The Amazing Gift of Divine Mercy

By Tom Dennehy

On Good Friday we begin the Novena of the Divine Mercy. On that day the love and mercy of God was poured forth for souls by the death of Jesus on the cross. “When they came to Jesus, they found He was already dead, and so instead of breaking His legs, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a lance; and immediately there came out blood and water.” John .19. 33- 34.

On 22 February 1931, Jesus appeared to St. Faustina dressed in a white robe and asked her to paint the image she had been shown with the signature, “Jesus I trust in you.” Jesus had His right hand raised in blessing, with the other touching His breast. From the opening in the garment at the breast came forth red and pale rays. Later Jesus explained to her, “The pale rays stand for the Water which make souls righteous, and the red rays stand for the Blood which is the life of souls. These 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…” The image is the victory of His Resurrection. The Water symbolises confession, and cleansing of the soul, and the Blood is the Eucharist and symbolises renewal of the soul.

St. Faustina’s Diary.

St. Faustina, known as the Apostle of Divine Mercy, has given us a great insight into the ocean of God’s unfathomable mercy for mankind in her diary, ” Divine Mercy in My Soul”.

Jesus asked her to do whatever was in her power to spread devotion to His mercy and to tell “aching “mankind to come close to His merciful Heart and He would fill them with His peace.

St. Faustina

Divine Mercy Feast Day

Jesus asked St. Faustina specifically for a Feast Day celebrating His Divine Mercy. He desired that the Feast of Mercy be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter.

The greatness of this feast day is measured by the extraordinary promises attached to it, “whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment”. That means going to Confession and receiving Holy Communion on this day and performing an act of mercy. As well as worshipping God in His mystery of mercy it is also a time of grace for all people. “I desire that the feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners” (Diary 699). He tells us He is giving souls the last hope of salvation, that is,” recourse to My Mercy. If they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all eternity”.

Chaplet of Divine Mercy

When we recite the chaplet, we offer to God the Father “the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity” of Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins, the sins of our loved ones and the whole world. By uniting ourselves with the sacrifice of Jesus, we appeal to the great love that our Heavenly Father has for His Son, and, in Him, for all humanity.

Importance of the Chaplet of Mercy for the Dying.

Jesus promised, “When you 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 Saviour.”

There will be great mercy received at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even the most hardened sinner will receive grace from The Lord’s infinite mercy. (Diary 687).

St. Faustina spent most of her time praying and offering her sufferings for sinners as her experience of visiting Purgatory and Hell made her very conscious of the need to pray for souls and the conversion of sinners. Jesus told her the prayer most pleasing to Him is the prayer for the conversion of sinners. The conversion prayer: “O blood and water, which gushed forth from the heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in you.” What Jesus wants most from us is our trust in His Divine Mercy. The more we trust the more powerful our prayer. We should often repeat each day, “Jesus I trust in you”.

Pick up a leaflet on Divine Mercy in your church if you are not familiar with this most powerful prayer.

Time to pray The Divine Mercy Chaplet?”:

Any time but especially at 3 0’Clock, the hour of great mercy.