In the heart of Lent, as we gather at the Divine Mercy Shrine, the liturgy presents us with a profound portrait of a God who does not merely wait for us to return but runs to meet us. Today is doubly significant: it is First Saturday, a day dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the feast of the courageous martyrs SS Perpetua and Felicity.

The Word: A God Who Delights in Mercy

The First Reading (Micah 7:14-15, 18-20) asks a question that resonates through every page of St. Faustina’s Diary:

“What god can compare with you: taking fault away, pardoning crime… delighting in showing mercy?”

Micah reminds us that God does not cherish anger; instead, He hurls our sins into the “bottom of the sea.”

This theme is echoed in Psalm 103, where we proclaim that the Lord is “compassionate and love.” This is the very essence of the Gospel (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32), the Parable of the Prodigal Son. We see a father who ignores his own dignity, running to embrace a son who had squandered everything.

Echoes from the Diary of St. Faustina

St. Faustina’s Diary serves as a modern commentary on this narrative. Jesus told her:

• “The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy” (Diary, 723).

In the Gospel, the elder son represents the “Pharisee” in all of us, the one who calculates merit and begrudges mercy given to others. But Jesus reveals to Faustina that His Heart is an ocean of mercy. Like the father who dresses his son in the “best robe,” Jesus clothes the repentant soul in His own righteousness, reminding us:

• “My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world” (Diary, 1485).

The Bridge of Grace: Fatima and the Path Home

As we look at the turmoil in the Middle East, we must remember a profound connection: the village of Fatima was named after the daughter of Mohammed. Many spiritual writers, including Venerable Fulton Sheen, have noted that Mary is the ultimate “bridge” between Islam and Christianity. Since Muslims hold a deep reverence for Mary as the Virgin Mother of Jesus, She is the key to a future of true conversion.

Today, we honor Our Lady’s request at Fatima for the Five First Saturdays of Reparation. By answering this call, we engage in a spiritual battle for the soul of the world. Through these acts, we beg God to use the Blessed Mother to lead “prodigal sons” back to the Father’s House, treating them not as “servants,” but as beloved children restored to grace.

The Witness of the Martyrs

We also look to Saints Perpetua and Felicity, young mothers and martyrs who suffered in North Africa. Their steadfastness reminds us that Divine Mercy gives us the strength of lions. We pray that their blood might once again become the seed of a vibrant Church in lands currently torn by violence.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, lead us with Your shepherd’s crook to the pastures of grace. Like the Prodigal Son, we have wandered, but we now return to You. In these troubled times, especially for our brothers and sisters in the Middle East, we beg for Your intervention. Have pity on us one more time.

We bring before You the intentions of Your Mother’s Immaculate Heart. Through the mystery of Fatima, open the doors of faith and lead the “prodigal sons” of our modern world back to the sacraments.

St. Faustina, apostle of mercy, pray for us.

Our Lady of Fatima, Queen of Peace, pray for us.

SS Perpetua and Felicity, courageous martyrs, pray for us.

Jesus, I Trust in You. Jesus, I Trust in You. Jesus, I Trust in You.

Have pity on us one more time.