The ABCs of Divine Mercy (Part 2 of 2)

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St. Faustina, upon the specific request of her confessor and spiritual director, Fr. Michael Sopocko, and later commanded by our Lord Jesus himself, recorded her mission in a Diary. Her 3 main tasks were to: 1) remind the world and the Church of the truth of God’s mercy for all (“Proclaim…all the works of my Hand are crowned with mercy” (301)); 2) to entreat for Divine Mercy for the whole world, especially for poor sinners. To His priests especially, Jesus said, “Tell my priests that hardened sinners will repent…when they speak about my unfathomable mercy. To priests who proclaim and extol my mercy, I will give wondrous power; I will anoint their words and touch the hearts of those to whom they will speak (1521)”; and 3) to initiate the Divine Mercy movement and to strive to practice works of mercy. “Do whatever is within your power to spread devotion to MY mercy. I will make up for what you lack (1074); Souls who spread the honor of my mercy I will shield through their entire life…and at the hour of death, I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Saviour (1075).

There evolved the ABCs of Mercy as:

1. Ask for God’s mercy — God who created us free, will not force anything on us, even His mercy. “No soul that has called upon MY mercy has ever been disappointed (1541)”
2. Be merciful to others — “I demand from you deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love for me (Diary 742);” and
3. Completely trust in Jesus — “Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust (Diary 1520)” … for “I never reject a contrite heart (1485).”

The new channels of God’s mercy given to St. Faustina are:

1. the Image of the Divine Mercy — “I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish (Diary 47). The pale ray in the image stands for the Water (sacramental confession) which makes souls righteous…red ray stands for the Blood (sacramental communion) which is the life of the soul (299).”
2. “the Feast of Mercy (Divine Mercy Sunday) emerged from my very depths of tenderness. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day are opened all the floodgates through which graces flow (Diary 299/699);”
3. the Chaplet — Using the Rosary beads, “JESUS interiorly taught St. Faustina this powerful prayer which HE called the “chaplet,” 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; FOR THE SAKE OF HIS SORROWFUL PASSION, HAVE MERCY ON US AND ON THE WHOLE WORLD. Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with MY will (1731);”
4. the Novena to the Divine Mercy — In Diary 1209, JESUS HIMSELF dictated and requested St. Faustina to make a special novena before the Feast of Mercy from Good Friday through the following Saturday with intentions for each day, bringing to HIS Heart different groups of souls each day, and immerse them in the ocean of HIS mercy, begging the FATHER on the strength of HIS passion (Diary 1209);” and
5. the prayer at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the Hour of Great Mercy. “In this hour I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of ME in virtue of MY passion (Diary 1320);” and “obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking” when “mercy triumphed over justice… MY daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour…and if you are not able to… then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore the Most Blessed Sacrament (1572).”

Thus, we are to pray “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 (1319). O Blood and water which gushed forth from the heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in you (84).

The late St. Pope John Paul II said before the tomb of St. Faustina on June 7, 1997 “There is nothing that man needs more than Divine Mercy—that love which is benevolent, … compassionate, … raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights of the holiness of GOD.

My friend Edna called the Divine Mercy Sunday as a once-a-year full spiritual amnesty for us sinners, an undeserved grace we all should take advantage of. And I fully agree. With the best in us through your sacraments, strengthen our feeble faith as we come to you our God, and with Mother Mary, beg for your mercy, because Jesus, we trust in you. To God be all glory forever and ever! (Bella A. Sarenas)