Today, we mark the Octave of Easter. The word ‘octave’ is a Latin expression for eight days. We mean by octave that the eight days from Easter Sunday to this Sunday form liturgically speaking a single day—which is also called ‘the day of the new creation.’ (It should also be noted that St. Athanasius went further than that, calling the entire fifty days of Easter—from Easter Sunday to Pentecost, a “Great Sunday”). In the Latin rite, only Easter and Christmas have octaves, that is, they are celebrated for eight consecutive days. The appearance of Thomas also suggests the name: St. Thomas’ Sunday; for today the risen Lord returned to confirm his faith. A further name given to this Sunday is Quasimodo Sunday, drawing from the Entrance antiphon: “Quasimodo geniti infantes...” (As newborn babes, you must long for the pure, spiritual milk without guile…). But since the start of this millennium, a permanent name, Divine Mercy Sunday, has been assigned to this Sunday by Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship.
We have to go as far back as Augustine to learn why this Sunday is called Divine Mercy Sunday. St. Augustine called the days following Easter up to this Sunday “Days of Mercy.” A thorough reading of St. Augustine suggests that the Risen Lord had chosen this Sunday to make complete peace with His apostles and, through them, with the entire human race. How did He do this?
If you are one of those who just arrived on Easter Sunday and didn’t go through the Triduum—Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, you missed a great story. On Holy Thursday night, after eating supper with his closest friends, Jesus was arrested. All but one of His apostles abandoned Him and ran away. Pope Peter who followed at a distance denied three times ever knowing Him. The resurrection wasn’t completely a joyful news to them. With the news of His resurrection all over the city, they felt painfully ashamed of their cowardice and wondered how they would face their supposedly ‘angry’ Master. That would be the explanation for their initial reaction to the news of His resurrection: they ran to the spot where they were told He wasn’t—to the tomb instead of Galilee where He had gone to meet them. Then, they locked themselves up in a room, the cenacle, afraid of the Jews but also of their Master; and like children who had broken the window, awaiting their dad’s questioning and punishment, they were pondering what He might tell them. Then, Divine Mercy appeared with the greeting “Peace be with you.” They got that feeling we get on stepping out of the confessional after a difficult confession—“complete peace.” He had forgiven them; no mention of their unfaithfulness, no chastisement. From then on, the ministry and sacrament of Reconciliation would begin. They are to offer God’s forgiveness to sinners in like manner: no interrogation, no chastisement. [If a priest starts chastising you in the confessional, take my advice: Walk away and find another opportunity for confession. I don’t mean that you should expect to be cuddled for sinning].
Divine Mercy is not human or societal pardon that subjugates the offender, registers him for life, and fixes ankle monitors on him. Divine Mercy is total. Hence, on the occasion of the canonization of Sr. Faustina on April 30, 2000, St. John Paul declared that throughout the Church, the Mercy of God should be celebrated/marked on this day—thus changing the name of the Second Sunday of Easter to Divine Mercy Sunday. According to the Holy Father, it was the risen Christ, who bears the great message of Divine Mercy and entrusts its ministry to the apostles in the Upper Room, saying: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:21-23). God makes peace with humanity and justifies us through the grace of His Son’s redeeming death. God’s forgiveness is a gift given free of charge.
Fr. Chukwudi Jo Okonkwo