Divine Mercy Sunday: What does Confession have to do with the Resurrection of Jesus?

When the Apostles are gathered in the Upper Room and Jesus appears to them, the first word he says to the is “Peace”. If there were any question about whether he would accept them back as friends and companions after they abandoned him in his time of need, he clears it up here and restores their relationship with himself. He reconciles them to himself and to God the Father. Then he says, “As the Father has sent me so I send you.” In other words, as Jesus came to the world to reconcile people back to God, so now Jesus sends out his apostles—the first bishops and priests—to do exactly the same thing: Reconciling sinners back to God.