Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,
The Second Sunday of Easter, also referred to as Divine Mercy Sunday, concludes the Octave of Easter. Nevertheless, we continue to live in the joy of the Easter season for fifty days until Pentecost!
Divine Mercy Sunday is a powerful testament to God’s boundless compassion and love for all humanity. It originated from the revelations of Saint Faustina Kowalska, who reported receiving messages from Jesus urging for a special feast dedicated to Divine Mercy.
At the core of Divine Mercy Sunday lies the message of hope and forgiveness. Jesus assured Saint Faustina that on this day, “the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” (Diary, 699). This outpouring of mercy extends especially to all sinners, inviting us to return to God with confidence and receive forgiveness.
The Divine Mercy image, depicting Jesus with rays of red and white light emanating from His heart, serves as a powerful symbol of this feast. The red and white rays represent the Blood and Water that flowed from Jesus’ side on the cross, signifying His sacrifice for our salvation.
To celebrate this great Feast of Mercy, you are invited to a Eucharistic Holy Hour from 3:00pm - 4:00pm in the church, with the Sacrament of Confession and veneration of a first-class relic of Saint Faustina available. We will also pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet in English, Spanish, and French, to beseech God’s mercy for ourselves and the whole world.
To borrow a few words from Saint John Paul II, “Like Saint Faustina, we wish to proclaim that apart from the mercy of God there is no other source of hope for mankind. We desire to repeat with faith: Jesus, I trust in you!” (Homily for the dedication of Divine Mercy Shrine in Krakow-Lagiewniki on August 17, 2002).
Finally, I wanted to take this opportunity to ask for your prayers as a group from our parish prepares to leave on pilgrimage to Italy next Sunday, April 14. We will be visiting a number of holy sites and saints, including Padua (Saint Anthony, Saint Luke the Evangelist), Loreto (House of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Assisi (Saint Francis, Saint Clare, Blessed Carlo Acutis), San Giovanni Rotondo (Padre Pio), and Rome (Saints Peter, Paul, and many others). We would be grateful for your prayers. If there is anything in particular for which I could pray for you, please let me know by filling out this form https://forms.gle/1FVv3NauiG7Uv4tx9 or scanning the QR code, or by emailing me at agustinp@adw.org.
God bless you!
In the Risen Christ,
Fr. Patrick
