For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion ~ Have Mercy on Us, and on the Whole World
Divine Mercy, also known as the Divine Mercy of Jesus, is a Roman Catholic devotion to Jesus Christ associated with the apparitions to Saint Faustina Kowalska in the 1930’s. This devotion, and the venerated image of Christ, directs us to the unlimited merciful love of God towards all people. The three main themes of the devotion are to ask for the mercy of God, to show mercy to others, and to trust in Christ’s abundant mercy.
The message of mercy is that God loves all of us no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share His joy. It is a message we can call to mind by remembering these three points:
- Ask for God’s Mercy ~ God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and upon the whole world.
- Show Mercy ~ God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as He does to us.
- Trust in the Mercy of Jesus ~ God wants us to know that the graces of His mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive.
We had planned to have an afternoon of prayer, reconciliation, and reflection on the Divine Mercy at St. William Church. Since this will not be possible this year due to the shelter in place order, we invite you to learn and recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Then in conjunction with Catholics throughout the world pray the chaplet for nine days leading up to Divine Mercy Sunday. The Divine Mercy Novena starts on Good Friday April 10, 2020. There is a prayer intention for specific group of people on each of the nine days. The Novena intentions for each day are:
- All mankind, in particular those in need of forgiveness and mercy.
- Christian priests and the religious.
- Devout and faithful Christian people.
- Non-believers and those who will become Christians.
- Christian heretics.
- The meek and humble of heart, and children.
- People who especially venerate and glorify Christ’s mercy.
- All souls in Purgatory.
- Those who are lukewarm and indifferent.
“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.” — Concluding prayer of the Divine Mercy Chaplet
