The Late Pope John-Paul II asked us to remember, on this Second Sunday of the Easter Season, the Divine Mercy of God.

God’s profound understanding of our human nature is beyond our fathoming. In the person of Jesus, God became a human being. Jesus himself demonstrated that God is not just “out there somewhere” but among us in the world. The presence of Jesus in our world demonstrated in an amazing way that God understands what it is like to be a human being. God did not need to do this – But God did do this! We needed such a revelation.

This revelation is the essence of “Divine Mercy”. God, in the person of Jesus, has shown us that he knows how frail we all are – How vulnerable we all are – How easy it is for us to be seduced away from a life of peace, love and justice. God has demonstrated Divine Mercy, unconditional understanding and forgiveness, and eternal life. This Divine Mercy is the essence of Today’s Gospel story. “Whoever’s sins we forgive they are forgiven whoever’s sins we retain they are retained”.

Let each and every one of us model the Divine Mercy and never “retain” any sins, neither our own or other people’s, and be people immersed with God’s forgiveness, mercy and reconciliation.