Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Today concludes the Easter Octave, an eight day celebration, since expressing the joy of the amazing gift of Christ conquering sin and death by His death and resurrection cannot be confined to just one day. While the intensity of these first eight days will fade some, the Easter Season concludes on Pentecost Sunday, which this year is May 18th.
Today is the Second Sunday of Easter. It is also Divine Mercy Sunday.
In the ancient Church, today was called Dominica in albis — “Sunday in white” — because it was the day that the newly baptized, who had been vested in white robes at their Baptism during the Easter Vigil, took them off. In that ancient Church, the eight days were also a period of intense catechesis, when the newly initiated had all the “sacred things” — the sacraments — explained to them.
Today is also “Divine Mercy Sunday,” designated by St. Pope John Paul II, based on the private revelations of St. Faustina Kowalska who, in her Diary (no. 49), records that Christ had expressed his desire for a “Feast of Mercy”. In a decree dated 23 May 2000, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that “throughout the world the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday. This Second Sunday of Easter calls us to bring the joy of the Resurrection to others and to keep our lives focused on Christ. The following creed captures the intent of this Second Sunday of Easter.
Creed of Discipleship and Christian Ministry
We believe that we, members of the Body of Christ, are sent to all nations to proclaim the Gospel.
We believe that we must be the salt of the earth and light of the world, summoned with special grace to save and renew life.
We believe that we who live by his Spirit and are anointed in his grace are sent to bring good news to the poor, to heal the broken hearted and the sick.
We firmly believe that the mission of the church, and therefore our mission, is fulfilled by activity which makes us present to all, so that wherever we live, we are bound to show by the example of our lives and speech, the new humanity we have put on at baptism, and the power we have from confirmation.
Prompted by that Spirit, we walk the road Christ walks—a road of obedience, service and self–sacrifice so that others who see our good works will perceive the real meaning of human life and glorify the Father forever. Amen
---Source Unknown.
May Alleluias resound in you!
Fr. Ron