THE DIVINE MERCY
Saint Faustina Kowalska of Poland is the well known apostle of the Divine Mercy.
On the 30th of April 2000, the Second Sunday of Easter, at 10:00 a.m., His Holiness Pope John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist in Saint Peter's Square and proceeded to the Canonization of Blessed Sister FAUSTINA KOWALSKA. The new Saint invites us by the witness of her life to keep our faith and hope fixed on God, the Father, rich in mercy, who saved us by the Precious Blood of his Son. Throughout her short life, the Lord Jesus assigned Saint Faustina three basic tasks:
At the canonization of Sr. Faustina, Pope John Paul II said: "The Cross, even after the Resurrection of the Son of God, speaks and never ceases to speak of God the Father, who is absolutely faithful to His eternal love for man. ... Believing in this love means believing in mercy." Pope John Paul II proclaimed to the world that "from now on throughout the church" this Sunday will be called "Divine Mercy Sunday."
In 1931 Our Lord appeared to Saint Faustina in a vision. She saw Jesus clothed in a white garment with His right hand raised in blessing. His left hand was touching His garment in the area of the heart, from where two large rays came forth., one red and the other pale. She gazed intently at the Lord in silence, her soul was filled with awe, but also with great joy. Jesus said to her:
"Paint an image according to the pattern you see with the signature: Jesus I trust in You (Jezu ufam Tobie). I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: "Jesus I trust in You". I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and throughout the world."
At the request of her spiritual director, Saint Faustina asked the Lord about the meaning of the rays in the image. She heard these words in reply.
"The two rays denote the Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of the souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by the lance on the Cross. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. 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 of faith is of no avail without works."
To fittingly observe the Feast of Mercy, we should:
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.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among 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.
APOSTLE'S CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again 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.
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ON LARGE BEAD BEFORE EACH DECADE 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 world. |
ONCE ON EACH OF THE TEN SMALL BEADS For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. |
FIRST DAY |
SECOND DAY |
THIRD DAY |
FOURTH DAY
FIFTH DAY |
SIXTH DAY |
SEVENTH DAY |
EIGHTH DAY |
NINTH DAY
FIRST DAY
"Today bring me all mankind, especially all sinners, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges me."
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon your poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.
"Today bring to Me the souls of priests and religious, and immerse them in My unfathomable mercy. It was they who gave Me strength to endure My bitter Passion. Through them as through channels My mercy flows out upon mankind."
Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in men and women consecrated to Your service, that they may perform worthy works of mercy; and all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company of chosen ones in Your vineyard --- upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of Your salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.
"Today bring to me all devout and faithful souls, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. These souls brought Me consolation on the. They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness."
Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this grace of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen.
"Today bring to Me those who do not believe in God and those who do not yet know Me. I was thinking also of them during My bitter Passion and their future zeal comforted My Heart. Immerse them in the ocean of My mercy."
Most Compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who do not believe in God and of those who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.
Eternal Father, turn your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who do not believe in You, and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.
"Today bring to Me the souls of those who have separated themselves from My Church, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at my Body and Heart, that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church My wounds heal and in this way they alleviate My Passion."
Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Church. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Son's Church, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their error. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which he underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in His Most Compassionate Heart. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.
"Today bring to Me the meek and humble souls and the souls of little children, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls most closely resemble my Heart. They strengthened Me during My bitter agony. I saw them as earthy Angels, who will keep vigil at My altars, I pour out upon them whole torrents of grace. Only the humble soul is capable of receiving My grace. I favor humble souls with My confidence."
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said, "Learn from Me that I am meek and humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstacy and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek souls, upon humble souls, and upon little children who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closes resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them: Bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.
"Today bring to Me the souls who especially venerate and glorify My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over my Passion and entered most deeply into My spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death."
Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy; and united to You, O Jesus, they carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God; Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them that during their life, but especially at the hour of death, the souls who will venerate this fathomless mercy of His, He, Himself, will defend as His glory. Amen.
"Today bring to Me the souls who are detained in Purgatory, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice."
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart pour out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg you, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.
"Today bring to Me souls who have become lukewarm, and immerse them in the abyss of my mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: 'Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.' For them the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy."
Most Compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.
A. Begin each Station with the following:
B. Pause briefly, meditating on the Passion of Jesus. Then say the first invocation given below.
1. For the sake of His institution of the Eucharist as the memorial of His Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
2. For the sake of His agony in the garden, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
3. For the sake of His being scourged and crowned with thorns, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
4. For the sake of His being condemned to death, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
5. For the sake of His carrying the Cross, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
6. For the sake of His falling under the weight of the cross, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
7. For the sake of His meeting His afflicted Mother, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
8. For the sake of His accepting help in carrying the Cross, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
9. For the sake of His receiving mercy from Veronica, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
10. For the sake of His consoling the women, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
11. For the sake of His being stripped, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
12. For the sake of His being crucified, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
13. For the sake of His death on the Cross, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
14. For the sake of His being buried, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
15. For the sake of His being raised from the dead, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
C. Repeat steps (A and B) for all fifteen of the invocations.
D. Repeat the following three times:
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy on us and on the whole world.
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.
HOUR OF GREAT MERCY |
PRAISES OF THE DIVINE MERCY |
TO THE DIVINE MERCY
THANKSGIVING |
FEAST OF MERCY |
PROMISE OF MERCY
HOUR OF GREAT MERCY - 3:00 p.m.
You expired Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fountain of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelope the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
OR SAY:
O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, fountain gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, better than the heavens, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the Person of the Incarnate Word, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Heart, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the founding of Holy Church, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us through our whole life, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us every moment of our life, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fire of hell, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the conversion of hardened sinners, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, astonishment for Angels, incomprehensible to Saints, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, crown of all of God's handiwork, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in which we are all immersed, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, delight and ecstacy of holy souls, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope, I Trust in You.
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 fly to Your mercy, Compassionate God, who alone are good. Although my misery is great and my offenses are many, I trust in Your mercy, because You are the God of mercy; and, from time immemorial, it has never been heard of, nor do heaven or earth remember, that a soul trusting in Your mercy has been disappointed.
O God of compassion, You alone can justify me and You will never reject me when I, contrite, approach Your Merciful Heart, where no one has ever been refused, even if he were the greatest sinner. For Your Son assured me. "Sooner would heaven and earth turn into nothingness than would My mercy fail to embrace a trusting soul".
Jesus, Friend of a lonely heart, You are my haven, Your are my peace. You are my salvation, You are my serenity in moments of struggle and amidst an ocean of doubts. You are the bright ray that lights up the path of my life. You are everything to a lonely soul. You understand the soul even though it remains silent. You know our weaknesses and, like a good physician, You comfort and heal, sparing us sufferings expert that You are.
O Jesus, eternal God, I thank You for Your countless graces and blessings. Let every beat of my heart be a new hymn of thanksgiving to You, O God. Let every drop of my blood circulate for You, Lord. My soul is one hymn in adoration of Your mercy. I love you, God, for Yourself alone.
This Feast emerged from the very depths of My mercy, and it is confirmed in the vast depths of My tender mercies. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. 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 fountain of My mercy.
PROMISE OF MERCY
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 .
Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgivenss of sins and punishment .
The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.