Have you ever had a difficult time with a particular sin? An occasion where you may have wronged someone, and though you have made amends with that person, and even confessed it to a priest, the guilt and shame still remains? Or perhaps you find the memory of a sin (or sins) burned in your mind, and you just can't ease your thoughts or conscience?I think we've all had this experience at some point in our lives. I remember sharing that thought with a priest. He reminded me of God's mercy. I have confessed my sins, I've been forgiven -- trust in that! Trust in the endless fount of Divine Mercy!We live in sceptical times, and I think trusting can be difficult for us. Particularly for people who have only known hurt in their lives. How do you develop trust then? Well, in one sense I would say trust is faith. Pray for faith. Take time at the end of your day to consider all the times that things have 'worked out' or 'gone your way,' and recognize that it was God looking out for you in His love and mercy for you. And even repeating a 'dart' prayer like "Jesus, I trust in you" throughout the day can help to build up that trust and love for God.Of course, we will also trust even greater if we take time to appreciate and contemplate God's mercy. Praying the chaplet of Divine Mercy is one way to do this. Reading about God's mercy (be it scripture or another spiritual writer) helps as well. The saint of our times which is most recognized for sharing Divine Mercy with the world is Saint Faustina Kowalska (who also happened to be the first saint canonized by John Paul II in this new millennium). Our Lord appeared to her and spoke many things which this great Polish nun recorded in a diary, "Divine Mercy in My Soul" (this is available online or at any Catholic book store). Another way to appreciate God's mercy is through the sacraments -- particularly confession, for it is there that God touches our souls directly!On this Sunday in particular, known as Divine Mercy Sunday in recent times, we are reminded of trusting in Jesus and his infinite mercy. We are reminded that God wants us to come back to Him, and that He desires to fill our hearts and our souls with mercy. So let us make an effort to turn towards Him and allow ourselves to be swept up in His mercy! And when that has happened, let us share this mercy with others: in word, in act, and in prayer, let us be bearers of the message of God's mercy!

O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You! ("Divine Mercy in My Soul," 84)