PODCAST | Divine Mercy Sunday: A Feast of God, Our Merciful Father
St. Josemaria Escriva recognized that God’s forgiveness is even more impressive than his ability to create something out of nothing, and that “his absolute power is best shown in his power to forgive.” On our part, we ultimately have to accept God’s gift of Divine Mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation that he established.
In this reflection from Fr. Javier del Castillo, we learn how Christ forgives us, just as he forgave Thomas and the Apostles for running from the Cross and not having believed on Good Friday. After this encounter with the resurrected Christ, we must be sure of God’s forgiveness, and move on to forgiving others.
Rev. Javier del Castillo
Fr. Javier del Castillo is a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei and currently serves as President of the St. Josemaria Institute. He earned a degree in electronic engineering and moved to Rome to complete his ecclesiastical studies, where he was ordained a priest in 2005 and earned a doctorate in Philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in 2007. He worked as a chaplain in high schools in the Washington, D.C. and Chicago areas for several years, offering spiritual accompaniment to students, parents, and teachers. From 2015 on, he served as the vicar of Opus Dei in the midwest; he was appointed regional vicar of the United States in 2022. He became vicar of the United States and Canada in 2024, following the restructuring of the regions, until his appointment as Vicar General in April 2025.
