"Peace be wish you," Jesus says as he appears to the disciples within the locked room. He shows them his hands and side, proof of his death and of his Resurrection. He says to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I have sent you." He breathed on them (the imparting of the Holy Spirit) and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
This is the Mercy of God. Our Lord and Savior came to die for the salvation of mankind. Through the power vested through him, those whom he specially appointed those that followed after him, whom we call priests, have this power of life or death within their grasp: the power to forgive sins and lead us to everlasting life, or to allow the person to retain the sins that belong to death. They are sent out, as Christ Jesus tells us, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to heal us and bring us life. We are called to meet Christ within them to be healed through that Merciful give of the Sacrament of Reconcilliation. Let us welcome God's gift of Divine Love and Mercy at each opportunity, and spend time today giving thanks to our Merciful Lord. Amen.
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