DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY.  DIVINE MERCY MANIFESTS ITSELF ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION.  THE GOODNEWS: "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews,  Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."   When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.  Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.   Jesus said to them again,  "Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."  And when he had said this,  he breathed on them, and said to them,  "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him,  "We have seen the Lord."  But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."  Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them.  The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said,  "Peace be with you."  Then he said to Thomas,  "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side;  do not be faithless, but believing."   Thomas answered him,  "My Lord and my God!"  Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;  but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.”  (John 20: 19 - 31). Sunday April 12th, 2nd Sunday of Easter. Sunday of Divine Mercy.  The universal Church celebrates today the Solemnity of Divine Mercy. (Always 2nd Sunday of Easter).   Jesus is the Face of Mercy of Abba Father.   Mercy is the name and essence of God the Father revealed to us through His Only Son, Jesus the Christ.  The open Heart of Jesus is the symbol and seat of Mercy.   Mercy is promised to all. To demonstrate that the powerful gift and message of Mercy that Jesus shared in His public ministry will remain in the Church after His Ascension, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation and gave His Apostles and their successors the power to forgive sins.  To prepare ourselves to receive and retain Mercy, the ABC OF MERCY is very useful.   It is called  ABC because, it is an acronym that can be remembered easily and secondly it is as simple as ABC. A:  Ask for Mercy. B:  Be Merciful. C:  Completely Trust Jesus for Mercy. God is rich in mercy and is waiting for us to turn to Him to blot out all our sins and receive us in His merciful love. Mercy, mercy. Nothing but mercy! "Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by."  (Psalm 57: 1) "Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself." (The Diary of St Maria Faustina, #950). To learn how to recite the Divine Mercy Rosary, click the link below: http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2020/10/how-to-recite-divine-mercy-rosary.html?m=1 The Church learns more and honors the HOLY EUCHARIST in APRIL.  Here are a couple of Quotes by Saints on the Holy Eucharist.   St. MaximilianKolbe:  "If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion."  St. Padre Pio:  "A thousand years of enjoying human glory is not worth even an hour spent sweetly communing with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament." For Teachings, Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link: http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-holy-eucharist_31.html?m=1 To select Daily Bible Verse for another day please use Daily Reading section [Select date] option