-An interesting consideration for this "Year of Mercy": The possible alignment of the date of this years Feast of Divine Mercy and Jesus' death on April 3, 33 A.D.
What was the precise date of Jesus crucifixion? The short answer is that we do not know for sure, but the Scriptures do give us some very significant clues, like the fact that it occurred in conjunction with the Jewish feast of Preparation day for Passover (John 19:31), that He died under Pontius Pilate (Mt 27:2) and that it occurred a few years after the fifteenth year of Tiberius’s reign which marked the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry (Luke 3:1), all of which, among others, has allowed scholars to narrow it down to just two likely dates, April 7, 30 A.D. or April 3, 33 A.D.
Now, I will not go into all the various details that point to April 3, 33 AD being the most likely date of Jesus death on the Cross, since there are already quite a few excellent articles (like The First Things article here, Jimmy Akin's article here, along with a more scholarly one here , and there are even astronomical signs that point to this date also.
Additionally, as Jimmy Akin points out, tradition has also long since pointed to the April 3rd date, with Jimmy himself laying out the groundwork of facts which have traditionally established this date, and recently we even find Father Z writing a fascinating article linking the eclipses of April 3rd: "Good Friday, April 3 AD 33 – Lunar and Solar Eclipses as Christ died on the Cross."
And incidentally, this date of April 3, 33 is also why it is traditionally believed that Jesus died at the age of 33.
O' Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us...
And so it is that we have the very likely possibility that this upcoming Divine Mercy Sunday (April 3, 2016) may very well coincide with the actual date of Jesus Crucifixion, which would naturally lead one to reflect and contemplate the prospect that on this Divine Mercy Sunday, we may very well also be celebrating the anniversary of the actual date that Jesus died on the Cross, when His side was opened by the soldiers lance from which the Sacred Blood and Water flowed as a Fount of Mercy for us.
And so while we cannot be absolutely certain, this Divine Mercy Sunday we may very well be celebrating a blessed twofold celebration in this time period in which the Pope has declared a "Year of Mercy"! But one thing is for certain, and that is that will all be long gone from this earth the next time this rare conjunction of April 3 and Divine Mercy Sunday coincide, for it will not happen again until 2157 AD!
"For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!"
"O' Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!"