunday of Divine Mercy. Through St. Faustina Jesus expressed his desire that all humanity finds salvation through his inexhaustible divine mercy. Pope John Paul canonized Faustina and established this second Sunday of Easter as the Sunday of Divine Mercy.
As we have heard in today’s gospel when Jesus appeared to the apostles his first concern was an act of mercy: to bring peace and joy to their troubled hearts. These were the men who had abandoned him. They were filled with fear and guilt, yet Jesus made no reference to what they had done. Instead, he told them “peace be with” and he filled them with his joy. Then he made them channels of his mercy by blowing on them the Holy Spirit and instituting the sacrament of reconciliation through which others would access his mercy: “receive the Holy Spirit, for those whose sins you will forgive, they are forgiven...” He showed the disciples his wounds, through which he had obtained our forgiveness. Eight days later, he came with the same message of peace. He showed his wounds to Thomas to dispel his disbelief. His thoughts were for us when he said, “happy those who have not seen yet believe”.
Today as we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday again the Lord shows us his wounds through which we have been healed and through which we receive his mercy. What distinguishes most prominently the picture of Jesus as a symbol of divine mercy is the wounds in his heart and his hands. He is inviting us to experience piece and joy. No matter what we have done, no matter how we feel, we have access to the inexhaustible divine mercy provided we ask for it in faith.
At the same time, Jesus wants us to become channels of his mercy to others, first of all by praying for them. In the prayer of Divine Mercy, we continue repeating: “for the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world”, and God responds because he has desired that we ask. Besides prayer we exercise God’s mercy using the opportunities he gives us: forgiving those who hurt us, and acting compassionately towards those who are in need.
