DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

INTRODUCTION:

Today, we Celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. The message of The Divine Mercy is simple. It is that God loves us – all of us. And, he wants us to recognise that his mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share His joy.

GOSPEL – JOHN 20: 19 – 31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

DIVINE MERCY

Okay, so what is Divine Mercy? What is this thing that gets to the heart of Sacred Scripture and to the very centre of our faith?
To begin, mercy is “love’s second name,” as John Paul II said. It’s a particular kind of love, a particular mode of love when it encounters suffering, poverty, brokenness, and sin. Divine Mercy is when God’s love meets us and helps us in the midst of our suffering and sin. In fact, because this side of eternity we’re all sinners and because suffering is our lot in life, God’s love for us here always takes the form of mercy. It’s always the Lord stepping out in compassion to help us poor, weak, and broken sinners. From our perspective, then, every good we receive is an expression Divine Mercy.

Disability Parking

Please be mindful of the designated parking for persons with disabilities. Even if you are late for Mass, please leave the spaces FREE for persons with genuine disabilities

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

Fifteen to 20 days after the pope’s death, all the cardinals will gather for the conclave.
The cardinals cannot communicate with anyone outside until a pope has been elected. The priests, secretaries, cooks and doctors working on the sidelines of the election must take an oath of secrecy, and the Sistine Chapel will be swept for wire taps or recording equipment.
On the first day of the election, a special mass is held in the morning in St. Peter’s Basilica. In the afternoon, the cardinals go to the Sistine Chapel, where they take an oath of secrecy.
The cardinals vote by secret ballot, saying a prayer and dropping the ballot into a receptacle. To become pope, a candidate must receive two-thirds of the vote. Only one ballot is held in the afternoon of the first day, then two ballots are held every morning and every afternoon until someone receives enough votes.
Until a pope is elected, twice a day, wisps of smoke emerge from a chimney above the Sistine Chapel as the ballots are burned. Black smoke means no pope has been elected; white smoke means that he has. (Chemicals are added to the ballots to get the right shade of smoke.)
Once the vote is concluded, the chosen successor will be asked whether or not he accepts. If he does, the dean asks for the name he wishes to be called by as pope.
The new pope will dress in a white cassock, greet the cardinals and appear for the first time on a balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where a senior cardinal proclaims, in Latin, “Habemus papam,” or “We have a pope.”

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR APRIL

For the use of new technologies

Let us pray that the use of new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person and will help us face the crisis of our times.

CATECHISM CLASSES

Will resume on 9 May.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 06/05 PPC meeting with representative of all groups and sodalities.
• 09/05 Catechism classes resume.

FUNDRAISING IN AID OF CHURCH FUNDS

For tickets contact Brenda (0763796891) or Fabian (0833461303).

SICK & ELDERLY

Please pray for the sick & elderly of the parish, family & friends especially:

Nokuthula Kubheka, Penny Powell, Jean Smith, Dolly Bimbrish, Alvin Govender, Mavis Makhubo, Norman Browne, Khohli Kunene, Barbara Amod, Sebenzile Molefe, Margarida De Franca, Joyce Chetty, Netta Liebenberg, Mthokozisi Mthembu, and Avenel Aarons.