The Oxford dictionary defines mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.
Divine Mercy Sunday gives us such mercy. May we all participate and benefit from it.
On this day you may be granted a plenary indulgence if you go to confession 8 days before or 8 days after Divine Mercy Sunday, receive Holy Communion on the day, pray for the pope's intentions, take part in the prayers held in honor of Divine Mercy in a church or recite one Our Father, the Creed and devout prayer to the merciful Jesus in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
A plenary indulgence is the remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. After His Resurrection, Jesus wants to pour out His mercy.
The Cross of Jesus is the Ultimate Mercy.
In preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday, we have been praying the Divine Mercy Novena. Enclosed is the Novena which can be said daily and includes the works of mercy.
We in turn ask to be able to deliver mercy to others. We do this by way of the corporal and spiritual acts of mercy. We are asked to exercise the three degrees of mercy. (1) Carry out the work of mercies-corporal and spiritual, (2) Speak words of misery. (3) Pray.
We especially can experience God's mercy when He makes our hearts free from anger or vengeance, heals our minds from wanting to blame or pay back wrongs done us, gives us the ability to reconcile our bad situations, sarcasms or inappropriate responses to others. He opens our hearts to accept and carry our burdens.
We are asked by God to "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature." PAPA invites all to take advantage of God's extreme mercy.
"I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me."
