Divine Mercy & Easter

"God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ."

Ephesians 2: 4-5

It is no coincidence that we cap the Easter octave with Divine Mercy Sunday.

Jesus -- through his words and actions, life and death -- shows us the merciful love of the Father. But our Lord’s revelation of His Father’s mercy is not complete without the Resurrection. Jesus’ suffering and death revealed the depths of God’s love and mercy; His Resurrection shows us the power of that love and mercy, even over sin and death.

“He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”

Mark 12:27

Our Resurrected Lord could be considered the very definition mercy, according to Pope John Paul II, who instituted the universal celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday.

“Christ confers on the whole of the Old Testament tradition about God's mercy a definitive meaning. Not only does He speak of it and explain it by the use of comparisons and parables, but above all He Himself makes it incarnate and personifies it. He Himself, in a certain sense, is mercy. To the person who sees it in Him -- and finds it in Him -- God becomes ‘visible’ in a particular way as the Father who is rich in mercy."

During this Year of Faith we, too, are called to make God visible through our mercy to others. It is the best way to pay homage to the Divine Mercy we have all received.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever!”

Psalm 118:1

Inspired by this Year of Faith we will be posting columns like this from Susan Szalewski about exploring and/or deepening our faith. Watch for it on Thursdays.