Holy Teamwork

Next Sunday (April 7th) is a pretty big day. It may seem ordinary but it marks a few important anniversaries, all tied together with one amazing message. Faustina Kowalska, a humble Polish nun, kept a record of visions she received from Jesus encouraging her to share with the world the message of his Divine Mercy. That's a pretty big task! But also a straightforward one to which Faustina applied herself devotedly (sometimes referred to as the "Secretary of Mercy" for this).

A famous painting produced from these visions and the story it contained inspired another Pole – Cardinal Karol Wojtyla – to push for the canonization of Faustina and the promotion of the Divine Mercy message.

A short time later Cardinal Wojtyla was elected as Pope John Paul II and quickly saw to the canonization of this beloved "hometown hero". Beyond a national affinity though, he continued to promote the message of God's mercy and accomplished the desires Jesus had expressed to Faustina that the Sunday after Easter be celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday.

Appropriately, the evening before this important celebration also became the day that John Paul II went to meet his Lord in 2005 and be fully immersed in his merciful embrace.

Traveling around the world and sharing the joyful news of God's love and forgiveness became a hallmark of John Paul II's papacy to the extent that he even became known as the "Mercy Pope" for having spoken so frequently and ardently about it!

Together these holy collaborators brought a much-needed message center stage for the whole world: