Second
Sunday of Easter
DIVINE
MERCY SUNDAY-ST. STANISLAUS
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples
were, for FEAR of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said
to them, “Peace be with you.”
Life
begins at the end of our comfort zone. Do you live in fear of failure or are
you locking the doors of your heart to new opportunities? When you let in the
spirit of Christ you open yourself to empowerment.
The Law
of Empowerment[1]
The
job of leadership is to lead with the intent to work yourself out of a job. Imagine what would happen if our politicos
did this! This is what Jesus did. After Christ gave His Peace to the
apostles, he breathed on them to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and thus
empowered them to live the supernatural life. We in turn by the power of the
successors of the apostles are heirs to this. Christ wants us to be change
agents to bring about the Kingdom. How can we begin? What steps can we take to
mentor and empower others?
1.
Pray
for conviction and vision.
2.
Select
a person or group from your sphere of influence to mentor.
3.
Meet
and discuss expectations and goals.
4.
Cast
a vision to them for spiritual reproduction.
5.
Ask
for commitment.
6.
Determine
what tools or resources you will use together.
7.
Prepare
yourself and set goals for each meeting.
8.
Meet
regularly for a set time.
9.
Discuss
and apply the truths you learn together.
10. Invest yourself in the person, the
process, and the purpose.
11. Help them find a potential person
to mentor.
12. Evaluate and launch them to try the
process themselves.
ON KEEPING THE LORDS DAY HOLY[2]
CHAPTER II
DIES CHRISTI
The Day of the Risen Lord
and of the Gift
of the Holy Spirit
Growing distinction from the
Sabbath
23. It was this newness which the catechesis
of the first centuries stressed as it sought to show the prominence of Sunday
relative to the Jewish Sabbath. It was on the Sabbath that the Jewish people
had to gather in the synagogue and to rest in the way prescribed by the Law.
The Apostles, and in particular Saint Paul, continued initially to attend the
synagogue so that there they might proclaim Jesus Christ, commenting upon
"the words of the prophets which are read every Sabbath" (Acts
13:27). Some communities observed the Sabbath while also celebrating Sunday.
Soon, however, the two days began to be distinguished ever more clearly, in
reaction chiefly to the insistence of those Christians whose origins in Judaism
made them inclined to maintain the obligation of the old Law. Saint Ignatius of
Antioch writes: "If those who were living in the former state of things
have come to a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath but keeping the Lord's
Day, the day on which our life has appeared through him and his death ..., that
mystery from which we have received our faith and in which we persevere in
order to be judged disciples of Christ, our only Master, how could we then live
without him, given that the prophets too, as his disciples in the Spirit,
awaited him as master?". Saint Augustine notes in turn: "Therefore
the Lord too has placed his seal on his day, which is the third after the
Passion. In the weekly cycle, however, it is the eighth day after the seventh,
that is after the Sabbath, and the first day of the week". The distinction
of Sunday from the Jewish Sabbath grew ever stronger in the mind of the Church,
even though there have been times in history when, because the obligation of
Sunday rest was so emphasized, the Lord's Day tended to become more like the
Sabbath. Moreover, there have always been groups within Christianity which
observe both the Sabbath and Sunday as "two brother days".
Second Sunday after Easter[3]
Called
Dominica in Albis, or Low Sunday.
WHY is this Sunday called Dominica in Albis, (White Sunday)? Because,
in the earlier times, those who had been baptized on Holy Saturday on this day
laid aside the white garments which they had then received, and put on their
necks an, “Agnus Dei” made of white wax, and blessed by the Pope, to remind
them continually that they were bound to preserve that innocence unstained. The
Church therefore sings, at the Introit of the Mass, as new-born babes,
alleluia, desire the rational milk without guile, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
(1 Pet. ii. 2). Rejoice to God our helper; sing aloud to the God of Jacob. Ps.
Ixxx. 1).
Prayer. Grant,
we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who have performed the paschal
solemnities, may, by Thy grace, preserve them in our life and conduct.
EPISTLE,
i. John v. 4-10.
Dearly Beloved: Whatsoever is born of God overcometh
the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith. Who
is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of
God?
This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus
Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit which
testifieth, that Christ is the truth. And there are three Who give testimony in
heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. And
there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and
the blood, and these three are one. If we receive the testimony of men, the
testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony of God, which is
greater, because He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth in the Son of
God, hath the testimony of God in himself.
Explanation.
By loving faith in Jesus as the Son of God, we can surely overcome the
world, because that faith shows us in God, our Father; in the world to come,
our true country; in Jesus, our example; teaching us to love God above all
things, to disregard the world, and worldly goods, and to strive for the
eternal. That Jesus is the Son of God, St. John shows:
1. By the threefold testimony on earth, of the water
at the baptism in Jordan, of the blood at the death on the cross, of the spirit
in the miraculous effects wrought in those that believed.
2. By the threefold testimony from heaven of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Aspiration.
O Jesus, I believe in Thee, as the Son of the living God! Grant that
through this faith I may victoriously combat the flesh, the world, the devil,
and every inclination to evil, and obtain everlasting life.
GOSPEL.
John xx. 19-31.
At
that time: When it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors
were shut, where the disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. And when
He had said this, He showed them His hands, and His side. The disciples therefore
were glad, when they saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again: Peace be to
you. As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you. When He had said this, He
breathed on them; and He said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins
you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain,
they are retained. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was
not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him: We
have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in His hands the
print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my
hand into His side, I will not believe. And after eight days again His
disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being
shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you. Then He saith to
Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see My hands; and bring hither thy hand,
and put it into My side: and be not faithless but believing. Thomas answered,
and said to Him: My Lord and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen
Me, Thomas, thou hast believed: Blessed are they that have not seen, and have
believed. Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of His 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.
Why does
Jesus so often say, Peace be to you? To signify that He had restored peace between God
and man; to show how men might know His disciples; and how necessary to
salvation the preservation of peace is.
Why did
God permit Thomas to disbelieve the appearance of Christ to the other
disciples? That we might thereby be strengthened in faith, for
as Christ took away all doubt from Thomas, by appearing again, the resurrection
of Christ by that means becomes, as St. Gregory says, so much the more credible
and certain.
What is
it to believe in God? To receive as immovably certain what God has
revealed to us, although we cannot understand it.
What must
we, therefore, believe? All that God has revealed.
Why must
we believe all this? Because God, the infallible truth, has revealed it.
This belief is as necessary to salvation as it is reasonable in itself.
How can
we certainly know what God has or has not revealed, and which this one true
faith is? Through His Church, which is guided by the Holy
Ghost to all truth, and in which Jesus Christ dwells till the end of time.
How can
we know the Church of Christ? By this, that, like the truth, she is one, holy,
apostolic, and catholic.
Which is
this true Church of Christ? The Roman Catholic, since she alone possesses the
abovementioned marks of the true Church. She alone has preserved unity in faith
and in the holy sacraments, and is subordinate to one visible head, the Pope.
She alone can trace her derivation from the apostles to the present day, and
can demonstrate this origin as well by her doctrine, as by the succession of
her popes and bishops. She alone has all the means of salvation, and she alone
has produced saints. Finally, she alone embraces all ages, and shines, as St.
Augustine says, from one end of the world to the other, in the splendor of one
and the same faith, inviting all to her bosom, to bring them to Jesus.
What
answer should a Catholic make to objections against the Mass, purgatory, and
such like? He should say, I believe these and the like
matters of faith, because God, Who is Truth, has revealed them: I believe that
He has thus revealed them, because the Roman Catholic Church, which teaches
them to me, has all the marks of the true Church of Christ, guided by God, and
cannot therefore deceive me.
Is it sufficient for salvation to have the true faith, and to belong to
the true Church? No; we must live according to that faith, that is,
we must observe what it commands, avoid what it forbids, and often,
particularly in temptation, make an act of faith.
Divine Mercy Sunday[4]
Reflect what it took to
make Christ the gentle shepherd of our souls: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone
who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
Come to the Feast of Divine Mercy! Calling all Catholics, come to the
Feast of Mercy on the Sunday after Easter. Did you know that the Lord said that
this feast would one day be the “last hope of salvation”? Have you considered
what would happen to you if you suddenly died in the state of mortal sin? Did
you know that in the 1930’s Our Lord Jesus, Himself requested through St.
Faustina that a very special Feast of Divine Mercy be established in His Church
and solemnly celebrated on the First Sunday after Easter every year?
In
the Jubilee Year 2000, after many years of study, Saint Pope John Paul II
fulfilled the will of Christ by establishing this special Feast of Divine Mercy
in the Catholic Church and gave it the name of Divine Mercy Sunday! By God’s
Providence, Saint John Paul II died on this feast in 2005. What is so special
about this new Feast of Divine Mercy you might be asking yourself?
It
is the promise of the total forgiveness of all sins and punishment for any soul
that would go to Confession and then receive Jesus in Holy Communion on that
very special Feast of Divine Mercy! Why would Jesus offer us something so great
at this time?
Jesus
told St. Faustina that she was to prepare the world for His Second Coming and
that He would be pouring out His Mercy in very great abundance before He comes
again as the Just Judge and as the very last hope of salvation. If you have
been away from the practice of your Catholic faith, and if you would like to
come back into the, one, true Catholic Church, then this is the most perfect
opportunity for you, if you are prepared to repent and turn from sin. Many
former fallen-away Catholics have taken advantage of this great Feast of Mercy
to get a brand-new start in life and to be totally prepared to stand before the
Lord.
If you have been away from the
Catholic faith and
if you have any questions about coming back home, then come in and talk to a
priest at any Catholic Church. The beauty of the Catholic Church is that its
teachings and practices are the same at all the parishes. You may have
concerns, such as: marriage outside of the Church; un-confessed abortions; or
other issues that could be preventing you from receiving Holy Communion or you
may have questions about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Don’t remain in
doubt. Call your local parish office to find out the necessary steps to come
back to the Catholic faith. Don’t consider yourself as without hope. Our Lord
Jesus wants to pardon completely even the worst sinners possible. Remember,
Jesus has come for sinners, not the righteous. Jesus said that even if our sins
were as numerous as the grains of sand, they would be lost in His Ocean of
Mercy. If you are truly repentant of your sins and are well prepared to confess
your sins in the Sacrament of Confession, you’ll experience a tremendous peace.
You’ll experience a great weight lifted from you and get a brand-new start in
life! Once you have confessed your sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation,
then you must continue to practice your faith as a good Catholic. This involves
attending Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation, supporting your
local parish, and confessing your serious sins at least once a year. In
Confession, you must be truly sorry for your sins and you must intend to
continue to practice your faith.
Jesus
is in the Confessional
One
of the most reassuring things Our Lord Jesus revealed to us through Saint
Faustina includes the several times when He indicated to her that He is really
there in the Confessional when we are making our individual Confessions to the
priests. Jesus said that every time we enter the Confessional, that He Himself
is there waiting for us, and that He is only hidden by the priest. Jesus said
never to analyze what sort of a priest that He is making use of, but for us to
reveal our souls to Him and that He will fill us with His peace and light. Some
have wondered why Jesus would want us to confess our sins to a priest, but the
answer is in the very first instruction that Jesus gave to His Apostles
directly after His Resurrection from the dead. On the evening of the
Resurrection, Jesus walked through the door of the Upper Room where the
Apostles were hiding and said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit, what sins you
forgive are forgiven them, what sins you retain are retained”. This was the
start of Confessions. For sure, that command was not only for the Apostles to
be able to forgive sins, and then to be forgotten, but for that power to be
passed on to all the ordained priests of today in the Catholic Church. Jesus
said that the greater the sinner, the greater the right they have to His mercy!
Don’t continue to carry your sins, Jesus forgives!
To properly celebrate the Feast of
Divine Mercy and
to receive the forgiveness of all sins and punishment, you must go to
Confession to a Catholic priest within 20 days before or after Divine Mercy
Sunday. Or if you are in the state of very serious or mortal sin, you must
always confess them before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, or you will also
commit a sacrilege, which is also a very serious sin. If you haven’t been going
to Sunday Mass without any good reason, you may be in a state of serious sin
and you must confess before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. For more
information about the Feast of Divine Mercy and a Confession Guide, go to: http://www.DivineMercySunday.com or call 772-873-4581.
Jesus to Sr. Faustina[5]
On
one occasion, I heard these words: "My daughter, tell the whole world
about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and
shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very
depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon
those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to
Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins
and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow
are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as
scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be
able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come
forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation
to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of
Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be
solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have
peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.
"From all My wounds,
like from streams, mercy flows for souls, but the wound in My Heart is the
fountain of unfathomable mercy. From this fountain spring all graces for souls.
The flames of compassion burn Me. I desire greatly to pour them out upon souls.
Speak to the whole world about My mercy."
Excerpted
from Diary of Sr. M. Faustina Kowalska.
Things to
Do:
- Read
the Apostolic
Penitentiary Decree on the Indulgences attached to devotions in honor of
Divine Mercy
- Read
Dives
in misericordia, the encyclical Letter of John Paul II on Mercy.
STOP
and PRAY[6]
At
3:00 o'clock we can pray:
In His revelations to
Blessed Faustina, Jesus asked for special, daily remembrance at three o'clock,
the very hour He died for us on the cross:
DIRECTIONS
"At three o'clock,
implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and if only for a brief moment,
immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of
agony: This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to
enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul
that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion." (Diary, 1320).
At 3:00 o'clock we can
pray:
You
expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and the ocean of
mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fountain of Life, unfathomable Divine
Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (Diary, 1319).
O
Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of
mercy for us, I trust in You. (Diary, 84
St. Stanislaus[7]
I shall
content myself with relating the history of St. Stanislaus, Bishop of Cracow,
Poland, who restored to life a man who had been dead for three years, attended
by such singular circumstances, and in so public a manner, that the thing is
beyond the severest criticism.... This incident was known by countless persons
and by all the court of King Boleslaus II (reigned 1058-1080) St. Stanislaus,
bought from a man named Piotr [Peter] an estate situated on the banks of the
Vistula in the territory of Lublin for the use of his church at Cracow. The
Prelate gave the full price of it to the seller. This was done in the presence
of witnesses, and with the solemnities required in that country, but without
written deeds, for written accounts of transactions of this kind were seldom
made in Poland at that time. They contented themselves with having witnesses.
Stanislaus took possession of this estate, and his church enjoyed it peaceably
for about three years. In the interim, Piotr, who had sold it, happened to die.
The King of Poland, Boleslaus, had conceived an implacable hatred against the
holy Bishop because he had frequently reproved him for his excesses. Therefore,
seeking to cause him trouble, the King excited the three sons of Piotr, his
heirs, against their father and told them to claim the estate which their
father had sold, on the pretense that it had not been paid for. He promised to
support their demand, and to cause the estate to be restored to them. Thus,
these three men had the Bishop cited to appear before the King, who was then at
Solec, occupied in rendering justice under some tents in the country, according
to the ancient custom of the land, in the general assembly of the nation. The
Bishop was cited before the King and maintained that he had bought and paid for
the estate in question. The day was beginning to close, and the Bishop ran
great risk of being condemned by the King and his counselors. Suddenly, as if
inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Bishop promised the King to bring before him
in three days Piotr, the deceased man who had sold it to him. The condition was
accepted mockingly, as a thing impossible to be executed. The holy Bishop
retired to his Church a distance away, where
he prayed and fasted with his household for three days. On the third day,
he went in his pontifical robes, accompanied by his clergy and a multitude of
people, ordered the gravestone to be raised, and made them dig until they found
the corpse of the defunct, all fleshless and corrupted. Then St. Stanislaus
commanded him to come forth and bear witness to the truth before the King's
tribunal. The Bishop touched the bones with his crosier, and they filled out
with flesh. The dead Piotr rose; they covered him with a cloak. The Saint took
him by the hand and led him alive to the feet of the King. No one had the
boldness to interrogate him. But Piotr himself spoke out freely and declared
that he had in good faith sold the estate to the Prelate and that he had
received the value of it. After stating this, he severely reprimanded his sons,
who had so maliciously accused the holy Bishop. Stanislaus asked Piotr if he
wished to remain alive to do penance. Piotr thanked him and said he would not
expose himself anew to the danger of sinning. Stanislaus re-conducted him to
his tomb, where he again fell asleep in the Lord. It may be supposed that such
a scene had numerous witnesses, and that all Poland was quickly informed of it.
The King was only the more irritated against the Saint. Sometime after [on May
8, 1079], he killed the Bishop with his own hands as he was coming from the
altar in Wawel Castle outside the walls of Cracow. He then ordered that the
Prelate’s body be hacked into 72 pieces so that they might never be collected
together to be paid the honor due to them as the body of a martyr for the truth
and for pastoral liberty. St. Stanislaus was canonized in 1253 by Pope Innocent
IV. He is the patron of Poland and of the city and Diocese of Cracow and is
invoked in battle.
Things to Do:[8]
·
Sometimes evil has to be confronted boldly, whatever
the consequences. Brave men like St. Stanislaus of Cracow risked death in
facing evil. There is little chance today that we will ever be in that danger,
but we must always be willing to defend the truth, and it should be very clear,
in the face of genuine evil, where we stand. Christ our Lord can expect no less
from us. Say an extra prayer today for the gift of fortitude.
·
Learn a little more about the city of Kracow where both St.
Stanislaus and Pope John Paul II came from.
·
For those who are extremely interested in
knowing more about Polish history this online book, Polish
Americans and Their Communities of Cleveland may prove to be a good
source of information.
·
The final work of Franz Liszt is the unfinished
oratorio St. Stanislaus, for which he left two scenes (one and four) and two
polonaises. Learn more about this oratorio here
and if you are able find a copy and listen.
Novena for the Poor
Souls[9]
O Mother most
merciful, pray for the souls in Purgatory!
PRAYER OF ST.
GERTRUDE THE GREAT O Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of
Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world
today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory and for sinners everywhere— for
sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and for those within
my family. Amen.
PRAYER FOR THE
DYING O Most Merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy
most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother, to wash in
Thy Most Precious Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their
agony and who will die today. Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the
dying! Amen.
ON EVERY DAY OF
THE NOVENA V. O Lord, hear my prayer; R. And let my cry come unto Thee. O God,
the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy
servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout
supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired, Who livest
and reignest world without end. Amen.
SUNDAY O Lord
God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus
shed in the Garden, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that one
which is the most forsaken of all, and bring it into Thy glory, where it may
praise and bless Thee forever. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.
Daily Devotions
·
Today in honor of the
Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no
shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
·
Total Consecration
to St. Joseph Day 13
·
Manhood of
the Master-week 8 day 5
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
·
Rosary
[1] John Maxwell, The Maxwell
Leadership Bible.
[3]Goffine’s
Devout Instructions, 1896
[4]http://www.divinemercysunday.com/pdf/2016_Divine_Mercy_Sunday_Ad.pdf
[6]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1055
[8]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-04-11
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