The Divine Mercy Sunday

Powerful King Milinda said to the old priest: "You tell me that a man, who has committed all possible sins during his lengthy lifetime, will live in heaven if he relied on the Divine Mercy of God and sought forgiveness before he died; whereas somebody who committed only one sin during his lifetime and didn’t rely on the Divine Mercy will end up in hell. Is this just? Does it mean that one sin is more serious than hundreds or those a hundred sins are less serious than one?

The old priest answered the King," If I take one small stone and I put it on the surface of the lake, will it sink or will it float?"

"It will sink", answered the King.

"And if I take a hundred big stones, put them in a boat, and push the boat out into the middle to the lake, will they sink or will they float?"

"They will float".
"Then a hundred stones and a boat are lighter than one stone?"

The King did not know what to answer so the old priest explained: "So, powerful King, the same happens to men. A man, even if he has made mistakes throughout his whole life, but relied on Divine Mercy will not go to hell. Whereas a man, who did only one bad thing, but didn't turn back to Divine Mercy, will be condemned".

"Divine Mercy Sunday" was officially established for the universal Church on May 5, 2000 by a decree of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. According to St. Faustina, Our Lord promises to those who go to confession and communion on this day, the remission of the guilt and the punishment of sins.

On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. (Diary of Sr. Faustina, 699)