The Mercy of Jesus
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April 14, 2020The Message of Easter
St. Peter proclaimed the Gospel message, the message of Easter, when he said to the crowd on the day of Pentecost: "Let everyone know for certain God has made him both Lord and the Anointed One, this Jesus whom you crucified!" (Acts 2).
I Crucified Him
Each one of us has to hear these words from St. Peter as they are spoken directly to us: This Jesus whom you crucified. I crucified Jesus. I drove the nails through his hands and feet. It was my sins that he bore. My offenses he carried.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism states that we are more culpable for the crucifixion of Jesus than the Jewish chief priests and Roman soldiers, who crucified him out of ignorance. Because we know who Jesus is, and yet how many times have we turned away from him to our own ways? How many times have we willfully chosen what we know is wrong? How many times have we been indifferent to the offenses we've committed against Him?
Our Response to Easter
St. Peter tells us what we need to do. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus, for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the Holy Spirit." Each one of us needs the Lord to reveal to us the pain we caused our Savior, the wounds our sins have caused him. But we have hope that Jesus has opened for us the Fountain of Mercy. He calls us to turn away from our sins, to say 'no more!' to them, with a firm purpose to amend our lives. That's what repentance is, a turning away from sin and turning back to God.
Baptism
St. Peter says we need to repent and be baptized. Baptism is the means by which we our immersed in the Fountain of Mercy flowing from Jesus' side. If you're already baptized, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a second baptism, repeated as often as we come, to receive forgiviness of our sins and another outpouring of the Holy Spirit to empower us to live a new life of holiness and good habits of virtue.
My Father and Your Father
In today's Gospel from St. John, Jesus tells Mary Magdalen he's returning to 'My Father and your Father." Jesus came to open for us the way back to the Father. Through his crucified wounds, Jesus shows us how even our sins won't keep us away from his presence and love, if only we turn away from them, confess them, and receive his forgiveness and power in the Sacraments. It's the way we come back to the Father.
Confession this Saturday
This Saturday, April 18th, I will be in the parking lot at St. Joseph Parish from 11:00am until 2:00pm to celebrate with you the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Don't wait any longer! Pull up in your car and roll down the window if you're alone, or park and walk up to me one at a time. Jesus thirsts to pour out his mercy into your soul, and bring you back to his Father and your Father.
Prayers
Please pray for Bernice Enderle, a parishioner at St. Joseph Parish. I anointed her today and she has only some few days left with us in this world. Thank you!
Father Ryan
