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| Original oil painting by Ron Gatto, Holy Child Divine Mercy Chapel |
St. Maria Faustina Kowalska was a young nun, in the convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland during the 1930s. Sr. Faustina had a rudimentary education and because of that she was given tasks in the kitchen and gardens of the convent and was even a porter. She came from a poor family that struggled during WWI, however, her family was rich in faith. Though Sr. Faustina was a gentle, pure, soul with an outwardly calm appearance, she was a deep well of faith and devotion to Our Lord and she was bestowed with many graces until her death in 1938.
If you are a Christian you are already aware of the saving mercy of Christ, but, oftentimes people need to be reminded of His graces. Our Lord and Savior needs to be present in our own lives, every day, so that we can bring others to His mercy but especially those that are in most dire need or dying.
The message of mercy is that God loves us, every one of us, no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins. We must call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others.
Throughout the years of 1931-1938 Sr. Faustina received extraordinary revelations from and visions of Jesus, hidden stigmata, participation in the Passion of the Lord, the gift of bilocation, the reading of human souls, the gift of prophecy, and the rare gift of mystical engagement and marriage. Jesus instructed her to write down everything that she saw and was told. She did just that and the writings are known today as the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, Divine Mercy in My Soul. Jesus gave Sr. Faustina a mission to bring souls to Him and to spread the devotion so that others may bring souls to Him as well. The prayers that he gave her were to deepen not only her faith, but others as well. With regard to the Chaplet, He told her,
"My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all. " Jesus Diary 118
“At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony…I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.” Jesus (Diary, 1320; also, cf. Diary, 1572)
“Souls who spread the honor of My mercy…at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior.” Jesus (Diary, 1075)
“When they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as a just Judge but as a merciful Savior.” Jesus (Diary, 1541)
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is said daily at 3:00 P.M., which is the hour of mercy and can be said often during the day and night and especially for those dying.
1. Make the Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. Optional Opening Prayers
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and
the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life,
unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself
out upon us.(Repeat three times)
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!
3. Our Father
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom
come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day
our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil, Amen.
4. Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary,
Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death,
Amen.
5. The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the
Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third
day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated
at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come
to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the
holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
6. The Eternal Father
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of
Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our
sins and those of the whole world.
7. On the 10 Small Beads of Each Decade
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
8. Repeat for the remaining decades
Saying the "Eternal Father" (6) on the "Our Father" bead and then 10
"For the sake of His sorrowful Passion" (7) on the following "Hail Mary"
beads.
9. Conclude with Holy God (Repeat three times)
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
10. Optional Closing Prayer
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion —
inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that
in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but
with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love
and Mercy itself."I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory." Jesus, Diary 48
"Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My Mercy." Diary 300
"My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners…[I]t is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy. For them I dwell in the tabernacle as King of Mercy." (Diary, 367)
"The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be shattered at the base of My footstool." Diary 723
"Let all mankind recognize My unfathomable mercy. It is a sign for the end times; after it will come the day of justice." Diary 848
"Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy. If they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all eternity." Diary 965
The Feast Day of Mercy is tomorrow, April 28, 2019. Check your parish, and those around you, for Mass times, Confession and celebratory gatherings to venerate the image and pray the Chaplet.
"I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet." Diary 699
"The Feast of Mercy emerged from my very depths of tenderness. It is my desire that it solemnly be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the fount of My Mercy." Jesus
"He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice." Jesus Diary 1146
"My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners. If only they could understand that I am the best of Fathers to them and that it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy." Jesus Diary 367
"These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy." Jesus Diary 299
"My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all." Jesus Diary 1182
"The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be shattered at the base of My footstool." Jesus Diary 723
"[Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy." Jesus Diary 1146
"I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy. " Jesus Diary 1109
"I desire trust from My creatures. Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins than there are grains of sand in the world, all would be drowned in the immeasurable depths of My mercy." Jesus Diary 1059
" I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works." Jesus Diary 742
"Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls." Jesus Diary 1074
"Souls who spread the honor of My mercy I shield through their entire lives as a tender mother her infant, and at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior. At that last hour, a soul has nothing with which to defend itself except My mercy. Happy is the soul that during its lifetime immersed itself in the Fountain of Mercy, because justice will have no hold on it. Jesus" Diary 1075
The Divine Mercy Novena is said on the 9 days leading up to the Feast Day. We have already completed the Novena for this year but I urge you to go to PrayMoreNovenas.com and sign up to receive all novenas so that you are ready for next year! The Novena begins on Good Friday and ends on the Saturday following Easter Sunday.
The Image and Jesus, I trust in You:
"In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You." Faustina
Some time later, Our Lord again spoke to her:
"The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at
that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross....Fortunate is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him."Jesus.
As it has been stated above, the image is to be venerated while praying the Chaplet, saying the Novena, and on the Feast Day. Jesus, I trust in You, is an affirmation that should be prayed often. It can also be said at the hour of mercy, 3:00 P.M., in lieu of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with the intention that the Chaplet will be said at another time during the day.
I urge you to read the Diary of St. Faustina and immerse yourself in the mercy of Jesus by saying the daily prayers, the Novena and attending the celebration of the Feast Day at your parish. I also encourage you to not only pray for others to be brought to Him but to also spread the message of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Surely, our world needs more prayers and conversions of heart to our Glorious Lord and Savior.
Have a beautiful Feast Day of Divine Mercy and a blessed Easter season.
Peace and Love,
Mare
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