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From the Pastor’s Desk
Today is the eighth day of the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection! It is the Octave of Easter! While the Church has, for centuries, taught that the entire 50 day period between Easter and Pentecost is to be treated as if it is one long, continuous Lord’s Day (that is, Sunday), the eight days between Easter Sunday to today are the most important of these. And this day, thanks to the private revelations give to Saint Faustina and, in turn, promoted by Pope Saint John Paul II, is Divine Mercy Sunday.
Today points us to the ever-present, always-available merciful Love of God. It celebrates the forgiveness of sins that is at the heart of Christ’s Paschal Mystery – the whole mystery of His Passion, Death and Resurrection. This Mystery, most especially present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, is present in every Sacrament, every celebration of the Sacred Liturgy of the Church. In 1995, John Paul II, speaking at the Regina Cæli Address remarked that this day one in which every Christian may revel in “thanksgiving for the goodness God has shown to man in the whole Mystery of Easter.”
I hope that you will make the effort to join our community of faith at the “Mercy Hour” of 3:00 p.m. Sunday as we celebrate together the Church’s devotion to the gift of Divine Mercy. In the Holy Hour that follows, we will pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Litany of Divine Mercy as well as celebrate Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
Love,
Father Tom