Invitation to Banquet
To put on a great banquet for one's friends, the first step is to send out proper invitations. The invitations must say WHY the banquet is being held, WHEN it will take place, WHO is invited, and WHAT TO EXPECT (such as cocktails on the lawn, followed by a buffet meal).
In fact, the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska is filled with invitations from our Lord Jesus Christ to celebrate with Him the great Feast of the Divine Mercy. This year, we celebrate this Feast on Sunday, April 24. In numerous passages, Jesus spelled out for her "why," "when," "who," and "what to expect" at this special banquet.
First, why did Jesus ask the Church, through St. Faustina, to institute the Feast of Mercy? As recorded in Diary entry 965, Jesus said to Faustina: Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them ... the Feast of My mercy. If they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all eternity. Secretary of My mercy, write, tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice is near.
In short, the main reason that Jesus wanted this feast to be established is that He wanted to "throw a lifeline," so to speak, to souls who are perishing, souls who are drowning in sin and despair. That lifeline is this Feast, with all the tremendous promises of graces and benefits which Jesus attached to it. As He said to St. Faustina, He wanted to make this Feast Day a special "refuge and shelter" for the "consolation" of souls.
In Diary entry 1517, Jesus said: "the Feast of My Mercy has issued forth from My very depths for the consolation of the whole world." In short, Jesus gave us this Feast as both a comfort and a lifeline for souls.
Second, "when" is this Feast to be celebrated? The answer was given directly to St. Faustina on numerous occasions. For example, in Diaryentry 299, Jesus said to her: "I desire that the First Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy." Today that Sunday is called in the Roman Missal "The Second Sunday of Easter, or Divine Mercy Sunday."
Third, in order to discover "who" is invited to this great Feast, and what kind of spiritual "banquet" our Lord wants to spread for us on that day, we need to consult Diary entry 699, in which Jesus spells out in detail the meaning of this feast day, and the comforting promises He attached to it. Jesus said to St. Faustina: 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 grace 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 these words of our Lord, it should be clear who is invited to the Feast of Mercy. He states clearly: "I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls" - that is, for all penitent souls without exception - but "especially" for "poor sinners." So, the special guests at the Feast of Mercy - the guests who will receive the most attention - are poor sinners, those who are most in need of His mercy.
This means, of course, that this banquet is spread especially for poor sinners who know in truth that they are poor sinners. It is only repentant sinners who will be able to receive all the graces offered by Jesus on this special day. That is why Jesus asks us to prepare for this feast day by making a good confession. Just as in Christ's parable of the Pharisee and the Publican it was the publican who went away from his prayers "justified," for he had come before the Lord with nothing but a simple cry from his heart for mercy: "Lord have mercy on me, a sinner!" (Lk 18:9-14).
The Feast of Mercy is especially for souls like that, souls open to receive Christ's forgiveness and grace because they know that they need it so badly. This Feast is for the lost, that they might be found, and for those struggling to grow in faith, hope, and love, that they might be refreshed and strengthened. On the other hand, those who believe that they have no need of divine mercy will not be able to receive mercy on that day. They are like the Pharisee in the parable: God cannot fill them with His grace because they are already full of themselves!
Then what are the graces and benefits that our Lord wants to spread out before us on Mercy Sunday? Again, Jesus said to St. Faustina (Diary, 699):
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 are open all the divine floodgates through which graces flow.
What Jesus is offering to us here is a complete renewal of baptismal grace, a complete cleansing of the soul and washing it clean, renewing within us all the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit that we received at our baptism.
Thanks be to God for inviting us to this great banquet of Mercy on Divine Mercy Sunday
Until tomorrow
fr. george