by Fr. Jacob DuMont, L.C.

Pope St. John Paul II passed away on the Vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, April 2, 2005. I was present in St. Peter’s Square, with fellow seminarians and many others from around the world, to pray the rosary for the Holy Father. As we concluded our prayers, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who later ordained me a priest in Rome, entered the plaza and announced that Pope John Paul had returned to the House of the Father.

In the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina Kowalska and established Divine Mercy Sunday, the Second Sunday of Easter, as a feast day for the universal Church. He emphasized that nothing is more essential for humanity than divine mercy. But what does this divine mercy truly mean?

Divine mercy centers on God’s immense love for us and the boundless compassion that flows from it. God alone expresses love, compassion, and forgiveness to their fullest extent. This is why we affirm that God is love; His merciful love is His greatest attribute. God’s mercy is infinite and everlasting, transcending time and space.

The Gospel of Luke is often referred to as the “gospel of mercy,” showcasing a progression of love and mercy through three powerful parables found in Luke 15: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. 

• The Lost Sheep: A shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep, illustrating God’s relentless pursuit of each soul.
• The Lost Coin: A woman searches diligently for a lost coin, demonstrating the value God places on every individual.
• The Prodigal Son: This parable reveals the father’s overwhelming joy when his wayward son returns, giving us a glimpse into the joy our merciful God experiences when He receives repentant sinners. 

God not only forgives us but also seeks to restore everything to us. The Catholic Church offers the immense treasure of God’s mercy through the Sacrament of Confession. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (nos. 1420-1498) describes confession as a personal encounter with God, where the penitent confesses sins to a priest acting in the person of Christ. This sacrament is vital for spiritual growth and deepening one’s relationship with God, preparing the soul to receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our merciful Savior in the Eucharist. 

St. Faustina recorded several revelations from Jesus about confession in her Diary:

• “When you go to confession, to this fountain of mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flows down upon your soul” (Diary, 1602).
• “In the Tribunal of Mercy (the Sacrament of Reconciliation) … the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated” (Diary, 1448).
• “Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy” (Diary, 1602).
• “I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest … I Myself act in your soul” (Diary, 1602).

I remember when I was a child and saw the beautiful image of Jesus dressed in white, stepping forward slightly as if to draw closer. His right hand is raised in blessing while His left points toward His heart from which two rays pour forth: one white and one red. These rays symbolize the blood and water that flowed from His pierced side on the Cross.

Jesus explained to St. Faustina:

“The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood, which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross” (Diary, 299). This imagery resonates with John’s Gospel, when a soldier pierced Jesus’ side, resulting in blood and water flowing forth (Jn 19:33-34).

One of the profound blessings available on Divine Mercy Sunday is the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence, which removes all temporal punishment due to sins that were already forgiven. The Church provides multiple occasions to receive indulgences, but Divine Mercy Sunday is among the most powerful. To receive the plenary indulgence on this day, one must:

1. Participate in Divine Mercy devotions.
2. Receive Communion worthily on Divine Mercy Sunday or the vigil.
3. Go to confession beforehand.
4. Pray for the Holy Father’s intentions.
5. Be in a state of grace and detached from venial sins.
6. Place your trust in God’s Divine Mercy.

You can offer a plenary indulgence for yourself or for a departed soul.

Divine mercy is a profound manifestation of God’s love, inviting us to experience His compassion through the sacraments, especially confession and the Eucharist. As we approach Divine Mercy Sunday, let us embrace this extraordinary gift of God’s mercy. Let us take this opportunity to deepen our faith, restore our relationship with God, and share the joy of His mercy with others. May we all open our hearts to receive this boundless mercy and extend it to those around us.

Fr. Jacob DuMont, L.C., is the Deputy Superintendent of Catholic Identity & Faith Formation for the Catholic Schools Office in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.