Second Sunday of Easter Sunday of Divine Mercy

Dear Friends,

On this Divine Mercy Sunday, our Gospel reading includes the powerful image of Jesus breathing the Holy Spirit onto the Apostles - "Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (Jn 20: 22-23)

Just as the Apostles received the Holy Spirit in this profound way, we have also received the Holy Spirit through the sacrament of Confirmation. This weekend, several of our brothers and sisters are receiving the sacrament of Confirmation after a journey through RCIA and will be fully initiated in the Church - all glory be to God! No matter what age we received Confirmation, we all have received this special commissioning, the 3rd person of the Holy Trinity resides in our Hearts, and we are to bear His light, His peace, His love to the world. 

The Holy Spirit is often depicted in many different images but my favorite is the image of fire. God is an eternal fire of love (like the burning bush from Exodus!), a purifying fire. Did you notice at the Easter Vigil, when you shared the light from your candle with someone else, your own flame did not change or decrease? When we share God's love with the world, we do not lose anything ourselves but we only increase the light of God!

This week, let us embrace the Holy Spirit, ask for His love and peace to dwell in our hearts, and have the courage to share that light with the world.

God bless you,

Amy