DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY A CALL FOR PEACE
April 3 Catholics unite to pray on day Polish nun was made a saint
was seeing Him, with rays of red and white light emanating from his heart. Faustina did so and titled the painting ‘Jesus, I trust in You.’
The revelations came to her just prior to the Second World War. Faustina died in October 1938 and never saw the fulfillment of the visions.
Part of Christ’s Mercy Message (as it is known) included this declaration: “I shall preserve the cities and homes in which this picture shall be found.” Her written account includes the hints Jesus gave her that a terrible war for the world was approaching in which Poland would suffer much for its sins. Only in the cities of Cracow and Vilno was the picture publicly venerated, and amazingly, those two cities were spared the terrible devastation the majority of Polish cities suffered.
In another appearance, Christ told Faustina to “tell ailing mankind to draw close to My Merciful Heart and I will fill it with peace... mankind will not find solace until it turns with confidence to My Mercy.”
This, say Bitz and Danchak, is the purpose of Divine Mercy Sunday.
The Roman Catholic Church is also celebrating an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. It began on Dec. 8, 2015 and continues until Nov. 22. A Holy Jubilee Year is held roughly every 25 years, but this is only the fourth time in the history of the Catholic Church that an Extraordinary Jubilee Year has been called.
Bitz says an Extraordinary Jubilee Year is a time of solidarity, hope, justice, and renewed commitment to serve God.
“It is really the Year of Christ. Pope Francis explained in his homily that Divine Mercy Sunday is a time for mercy and faith, and a time to heal wounds ... a time not to be wary of meeting all those who are waiting to see and touch with their hands the signs of the closeness of God. It is a time to offer everyone the way of forgiveness and reconciliation, not just Catholics, but everyone.”
She says the foundation for this is Luke 4: 18 and 19 where Jesus declared himself to be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me ...He has sent me to ... proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” That, Bitz says, covers all faiths.
During this special liturgical time, the Holy Doors of cathedrals, co-cathedrals and local churches throughout the world are thrown open so all may enter and receive mercy.
The doors of the Cathedral of the Holy Family were opened on Dec. 13, 2015, the first Sunday of the Year of Mercy. Other events are planned for later in the year.