An Awesome Homily on Divine Mercy Sunday by Father Edmond Kline

Today, if Jesus would stand before us, he would say, “Be not be Afraid”, “Peace be with You!” Today, the Church, and the world mourns, the loss of Pope John Paul II, who died yesterday. One of the greatest popes, in the history of the Church, he passed into eternal life. And now, we feel abandoned. For us, now is a time of great sadness, but also a time, to celebrate God’s gift of mercy, on this feast of Divine Mercy, given to us, by this future saint: Pope, Saint John Paul II, the Great!

After an assassin shot him in 1981, he forgave the man, who shot him. Under the protection of Our Lady of Fatima, he fulfilled Her desires by consecrating Russia, and world to Her Immaculate Heart, bringing about the fall of communism. He helped establish world devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, by establishing an obligatory memorial to Her.

Pope John Paul II wrote literally hundreds of thousands of pages. We recall his many encyclicals, especially the Gospel of Life, Divine Mercy, and the Eucharist.

Divine Mercy Sunday Year A- Death of Pope John Paul II

(2005)

His life had intense suffering, losing his mother, father and brother, at an early age. Due to Nazi occupation, he had to attend an underground seminary, and did manual labor in a factory. As pope, he proclaimed the Gospel of Life, and demonstrated the value and meaning of suffering in his own life. He defended the weakest of society: the unborn, and the elderly. He defended the poor, the handicapped, and was an opponent of capital punishment. After an assassin shot him in 1981, he forgave the man, who shot him. Under the protection of Our Lady of Fatima, he fulfilled Her desires by consecrating Russia, and world to Her Immaculate Heart, bringing about the fall of communism. He helped establish world devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, by establishing an obligatory memorial to Her. Pope John Paul II wrote literally hundreds of thousands of pages. We recall his many encyclicals, especially the Gospel of Life, Divine Mercy, and the Eucharist. He traveled more than any other pope in the history of the Church. He renewed devotion to the saints, by canonizing more saints, than all the other popes combined. He canonized St. Maximillian Kolbe, St. Padre Pio, St. Faustina, beatified Mother Teresa, and made St. Therese, a doctor of the Church. He tirelessly attempted to reunite the east and west. During the Jubilee year, he asked forgiveness from Jews, by traveling to the Holy Land. He renewed devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially to Her Rosary, during the Year of the Rosary, and added five new mysteries of Light. In this year of the Eucharist, and throughout his papacy, he brought about a greater love and devotion to Jesus, in the Eucharist, causing hundreds of Perpetual Adoration Chapels, to be established through out the world. Today’s Feast of Divine Mercy, established by the pope, is the 8th day of the Easter Octave. In the Gospel today, although the doors were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood before the apostles, and said, "Peace be with You". He showed the wounds of His hands and side. He then “breathed on them, and said to them: 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained' " (Jn 20:22-23).

With these words, Jesus entrusted to the apostles, the gift of "forgiving sins," the sacrament of reconciliation, which flows from the wounds in His hands, feet, and from His pierced side. Pope John Paul stated, "from there a wave of mercy is poured out over all humanity". (JP II Divine Mercy Sunday 2001) Today, all humanity is crying out for peace. In a world struggling with war, terrorism, natural disasters and the culture of death, we long to hear the words of Jesus, "Peace be with You". Jesus told St. Faustina, a polish nun, “mankind would not have peace, until it turns to the fount of His Divine Mercy”. The fount of mercy is the forgiveness of sins, and the reception of the Eucharist.

Today is a very special day for Divine Mercy. Today, God, opens the depths of His mercy, like no other day of the year. Jesus told St. Faustina: " I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that 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.* On that day, all the divine floodgates, through which graces flow, are opened. Let no soul fear, to draw near, to Me, even though its sins, be as scarlet. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire, that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace, until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy." (Diary 699) On this Feast of Divine Mercy, a plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff). The person is to pray in any church or chapel, in a spirit, that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even venial sin. He or she is to take part in prayers and devotions, held in honor of Divine Mercy. If one is not able to participate on the devotions, the faithful are to pray in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed, or reserved in the tabernacle, by reciting the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!"). At 2:30 today, at St. Francis of Assisi, the Divine Mercy Devotion, will be celebrated, including the rosary, chaplet of Divine Mercy, and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

We are not strictly required to go to confession on Divine Mercy Sunday, in order to receive the plenary indulgence, and His Divine Mercy, which the Lord promises. The Cardinal of Krakow Poland, stated, confession is required on the Feast of Divine Mercy, only if the person has not gone to confession, since the Lenten Season began, or if the person, is in a state of mortal sin.

Jesus also wanted an image painted of Himself, and to have it publicly venerated. Within the image, we see His wounded hands and feet. The rays of red & white come from His opened Heart. The two rays, denote blood and water. The blood recalls the sacrifice of Calvary & the mystery of the Eucharist; and the water, reminds us of Baptism. It is through His wounds, we receive Mercy and peace.

Today, when we receive Holy Communion, may all of us have the intention of receiving the complete forgiveness of our sins, and all punishment, and Jesus will say to us, "Peace be with You!"

And in these coming days, before the election of a new Pope, may we pray intensely, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to give us another Pope, who can follow in the footsteps of John Paul II, the Great, an apostle of mercy, and an apostle of life! (PAUSE)

Although the Church is now without a shepherd, if Pope John Paul II, could stand before us, perhaps he would say, what he said, at the beginning of his papacy, “Be not be afraid!”

And we would say to him, Holy Father, Pope John Paul, we send you a message of thanks. Thank you for all you have, done for the Church, and the world. Thank you for proclaiming the culture of life, within a culture of death. You gave us Christ’s light and love, in a world of darkness, sin and evil. In a world of despair, you were a witness to hope. We thank you Holy Father for this Feast of Divine Mercy. O Blessed Pope, loved by all of humanity, we cry out in one voice: John Paul TWO, we Love You! John Paul TWO, we Love You! John Paul TWO, we love You!

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