Excerpt from St. Faustina's Diary
"I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon the souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet..."
Divine Mercy Sunday Readings: Acts, Revelation, John
Reflection:
Throughout history, no one doubted that Jesus was human. He walked, taught, ate, and suffered like any of us. But the real question is this: was He also divine? That’s the heart of the debate. Many who claim to be God are frauds or delusional. Some argue that Jesus was just a wise teacher, not God. Culture often echoes this idea, because if Jesus truly is God, then we must obey Him, we can’t simply pick and choose what we like.
So, why believe in His divinity? In a sense, the answer is simple: the Resurrection. Jesus was truly dead and buried for three days. Rising from the dead is something only God could do. Even the skeptical Thomas, upon seeing the risen Christ, exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”
While Jesus was compassionate, ultimately his miracles were meant to establish his identity as God. For example, when healed the paralytic, He first said, “Your sins are forgiven.” This prompted the scribes to ask, “Who but God can forgive sins?” They were correct, and Jesus confirmed his identity as God by then healing the man.
Before ascending, Jesus entrusted this authority to forgive sins to His Church. In John 20, He breathed on His apostles and gave them the power to forgive sins in his name. This is the foundation of confession: Jesus working through His Church. On Divine Mercy Sunday, we are reminded: sin wounds us deeply, but God’s mercy restores. Through repentance and confession, we encounter his healing power to save us from sin and death. It was for this, that God came to us in Jesus Christ.
Reflection Questions
- If Jesus truly is both God and man, how does that change the way I respond to His teachings and commands in my daily life?
- Do I truly believe in the power of confession to encounter God’s mercy, or do I hold back out of fear, pride, or misunderstanding?
- How can I live out the mercy I have received from God by being more merciful and forgiving toward others in my life?