My Lord and My God! I Believe, Help My Unbelief!
As we conclude this glorious Octave of Easter, Our Lord Himself, through St. Faustina, calls us to celebrate the unfathomable mystery of His Divine Mercy, that which endures forever. On the occasion of St. Faustina's canonization in the year 2000, St. John Paul II established this feast day and from the decree we read: "Throughout the world the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that mankind will experience in the years to come." In order to peacefully weather the coming storms and turbulent waters, today's impressive readings teach us to stay the course within this Bark of St. Peter, enlist the missing to join us, and to faithfully trust in God's infinite Mercy.
On the very evening of Resurrection Sunday, Jesus compassionately appears to His disciples in bodily form, brings them true peace, buoys their faith by showing His wounds, and then shares with them the power of the Holy Spirit to forgive the sins of others. What an incredibly fruitful and well-timed visit! Thomas misses much and is thus filled with doubt. In like manner, we too can miss just as much whenever we are not physically or spiritually present at Mass with our community of believers each and every Sunday. Thomas is present the next time and is blessed with the true presence of Jesus as he closely examines the merciful wound from which gushed forth His Precious Blood and water. His exclamation – "My Lord and my God!" -- now becomes our heartfelt refrain whenever we see the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist, and, after receiving Him, we give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and His love are everlasting.
As we navigate this brave new world, awash in relative self-truths, customized personal moralities, myriad addictions, and on-demand technological distractions and confusion, we must continually cast anchor, securing ourselves to Sacred Tradition. Commit to 20 minutes of dedicated prayer time each day, along with reflection on the daily Mass readings and monthly Confession, and, before you know it, Sunday Mass will be the clear high point of each week and the Easter Vigil Mass will be the crowning point of each year. It then follows that you will inspire and invite others to join you in the greatest act of worship humanity has ever known. Blessed Conchita urges us: “Become a saint … Fall in love with Jesus, give yourself to Jesus, and let yourself be done and undone by the One who loves you so much."
Jesus, I believe that the universal Church You established holds the complete Deposit of Faith and proclaims the Fullness of the one and only Truth--Jesus, I trust in You! Jesus, I believe in Your infallible Words--Jesus, I trust in You! Jesus, I believe that You are truly present in the Blessed Sacrament and in the Confessional--Jesus, I trust in You! Jesus, I believe that Your Justice is perfect and absolute--Jesus, I trust in You! Jesus, I believe that when I follow Your commandments, You set me free--Jesus, I trust in You! Jesus, I know that when I approach You with a contrite heart, You show me Your inexhaustible Divine Mercy--Jesus, I trust in You!
–Chris Engstrom
Send Us Forth are reflections written by St. Matthew parishioners and friends.