Divine Mercy is the theme of the entire pilgrimage; we’ll even be there over Divine Mercy Sunday. When we think of people associated with the Divine Mercy devotions, St. Faustina is often the first person who comes to mind. But Pope St. John Paul II was also instrumental in promoting those devotions; not only was he from Poland, as bishop he worked on St. Faustina’s cause for canonization. He wrote an encyclical on the mercy of God, established Divine Mercy Sunday, and even died on the vigil of that feast day.

We see in the lives of so many saintly people, it is their frequent contact with Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist—participation in Mass, receiving him in Holy Communion, and adoring him in the reserved Blessed Sacrament—that makes them who they are. Jesus, the source of all holiness and grace, stretches their hearts and increases their capacity to love.

My hope for our students this year is certainly that they learn a lot. But I also hope they become a little more confident, a little kinder, a little more willing to help someone else, and a little more aware of how deeply they are loved by God. If that happens, I think we will have had a pretty successful year.

A great way to remind ourselves this week that no matter what happens, we are indeed the Lord’s, is to practice living our lives as an echo of Him. When you leave Mass, share with your family one thing that stood out to you in the readings or the homily. When you experience a small moment of gratitude at the goodness of creation or the kindness of another, share this reminder of God’s love with someone else.