Divine Mercy Sunday

Today, the Second Sunday in the Octave of Easter, is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. But what is the Divine Mercy?

In short, it’s a scandal, perhaps best summed up by Christ’s teaching of the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).

We are sinners and turn away from God, but God in His great mercy pours his love and His grace upon us anyway. Oh, the choice to be saved is ours – for without free will, reciprocity is meaningless, without reciprocity, love is meaningless. But… but! We are saved only through God’s superabundant grace.

And God will forgive anyone who repents, anyone. No matter the crime, no matter the sin. Anyone.

Like the elder son in the Parable, this will make some uncomfortable, even angry, because it flies in the face of justice. It’s a scandal that one who comes lately is accorded the same heaven as the one who struggled his whole life to do his Father’s will.

Tough.

God’s mercy trumps everything.