Dear Friends of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary,

Spring is upon us once again, reminding us of the new life that springs forth from dying. During this season, the Holy Catholic Church graces us with two major celebrations, Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday. Both of these solemnities give us the opportunity to celebrate new life in Jesus Christ in a most powerful way. Easter, indeed the entire Easter Season, graces us with the time to reflect and to grow deeper in our union with Christ Jesus through our own Baptisms. Throughout the season, we are sprinkled with holy water to afford us the chance once again to renew our baptismal promises and thus “rise” with Him out of the darkness of our sins.

Divine Mercy Sunday falls on the Easter Octave, one week after Easter Sunday. It is connected to the revelations which deepen our understanding of His Divine Mercy that Christ Jesus Himself shared with us through St. Faustina. In celebrating Christ’s Mercy on this Sunday, as prescribed by the Church through Pope St. John Paul II, we are able to receive His Mercy in a profound way, thus wiping away all sin and temporal punishment due to sin. We are washed clean as on our baptismal day.

Reflecting on the practices of Eucharistic Adoration, the Holy Rosary, and the Rosary Congress in connection to the Easter Season, I find myself pondering the Scripture from 1 Thess. 4: “This is the will of God, your holiness…” So often we ask, “What is God’s will?” Scripture states the answer so simply and profoundly. He wills our sanctification. During the Easter Season, we have an abundance of graces poured out to aid us in our sanctification. Let us not overlook the powerful messages of this holy season and the tools which the Church offers us in order that we may grow in holiness.

But how do we become holy? One most important tool that aids us on our path to holiness is the rosary. As I reflect on two of the major apparitions of Our Lady, I notice that St. Bernadette of Lourdes and the children of Fatima were all devoted to praying the rosary. They were asked to pray the rosary with Our Lady when she appeared, and they each had a rosary with them. Not one of them said that they did not bring their rosary. It was a part of their very lives to keep a rosary with them and to pray it regularly. May we never be found without our blessed rosaries in our pockets and may we use them daily! Many Heavenly graces flow from this most powerful prayer. There is no doubt that Heaven loves the recitation of the rosary and that it offers graces which help us grow in holiness.

St. Faustina also was devoted to the recitation of the rosary. She was even given, by Jesus Himself, an additional means for using the rosary beads. Jesus taught her how to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet on those very beads that we use to pray the rosary. Thus, Jesus affirmed the recitation of the rosary, and He gave us another reason to keep the blessed rosary in our pockets at all times, for pulling it out at the 3 o’clock hour (or whenever possible) and praying the Chaplet.

The Easter Season also reminds us of Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:20 as He ascended into Heaven: “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” We, as Catholics, understand that He is truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament body, blood, soul, and divinity. Thus we will always find Him present there. Let us never hesitate to spend time with Him in His True Presence whenever possible.

The Rosary Congress affords us the opportunity to spend quality time before the True Presence while praying the Holy Rosary, thus combining two of the most powerful gifts that Heaven has given us in order to lift up our needs, those of the Church, and those of the world to our Almighty Father. Let us continue to spread the Rosary Congress throughout our nation and help our world grow in sanctification. For this is God’s will—that we all be sanctified.

We encourage you to visit the Mercy Sunday Momentum website for more information regarding Divine Mercy Sunday. Mother of Mercy Messengers (MOMM), the founding organization for Mercy Sunday Momentum, are members of the Coalition of Eucharistic and Marian Apostolates alongside the Diocesan Rosary Congress. You can find out more about them and join in their prayers, novenas, and efforts to spread Divine Mercy at https://mercysundaymomentum.org/.

May we all grow in holiness this Easter Season and every day of our lives!

A most holy and blessed Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday to you all,