“Jesus, I Trust in You”
“Peace be with you” are the words Jesus addressed to the disciples in His first appearance to them after His resurrection. “My Lord and my God” is what Thomas professed. “Jesus, I trust you” are the words the Lord instructed Saint Faustina to paint on the Divine Mercy image.
When Jesus addressed the words “Peace be with you” to the disciples, they were huddled together in fear, doubt and anxiety. They were afraid that the fate of Jesus might be theirs. They did not fully understand the meaning of His suffering, death and resurrection. Yet, when the Risen Lord appeared to them, showing them His wounds and the depth of His love, their fear changed to joy and their anxiety to the peace that only He can give.
In many ways, we are like the disciples. There are many factors that make us fearful and anxious as we walk through this life. However, in the midst of our struggles, burdens and fears, the Lord continues to promise that we can find peace. But there is only one way to discover that peace: in and through Him.
Thus, we need to echo the words of Thomas and repeat daily, “My Lord and my God.” Such a profession reflects our profound belief in God’s abiding presence in our lives. We claim that no one and nothing will ever take priority over Him. We depend on the Lord to lead, to guide and to sustain us at every moment of our lives.
There are many reasons we fail to experience fully the Lord’s peace in our lives. I have discovered that a major obstacle for many people is the guilt and shame they experience in light of their sins and past failures. This is a burden they need not bear. God is always ready to remove all guilt and shame from our lives through the Sacrament of Penance.
On Divine Mercy Sunday (declared by our beloved Pope John Paul II in the Jubilee 2000 to be celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter), we are reminded in a powerful way that in and through Jesus we are reconciled. When He appeared to Saint Faustina, He showed the depth of His love and offered the gift of mercy. When we pray, “Jesus, I trust in you,” the words Our Lord told her to paint on the sacred image, we acknowledge God’s great love for us even in the midst of our sins. We remember that the Sacrament of Penance is not something we celebrate only during Lent. It is an Easter gift, a gift available to us every day of our lives.
Divine Mercy Sunday also provides a special invitation and challenge. We are to forgive one another as the Lord has forgiven us. Although this may be difficult at times, the amazing grace of God provides the strength we need to be reconciled to one another.
I encourage you to pray daily for the grace to profess Jesus as your Lord and God and the One in whom you place all of your trust. Then, you will hear anew His words: “Peace be with you.”