"Do not be afraid.” “Peace be with you.” With these words Jesus greets John in a vision and the disciples after his Resurrection.

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, which is news to Catholics who have not paid much attention since the year 2000, when Pope John Paul II inaugurated this feast to be celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter each year.

"Let’s party!" Jamal had heard the call many times and he had always responded with great gusto. He had invested himself wholeheartedly into his first semester of college away from home and had gotten straight A’s in all the disciplines of his new-found social freedom: staying out late, getting drunk, skipping classes, and carousing with the freshman party crowd.

Considering one of themes of this week’s readings—forgiveness—we might look back before the Easter season to Jesus’ Passion and a key figure in that event, Pontius Pilate.

With faith in God’s forgiveness, we ask for God’s mercy.

Without forgiveness, there’s no future.