15 April 2012

Feast of The Divine Mercy
(First Sunday after Easter [Low Sun], which is now designated in
the Church’s liturgical books as the Second Sunday of Easter.)

“I shall sing forever the Lord’s mercy.” (Ps 89 [88]) This Sunday is popularly known as Mercy of God Sunday. Between 1930 and 1938 Christ appeared to Sister Faustina, a Sister of Mercy in Poland who initiated the Divine Mercy devotion. She was canonized on April 30, 2000, the Sunday after Easter, the Feast of Divine Mercy. On Good Friday, 1937, Jesus requested that Blessed Faustina make a special novena before the Feast of Mercy, from Good Friday through the following Saturday. Jesus also asked that a picture be painted according to the vision of Himself as the fountain of mercy. He gave her a chaplet to be recited and said that it was appropriate to pray the chaplet at three o’clock each afternoon (the Hour of Great Mercy).

The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy
(for private recitation on ordinary rosary beads)
Begin with: “Our Father ...”, “Hail, Mary ...”, “I believe in God ... “
On the “Our Father” beads: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
On the “Hail, Mary” beads: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Conclude with: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world. (3x) Amen.
Ref: CatholicCulture.org: Pray. Think. Act.

The holy women at the sepulchre
The burial had been rushed because of the Jewish Sabbath, which began at sunset, Friday. The three Marys -- Magdalene, the mother of James the younger and Joseph, the mother of James -- and Salome, hurried to the tomb on the first day of the week, that they might embalm the body of Jesus. (cf Mk 15:40; 16:1)
Who cannot help but admire the fervor and courage of these holy women who left the town alone while still dark? They climbed the hill of Calvary, and went straight to the tomb despite the soldiers guarding it. Their love made them so fervent and courageous.
If we loved as they did, what would we pursue for the glory of God and the salvation of souls! How perfectly and perseveringly we would perform our spiritual duties! What progress we would make! For love makes all things easy, and never thinks it has done enough.
The stone the chief priests and Pharisees had placed at the tomb and sealed, must surely be an impossible obstacle to the pious plans of these women. They asked each other, “Who shall roll back for us the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” (Mk 16:3) Occupied only with the sole idea of paying last duties to their beloved Master, they went on.
We might meet with apparently insurmountable difficulties in execution of commands, in pious tasks, or in practice of good resolutions. We must not get discouraged; but imitate these holy women and go on with a blind confidence, doing what we can, persuaded that God will supply the rest, if it is necessary for his glory or the good of his creatures.
“... they saw the stone rolled back, for it was very large.” (Mk 16:4) God worked a miracle, an earthquake, for these women who showed such persevering, ardent love. The soldiers, struck with terror, “became as dead men” (Mt 28:4).
Thus does God often come to aid those who trust in him, against all the laws of human wisdom, as St Paul says of Abraham, ‘who against hope believed in hope’. Indeed ordinary means must not be neglected; but confidence in the goodness and power of God should rise above, and often silence human wisdom.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp200-202

... into the whole world
Our Lord’s Resurrection is a call to apostolate. Each of his appearances ends with an apostolic command. To Mary Magdalene, Jesus says: Go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and to your Father (Jn 20:17); and to the other women, Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee and that they shall see me there (Mt 28:10).
The disciples of Emmaus reported that same night that Jesus is alive. (cf Lk 24:35) Afterwards he appeared to the eleven as they sat at table ... he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation’ (cf Mk 16:14-5). The Apostles began to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins ... (cf Lk 24:44-7)
What they preach and testify to, are not mere speculations but salvific facts they have personally witnessed. The death of Judas brought the need to complete the number of twelve apostles. One condition is the candidate must be a witness to the Resurrection. (cf Acts 1:21-2)
The Christian vocation is by its very nature a vocation to the apostolate, (Second Vatican Council, Apostolicam actuositatem, 2) and all the faithful, from the Pope to the child who has just been baptized, share one and the same vocation, the same faith, the same Spirit, the same grace ... They all have an active and appropriate share in the single mission of Christ and of the Church. (cf A Del Portillo, Faithful and Laity in the Church
We cannot be prevented from exercising the right in fulfilling this duty. Nor can we remain silent. So much ignorance is around; error, too. Numerous people go through life lost and confused because they don’t know Christ. We must communicate daily to all, the doctrine and the faith.
No one after lighting a lamp puts it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all ... Let your light shine before men, so they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father in heaven. (cf Mt 5:15-6) At the end of his time on earth, Christ commanded: go out and teach. He wants his light to shine in the words and behaviour of his disciples, and in yours, too. (St Josemaria Escrivá, Furrow, 930)
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, In Conversation with God, 2:329-31

The Resurrection Shows the Mission of Christians
Jesus came and stood before them. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said ... ‘As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ The Apostles were sent out with the same mission with which Christ was sent to earth by the Father -- to all the world, to announce the Gospel of peace. Only they? The Second Vatican Council teaches that the whole People of God is called to participate in Christ’s mission: of Christ, Priest, Prophet, and King.
He breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. Have you received the Holy Spirit? Have you ‘accepted’ him? Do you know well what receiving and accepting the Spirit means? Remember particularly the Sacraments of Baptism, of Confirmation, of Penance, of the Eucharist, in which the gift of the Spirit is conferred or increased.
Remember again, the Spirit is a gift -- prayer is always necessary for obtaining it. With prayer, too, we dispose ourselves to accepting it properly. The Spirit is actually given to us for active sharing in the Resurrection of Christ.
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is ... (Col 3:1). At the very center of this mission is found the new man open to the Father who lives in the fulness of his humanity only when he is capable of surpassing himself with the power of truth and love.
Ref: Cf Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II, pp167-8

• In the year 1011, the Blessed Virgin gave the white habit to the blessed Alberic instead of the black which he wore. — See his Life. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady gave Blessed Alberic the white habit. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Kieff. Russia. 1010. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Kiev (Ukraine). (http://mariedenazareth.com)