Be Our Guest / Paul Kachinski

Grace offered on Divine Mercy Sunday is a beautiful gift from Christ

In the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska-Divine Mercy in My Soul, paragraph 699, Jesus gives us an extraordinary promise: “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.”

The extraordinary promise is like a plenary indulgence with no strings attached. The only requirements are that one be in a state of grace by going to confession on or before Divine Mercy Sunday, and then receive holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday, which is celebrated on April 8 this year. And bam—“complete forgiveness of sins and punishment!”

Divine Mercy Sunday is a beautiful day of grace. What a gift God has given us in the Divine Mercy message. The extraordinary promise has been compared to a “second” baptism because our first baptism left absolutely no sin on the soul, and therefore there was no punishment to eradicate. The extraordinary promise leaves absolutely no sin on the soul, and therefore no punishment of sin to eradicate.

The extraordinary promise is an outpouring of grace given to us by Jesus, and is different than the plenary indulgence offered by the Church. The plenary indulgence offered by the Church requires: 1) Confession within 20 days before or after the feast day; then on the feast day: 2) Communion; 3) prayers for the Holy Father; and 4) no attachment to sin, even venial sin.

The extraordinary promise requires only a state of grace through confession, and then the reception of holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday.

By meeting those two conditions, we are brand new creations; we were dead and are now alive, lost and now we are found by Our Father. Divine Mercy Sunday is a beautiful day of grace, tremendously exceptional graces, and a truly wonderful gift from Our Father.

The extraordinary promise is only applicable to the person who receives holy Communion in a state of grace on Divine Mercy Sunday. It cannot be applied to others or to the holy souls in purgatory.

My advice is to take advantage of this spectacular grace because “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.”

Thank God and rejoice, praise God and celebrate!

Jesus, I trust in you!
 

(Paul Kachinski is a member of St. Barnabas Parish in Indianapolis.) †