Reflection for Divine Mercy Sunday

 Entrance Antiphon for Divine Mercy Sunday

Like newborn infants, you must long for the pure spiritual milk, that in him you may grow to salvation, Alleluia

In the entrance antiphon for Divine Mercy Sunday, the word pure is what first grabs the eye. Purity is not a popular word right now — unless, of course, we’re talking about food or water. We want our consumables to be 100% what they say they are and nothing else. We want it pure. And that is exactly what Christ wants for our souls: to be free from anything that may “weaken, impair, or change the nature of our being or its activity,” as ‘pure’ is defined in The Modern Catholic Dictionary. We want to be pure or free from attachments so that Christ’s love can shine right through our souls to touch the other in need of His love. We are to be Christ to everyone we meet.

But we are full of attachments. We sin in little and big ways every day. So how do we become pure? The antiphon of this Divine Mercy Sunday tells us, like newborn infants you must LONG for the pure spiritual milk. In order for us to grow in purity, we must first long for Him who is pure. That longing increases our desire to be united to Christ, our spiritual milk. When babies and children want something, whether it be food, toys, bright colors and shiny objects, they cry out for that thing with their whole bodies. They see something they desire and go after it with their whole selves and see nothing else. Think of lovers finally meeting after a long separation. They see nothing but the beloved. Both children and lovers seem to be only half themselves without the one they desire. The more we desire Christ, the more we want to partake of Him our spiritual drink, and the more we resemble Christ.

Christ in his mercy knows how to turn our hearts toward himself, by increasing our desire to be with him, be like him and receive him in Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. But sometimes we can’t or shouldn’t receive him because of our sin. Our desire may be there but our guilt is heavy. There is still yet hope: we can be free from such attachments through confession. The more we lay down our heavy burden of sin through confession, the more we can free ourselves to become pure.

During this Divine Mercy Sunday, (or any time throughout the year), if your heart is burdened, sorrowful, or fearful due to sin, cry out to Christ the soul’s beloved. Cry out, like a newborn crying for its mother or lovers crying in each other’s arms and go to confession without fear. Let Christ embrace you in confession, that you may always partake of that spiritual drink which is Christ Himself in the Holy Sacraments of the Church and grow to salvation, ALLELUIA!    

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Praying Without Ceasing: The Divine Office

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Beneath Mary’s Mantle: Bl. Marcolino of Forli (1317 - 1319)