This past Sunday was Divine Mercy Sunday. One of my favourite Sundays of the year. It is not an official holiday or a Holy Day of Obligation, but if the world really understood what this day celebrates, it would be! I remember as a child playing a game called 'Mercy'. It's where two people clasp there hands with their fingers entwined together then when someone yells 'go', each person tries to bend back the wrist of the other person until they call 'Mercy!' When you couldn't stand the pain any longer is when you would finally yell out. Well, our souls are very similar. When they are in pain they are crying out for God's Mercy. For without it we are unable to gain eternal salvation with Him. We are sinners. Because of Adam and Eve we are born into sin. We cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven with this sin staining our souls. Because of Gods great mercy for us, He sent His only son to suffer and die on the cross so that this sin can be removed. Christ then rose from the dead to give us everlasting life! Is there any greater gift that God could have given us? Even the gift of life means nothing if after we die there is nothing more. But why did He give this to us? Why did He sacrifice His only son for us, mere sin stricken mortals? Why? Because of his bountiful mercy for us. But it is a gift we have to be willing to accept. We accept it by acknowledging our sin and asking for forgiveness. This is the beautiful part of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is through this sacrament that we receive the gift of mercy. Will we sin again? Probably, but Gods mercy is endless. He knows we are human but just asks that we admit our weakness and ask Him for the strength and desire to grow closer to Him. We pray "God have mercy on me a sinner!"
There is a picture I'm sure most of you have seen. It is a picture of a garden cottage and Jesus is standing at the door. However the symbolism of this picture is missed by many. If you look closely, you will see that there is no door knob on the door. Jesus is waiting for us to open the door to Him. Waiting for us to open our hearts to Him. Will you open the door and accept Gods mercy?
Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve,
Mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve.
