From left are Leimomi Kondo, Audrey Young, Rhia Miyao, Father Steve Nguyen, Lucille Schlemmer and Elizabeth Lum. Standing in front of Father Nguyen is Leocritia Antonio. (Photo courtesy of Lei Kondo)
By Lei Kondo
Special to the Herald
Celebrating the 18th annual feast day of Divine Mercy Sunday, April 8, parishioners of Blessed Sacrament Church in Pauoa Valley, welcomed the image of the Divine Mercy — a picture of Jesus with rays of red and white light streaming from his heart — at the 7 a.m. Mass.
The image was beautifully decorated with a freshly-made wreath of the striped green leaves of the Song of India plant made by parishioner Henriette Tam. The wreath was draped with a strand of white tuberose and accented with red bougainvillea.
The six-foot-tall picture frame, carried by Jay Soon and Gustavo Baca, led the procession giving the congregation an opportunity to welcome and give praise and glory to Our Risen Lord.
The pastor Father Steve Nguyen’s homily focused on the importance of the feast day using the acronym FINCH — Feast, Image, Novena, Chaplet, Hour. He also elaborated on the emotional and psychological walls within us and the effects it has on relationships. To deepen our reflection he left us three questions to ponder:
Do we still keep in touch with people from long ago?
Why are we not maintaining relationships?
Why do we maintain relationships?
The questions helped us identify the walls within our own lives and the need to forgive and to be forgiven. In summary, Father Nguyen reminded everyone of the importance of trust. The phrase at the bottom of the Divine Mercy image, “Jesus, I trust in you,” opens the door of trust in his divine will and his mercy for each one of us.
The pastor encouraged his parishioners to join the weekly novena Mass as a way of increasing their faith to the Divine Mercy message.
At the closing of the Mass, music director Leka Leaeno led a beautiful chanted version of the Divine Mercy Chaplet as the people responded, “Have mercy on us and on the whole world.” It was followed by a procession to venerate a first-class relic of St. Faustina and the image of Divine Mercy.
Mahalo to all the parishioners who attended the daily 3 p.m. novena in preparation for the feast day and to the Little Rosary prayer group of the Blessed Sacrament for preparing florals for the image and the picture of St. Faustina.
All are invited to attend the weekly Divine Mercy devotion on Wednesday evenings beginning with adoration and confession at 5:30 p.m. followed by Benediction and 6:30 p.m. Mass.
