THE DAYS OF DIVINE MERCY

                Easter is the Church’s holiest day of the year. Lilies grace the sanctuary of the church with other spring flowers, jelly beans and other candies have been given and received, and symbols like the egg and bunny remind us of new birth. Around us our world will soon be waking up to spring time. After twenty centuries, we still boldly announce to the world: Christ Lives!

                Liturgically, the “eight days” begin at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday and continue through the Octave of Easter. Every day is another Easter, to rejoice in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

                St. Augustine refers to the Octave of Easter as “days of mercy and pardon,” calling the Sunday of the Paschal Octave “the summary of the days of mercy.” After his resurrection, Jesus took great care to show his apostles the wound of his passion, especially the wound in his heart, the source from which flows the mercy poured out on humanity.

                Since 2000, the Church has designated the final day of the Octave, the Second Sunday of Easter, as the Sunday of Divine Mercy to celebrate the fact that Jesus still calls us to immerse ourselves in his mercy and love.

                As a Church we pray for God’s Divine Mercy during the Easter season that we may be made whole through the new life of the resurrection.

                May your Easter Season be filled with the fullness of new life. Happy Easter.