Divine Mercy

+JMJ+

In 1998, as a Freshman in college, I was introduced to a new devotion-the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. I had seen this in a Pieta prayerbook before, but had never prayed it. I had a chance to recite it one evening with a Marian prayer group, and I instantly fell in love with the devotion.

Later, this same group began celebrating the Feast of Divine Mercy by starting the novena on Good Friday, watching a movie about the life of Saint Faustina, helping in a soup kitchen on Divine Mercy Sunday, praying the Chaplet together at 3 O'clock, and having refreshments afterwards.

Just today, being the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, I bought a copy of the Diary. A priest from the Fathers of Mercy recommended that people read 3 paragraphs of it daily. I treasure this diary and devotion greatly. The following is more information regarding Saint Faustina and the Chaplet:

Saint Faustina Kowalska was a young nun who lived in the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Cracow, Poland, during the 1930s. She wrote a diary based upon visions she received from Jesus Himself, who revealed to her the message of His love and infinite mercy towards sinners who come to Him with repentance. He also wishes us to practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy towards others.

"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.

I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor:the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Many souls ... are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul. If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy" (1317).

Saint Faustina became Jesus' Apostle of Divine Mercy although she was uneducated. Saint Faustina wrote a diary more than 600 pages long, called Divine Mercy in My Soul. Jesus wished for a new devotion to be created in the Church, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. This prayer is best prayed at the 3 O'Clock hour - that is, the hour in which He expired for our sins. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is to be prayed using regular rosary beeds. On the first three Hail Mary beeds, an Our Father, Hail Mary, and an Apostles' Creed is to be prayed. Next, on the regular "Our Father" beads, the following prayer is said

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins, and those of the whole world.

Similarly, on the "Hail Mary" beads, one is to say the following For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world.

Diary, 475

At the end of the prayer, the following is added

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One! Have mercy on us and on the Whole world." (3X)

Jesus also encouraged a novena to be prayed starting on Good Friday and leading up to the Feast of Divine Mercy (The second Sunday of Easter). Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Faustina in 2000.

Here is a link to more information regarding this devotion: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/mercy/index.htm

As our culture turns more secular and away from Him, let us pray that God will indeed have mercy on us!