Our Lord's Words and The Divine Mercy
The information in this page is taken from the book "Divine Mercy in My Soul--Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska". Our Lord appeared to St. Faustina and told her many things that were to be written in her diary so that people would later be able to hear what the Lord wanted people to do in order to save their souls and attain a greater glory in Heaven.
There are 5 elements of the devotion to the Divine Mercy. They are:
1. The Image of the Merciful Jesus. The image was revealed in the vision
St. Faustina had on February 22, 1931. Jesus said to St. Faustina, "Paint an
image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in
You" (Diary. 47) "I want this image ... to be solemnly blessed on the
first Sunday after Easter; that Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy" (Diary, 49).
For this reason, the content of this image is closely related to the liturgy of that
Sunday. On this day, the Church reads the Gospel according to St. John about
the risen Christ appearing in the Upper Room and about the institution of the
Sacrament of Penance (Jn 20:19-29). Consequently, this image represents the Savior
risen from the dead who brings peace to people by means of the forgiveness
of sins at the price of His passion and death on the cross.
The rays of blood and water that flow from the Heart that was pierced by a spear and
the scars caused by the wounds of crucifixion call to mind the events of Good Friday.
The Image of the Merciful Savior, therefore, combines the two Gospel events that best
describes the fullness of God's love for mankind. The Lord Jesus, when asked
about their meaning explained: "The pale ray stands for the Water which
makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of
souls. ...Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter." (Diary, 299) The
two rays signify the Holy Sacraments and all the graces of the Holy Spirit, whose
biblical symbol is water, as well as the New Covenant of God with men in the blood of
Christ.
To the veneration of the image, as relying upon the Christian attitude of trust and
mercy, Our Lord attached special promises, namely, of eternal salvation, of great
progress in the way of Christian perfection, of the grace of a happy death, and of all
other possible graces which people will ask of Him with trust: "By means of this
Image I shall be granting many graces to souls; so let every soul have
access to it." (Diary, 570)
2. The Feast of the Divine Mercy. It ranks highest among all the elements of The
Divine Mercy devotion revealed to St. Faustina. "I desire that there be a Feast of
Mercy. I want this image, which you will paint with a brush, to be solemnly
blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; that Sunday is to be the Feast of
Mercy." (Diary, 49) The Lord Jesus also said: "I desire that the Feast of Mercy
be a refuge and shelter for all souls and especially for poor sinners" (Diary,
699) "Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last
hope of salvation, that is, recourse to My Mercy. If they will not adore My
mercy, they will perish for all eternity" (cf. Diary, 965, 998). "...whoever
approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission
of sins and punishment" (Diary, 300), and also, "On this day the very depths of
My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon souls
who approach the fount of My mercy. ...Let no soul fear to draw near to Me,
even though its sins be as scarlet" (Diary, 699).
In order to gain these great gifts we must fulfill the conditions of the Divine Mercy
devotion (trust in God's goodness and active love toward neighbor), be in the state of
sanctifying grace -- having gone to Holy Confession, and worthily receive Holy
Communion. Jesus explained: "No soul will be justified until it turns with
confidence to My mercy; and this is why the first Sunday after Easter is to
be the Feast of Mercy, and on that day, priests are to tell everyone about
My great and unfathomable mercy" (Diary, 570).
3. The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. This Chaplet was dictated to St. Faustina by the
Lord Jesus Himself on September 13-14, 1935, as a prayer of atonement and for the
appeasement of God's wrath (Diary, 474-476). Those who recite this Chaplet offer to
God the Father "the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of Jesus Christ in
atonement for their sins, the sins of their loved ones, and those of the entire world.
By this prayer, the petitioner requests "mercy on us and on the whole world," and by
doing so, they perform a work of mercy. If the faithful add to this the foundation of
trust and fulfill the conditions regarding every good prayer (humility, perseverance,
matters in conformity with God's will), they can expect the fulfillment of Christ's
promises related to the hour of death: the grace of conversion and a peaceful death.
Not only will the people who say the Chaplet receive these graces, but also the dying
at whose side others will recite this prayer. The Lord said: "When this chaplet is
said by the bedside of a dying person, God's anger is placated, unfathomable
mercy envelops the soul" (Diary, 811). The general promise says: "It pleases
Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet" (Diary
1541). "...If what you ask for is compatible with My will" (Diary, 1731). For
anything that is not compatible with God's will is not good for people, especially for
their eternal happiness. Jesus also said: "The souls that say this chaplet will be
embraced by My mercy during their lifetime and especially at the hour of
their death" (Diary, 754).
4. The Hour of Mercy. The Lord Jesus recommended that St. Faustina honor the hour
of His death: "...as often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse
yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its
omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at
that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul" (Diary, 1572). The Lord
Jesus also determined the prayers that are appropriate for this form of the Divine
Mercy devotion: "...try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this
hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the
Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and
adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and
should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer
there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant" (Diary, 1572).
There are 3 conditions for prayers offered in this hour to be granted:
a. They are to be addressed to Jesus.
b. They are to be said at 3:00 in the afternoon.
c. They are to appeal to the value and merits of Christ's Passion.
The Lord Jesus promised: "In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself
and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world--
mercy triumphed over justice" (Diary, 1572).
5. Spreading the honor of the Divine Mercy. Our Lord related this as well since
this has certain promises regarding this: "Souls who spread the honor of My
mercy I shield through their entire life as a tender mother her infant, and at
the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior
(Diary, 1075). And further: "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" (Diary, 742). Christ wants those who worship Him to perform at
least one act of love of neighbor in the course of each day.
The spreading of the honor of the Divine Mercy does not require many words, but
always the Christian attitude of faith, of trust in God, and of becoming ever more
merciful.
This text is Copyright 1987 by the Congregation of Marians