Apr 23 – Homily – Fr Jacinto: To Live Divine Mercy, FINCH and ABC

 

In the Gospel reading, we see two appearances of Jesus to the disciples, first without Thomas, who doubted when he was told that Jesus was risen, and then while Thomas was there, whose profession of faith strengthens our own. The readings as a whole show us that Jesus meets us where we are at, but takes us from there and invites us to share His life and mission. Divine Mercy is a theme of the Old Testament, but personalized in Jesus and is at the heart of the Gospel.
Pope Benedict XVI tells us that Divine Mercy is not secondary devotion, but integral part of belief and prayer. To help us incorporate it better into our own lives, Father gives us two ways to remember and live the message of Divine Mercy in our lives:
FINCH: Feast, Image, Novena, Chaplet, Hour:
Feast of Divine Mercy: On the Sunday after Easter the depths of mercy are opened, and those who go to confession and receive communion are promised complete forgiveness of sin and punishment due to sin, a "Clean Slate Grace."
Image of Divine Mercy: This image is vessel of Divine Mercy through which Jesus blesses us with His mercy when we venerate it.
Novena of Divine Mercy: During this novena, we ask Him to grant every possible grace on every possible group of souls.
Chaplet of Divine Mercy: Say it unceasingly. Through it God promises great graces of mercy, especially at death, even a hardened sinner would receive great graces through praying this chaplet.
Hour of Mercy: This is 3pm, when Jesus surrendered up His soul on the cross. Jesus will refuse nothing to the soul who makes a request in the name of His Passion at this time. A good prayer for this time is the one starting: O blood and water....
ABC of Divine Mercy:
Ask for mercy,
Be merciful: deeds works prayers, and have
Complete confidence in God's mercy.
Divine Mercy message is last hope of mankind, peace will only come from the heart of Jesus and peace will not come until the world turns to the Divine Mercy.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Divine Mercy Sunday - Solemnity
Readings: 
1st: act 2:42-47
Resp: psa 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
2nd: 1pe 1:3-9
Gsp: joh 20:19-31