Dear Parishioners,

The Octave Sunday of Easter (that is, the Eighth Day after Easter Sunday) is the day on which we heard the Gospel of “Doubting Thomas.” More than concentrating on Thomas’ doubt, I think we are called to concentrate on his growth in faith. His doubt becomes a means for his faith to grow to the extent that he is able to exclaim, “My Lord and my God!” when he sees Jesus. It is Jesus in his great mercy who brings Thomas gently to a deeper faith. This is also part of the reason that Pope Saint John Paul declared this Divine Mercy Sunday. It flows from the revelation of Jesus to Saint Faustina of His Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy.

What is “mercy?” you ask. Well, God’s mercy comes from the heart of God (His very self) and it means that God is pure love and that love comes to us I deservedly because God is love. It’s more than just God forgiving our sins; it’s God being God for us. It’s God sharing his love, His life with us. But then, when we realize we are the recipients of that mercy what do we do? The Church has always taught that there are corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

The Corporal Works of Mercy are: To feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, bury the dead, give alms to the poor.

The Spiritual Works of Mercy are: To instruct, advise, console, comfort, forgive, bear wrongs patiently.

This traditional list helps us understand how we live out God’s mercy in our lives, in other words, once we have realized the experience of God’s mercy, how do we share that with others? We have all experienced the risen Jesus in our lives. Our challenge is to help others experience the same. During this challenging time of COVID-19, is God giving us some opportunities to do that?

Praised be Jesus Christ, risen from the dead!

Monsignor Steven Aguggia, JCL