Sunday, April 3, 2016
Sunday, April 3, 2016: (Divine Mercy Sunday)
Jesus said: “My people, in the readings today you are witnessing My mercy on the sick, and My great love for My apostles and My believers. I bestowed My miraculous healing powers on My apostles, and even on My special people among you. Those, who have such gifts, should share them with others. In the Upper Room I appeared to My apostles to encourage them, and I breathed the Holy Spirit on them, so they could forgive sins in Confession. This sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred on all of My priest sons, so they can forgive sins in the sacrament of Reconciliation. I also showed them My Body and My wounds. I even ate food with them to show them that I was not a ghost. St. Thomas is criticized for being a doubter, but many of My apostles did not believe the account of My resurrected Body when I appeared to Mary Magdalene, and the disciples on the road to Emmaus. I wanted My apostles and My people to be not unbelieving, but believers in My Resurrection. I sent all of them out to evangelize souls to believe in Me, even as I call on My believers of today to go out and convert souls to the faith.”
(11:00a.m. Bishop’s Mass) Jesus said: “My people, at times you take My gift of your priests for granted, but it was in today’s Gospel that I gave My apostles the power to forgive sins in the sacrament of Reconciliation. I told them: (Jn 20:22) ‘Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. You need to pray for your priests and bishops so they will not leave their vocation. By your prayers and support, you can help protect your priests from the devil’s attacks. You need to pray for vocations to the priesthood as well. You can also pray that you will have a priest at your refuge, so you can have Mass and Confession. If you do not have a priest at your refuge, I will have My angels bring you daily Holy Communion, so you will always have My Presence with you. Rejoice to have a priest because I am acting through them in Confession and at the Mass.”