Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy)
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. It was at the canonization of Sr Faustina in 2000 that Pope John Paul announced that the Sunday after Easter would be celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday. God’s mercy is always a marvelous grace to celebrate, yet particularly, during the Jubilee of Mercy. It is said that Pope Francis too has great devotion to Divine Mercy.
I would like to focus on three points:
A Shattered Heart. In his book, The Name of God is Mercy,” Pope Francis uses some striking language when talking about mercy. First, he asks the question: “What do you need in order to obtain mercy?” His answer is, “The first thing that comes to mind is the phrase, “I can’t take it anymore!” Quoting St Augustine, then, the Pope continues, “Your heart must be crushed.” He continues, “We should be displeased with ourselves when we commit sin, for sin is displeasing to God. The Church Fathers teach us that a shattered heart is the most pleasing gift to God. It is a sign that we are conscious of our sins, of the evil we have done, of our wretchedness, and of our need for forgiveness and mercy.” I agree with Pope Francis when he says we need a “shattered heart.” One of the greatest losses of our times is the loss of the sense of sin. Not only that, but we often justify our wrongs. We lie too easily, cheat to easily, and hurt too easily. We overlook sinful behaviors in us and pass them off as human frailty. Revenge is passed off as justice, fury is passed off as self-defense, uncharity is passed off as self-preservation or security, lust passed off as entertainment or even freedom of speech and expression. This stems our growth, blurs our vision and makes the world a dangerous place to live. This proves disastrous for individuals, for our relationships, for society, and the world. Pope Francis is correct when he says, “Your heart must be crushed and shattered.”
The Smallest Opening. In the same book, Pope Francis has a chapter titled, “Looking for the Smallest Opening.” In it, he tells the story from Bruce Marshall’s novel, To Every Man a Penny. Fr Gaston, is hearing the confession of a young German soldier who was about to be sentenced to death by the French partisans. The soldier confesses about his love of women and the numerous affairs he had had. The priest explains that he has to repent to obtain forgiveness and absolution. The solider answered, “How can I repent? It was something that I enjoyed, and if I had another chance, I would do it again, even now. How can I repent?” Fr. Gaston, who wants to absolve the man about to die, had a stroke of inspiration. He said to to soldier, “But are you sorry that you are not sorry?” The soldier immediately responded, “Yes I am sorry that I am not sorry.” Then Pope Francis adds, “In other words, he [the soldier] apologizes for not repenting. The door was open just a crack, allowing absolution to come in….” The scene in today’s gospel reading reinforces this message. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared the very disciples who denied him, abandoned him, doubted him, and who now had locked themselves up in fear. Jesus gift to them is , “Peace.” If we want to receive God’s mercy, we do not need much. The smallest opening will do if we are ready to receive God’s mercy.
Human Sin Versus God's Mercy. In my third point, I want to share a parable. A young girl, completely overwhelmed with life and her sins, had decided to end it all. She decided that she would go to the edge of the cliff and jump into the ocean, where no one would ever find her. As she stood at the edge of the cliff, she found herself shaking with fear. She got angrier because she said, “I am a coward! cannot even do this!” Just then a huge wave hit the cliff and she was thrown back. As they lay there frustrated, she heard a gentle voice. The voice asked her to get up. She did. And then the voice asked her to look at the drop of water on the tip of her little finger. She held her little finger up and she looked. The voice said to her, “My dear, those are your sins.” She looked at the tiny drop of water on her fingertip. It was real. Her sins were real. Then the voice said to her, “Now, look at the ocean.” She did. It was vast, limitless and endless. And the voice said to her, “… And thats my love for you.” The girl began to sob. The voice asked her to drop her tiny drop of water into the ocean. She went to the edge of the cliff, but this time, not to drop herself but her sins. She did and her sins disappeared into the might ocean of God’s mercy and love.
Today, as we celebrate the Feast of Divine mercy, let us be aware two things: first, our sinfulness; and second, the immense mercy of God, which only needs the smallest opening in us. Amen.
Fr. Satish Joseph