Fearless hope, confident mercy, and constant joy

The Resurrection of Jesus assures us of the constant presence and unfailing help of our Loving Savior accompanying us in our continued journey through life and in our struggles to sweep out all the old clutter and reach deeper into inner space to encounter more fully a God who has embraced us with His all-forgiving love, merciful forgiveness, and ever-abiding joy. From Lent we obtained an opportunity for transition or metanoia, change, conversion, a purifying return to Him who called and sends us anew to spread the Good News of eternal life to dispel the erroneous values of the enemy in the world.

Renewed and re-energized by the Risen Lord, let us ask the Holy Spirit to accompany us beyond fear, apathy and defensiveness to new hope enkindled by faith and nourished by His gentle mercy. Easter time will soon take us to the invitation of Pentecost for more special graces of the Spirit. As followers of the Risen Christ, let us be armed with hope that conquers all anxiety, a merciful heart ever ready to forgive and repent, and an overflowing joy that reminds us we are blessed and humbled to be children of the Most High God.

Humility is what enabled the saints to climb the ladder of holiness, aware of their nothingness, and saying, “If not for God’s grace, I could be far worse than that sinner or criminal.” The Diary of the apostle of mercy, St. Faustina, recounts what graces the Chaplet of Divine Mercy can procure even for hardened sinners reciting the Chaplet but once. The more continuously it is said, the more powerful graces and blessings are promised (confer paragraphs 474, 475, 687, 1128, 1320, 1731, 1791).

“You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe!”(Jn 20:29). Jesus cannot stand those who look for signs and miracles in order to believe (Jn 4:48) and He seems to take Thomas to task. We who are two thousand years after the coming of Jesus, are told that, although we have not seen Him, yet we can love Him and believing in Him, exult with “an indescribable and glorious joy” (1 Pt 1:8). Let this renewed joy of Easter shine in our love for the least of our brethren, shown materially or psycho-spiritually as in sharing words and acts of kindness, appreciation, thanks, and service; the negative giving way to positive outlooks towards unity and peace. Smile, alleluia!