Divine Mercy

 Is there anything more important than to seek mercy from Jesus?

The Sunday after Easter each year is the Catholic Church’s feast of Divine Mercy.  It was instituted following divine revelations to Saint Faustina beginning around 1939.  Jesus requested a number of times that the Catholic Church institute this feast before they eventually did so.

Jesus’ persistence is a strong message to me indicating the importance of this feast day.  Unfortunately the church in general does not promote it very well (if at all).

I believe it follows Easter as a renewed opportunity every year to obtain divine mercy from the newly risen Christ.  The Diary of Saint Faustina contains a number of powerful visions about divine mercy, and Jesus requested that the following image be painted, placed and venerated in every church, and blessed every Divine Mercy Sunday.

The red rays originating from the Sacred Heart of Jesus represent “blood which is the life of souls,” and the blue rays from the Sacred Heart represent “water which makes souls righteous.”

This mercy is the unbounded forgiveness he has for our sins.  If we immerse ourselves in the Divine Mercy of his Sacred Heart we hope to obtain forgiveness of our sins,  protection from the many evils in the world, and special graces at the moment of our death.

Jesus said to St. Faustina “Before I come as the just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy.”  I believe that we should be as diligent as possible to honor this feast day and obtain all possible divine mercies since we are not guaranteed another day of life on this earth.

How do we honor this feast day?

1.     Jesus asked that the Feast of the Divine Mercy be preceded by a Novena to the Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday.  He gave St. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the Novena.  In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:  "On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls."   If you are starting late, just catch-up and keep to it every remaining day.  The Novena can be found at this link:  http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/novena.htm

2.     The Divine Mercy chaplet should be said each day as well for the intentions of the daily Novena prayer.  The chaplet can be found at this link:  http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm    It doesn’t take much time, perhaps 10 minutes.  Jesus said “Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death.”

3.     Go to confession shortly before or after Divine Mercy Sunday.  For non-Catholics, sincerely seek forgiveness for all sins committed, repent of them, and do some sort of penance to give glory to God.

4.     Obtain communion on Divine Mercy Sunday.  For non-Catholics, attend a church service and pray for Jesus' Divine Mercy.

I pray that you will find the necessary time to sincerely and prayerfully honor the feast of Divine Mercy that Jesus himself requested of us.

Quotes from:  Divine Mercy in My Soul. Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska.  Marian Press.  2008