In the 1930s, Jesus appeared to a Polish religious sister named Faustina in Krakow, Poland and said to her, “mankind will not have real peace until it turns with trust to my mercy.” His words teach us that our peace is intimately tied to God’s mercy.
God desperately wants to forgive our sins so we may live free from the chains of sin and live in the freedom of the children of God. Living reconciled with God and neighbor is finding true peace – though the world be falling apart, our hearts remain at peace in the presence of God.
Unfortunately there is a part of the human soul that imitates doubtful Thomas. We doubt God’s mercy and love. We doubt his ability to forgive us. We allow doubt to keep us away from the mercy God freely offers us.
If we could only grasp the mercy God shows us. Saint John Vianney, patron saint of priests and exemplary confessor wrote, “Our sins are nothing but a grain of salt alongside the great mountain of the mercy of God.” Our sins and offenses vanish like a drop of water poured onto a blazing fire whenever we approach God with a repentant heart.
Jesus has entrusted the Church with the power to extend and make present His divine mercy. Through the waters of baptism sin is washed away and we become children of God. Through the sacrament of reconciliation, God restores us to His grace by granting us mercy and peace.
If the peace of Christ is established one heart at a time, then the world will know peace. A peace that is not simply the lack of conflict, but the joy that comes from living in harmony with God and those around us.
Peace is Jesus’ Easter gift to us. This second Sunday of Easter we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, a feast instituted in 2000 by Pope John Paul II following the message of Sister Faustina’s private revelation. On this feast we celebrate with the whole Church the power of God’s mercy and give thanks to God for Blessed John Paul II and Saint Faustina, two great apostles of God’s unfailing mercy.
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