WHAT IS THE MEANING OF DIVINE MERCY
SUNDAY?
Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter, which is the last day of the Easter Octave.
During the course of Jesus’ revelations to Saint Faustina on the Divine Mercy He asked on numerous occasions that a feast day be dedicated to the Divine Mercy and that this feast be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. The liturgical texts of that day, the 2nd Sunday of Easter, concern the institution of the Sacrament of Penance, the Tribunal of the Divine Mercy, and are thus already suited to the request of Our Lord. This Feast, which had already been granted to the nation of Poland and been celebrated within Vatican City, was granted to the Universal Church by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the canonization of Sr. Faustina on 30 April 2000. In a decree dated 23 May 2000, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that “throughout the world, the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that mankind will experience in the years to come.”
During the course of Jesus’ revelations to Saint Faustina on the Divine Mercy He asked on numerous occasions that a feast day be dedicated to the Divine Mercy and that this feast be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. The liturgical texts of that day, the 2nd Sunday of Easter, concern the institution of the Sacrament of Penance, the Tribunal of the Divine Mercy, and are thus already suited to the request of Our Lord. This Feast, which had already been granted to the nation of Poland and been celebrated within Vatican City, was granted to the Universal Church by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the canonization of Sr. Faustina on 30 April 2000. In a decree dated 23 May 2000, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that “throughout the world, the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that mankind will experience in the years to come.”
Concerning the Feast of Mercy Jesus Said:
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As you can see the Lord's desire for the Feast includes the solemn, public veneration of the Image of Divine Mercy by the Church, as well as personal acts of veneration and mercy. The great promise for the individual soul is that a devotional act of sacramental penance and Communion will obtain for that soul the plenitude of the divine mercy on the Feast.
*The former Cardinal of Krakow, late Cardinal Macharski, whose diocese is the center of the spread of the devotion and the sponsor of the Cause of Sr. Faustina, has written that we should use Lent as preparation for the Feast and confess even before Holy Week! So, it is clear that the confessional requirement does not have to be met on the Feast itself. That would be an impossible burden for the clergy if it did. The Communion requirement is easily met that day, however, since it is a day of obligation, being Sunday. We would only need confession again, if received earlier in Lenten or Easter Season, if we were in the state of mortal sin on the Feast.
*The former Cardinal of Krakow, late Cardinal Macharski, whose diocese is the center of the spread of the devotion and the sponsor of the Cause of Sr. Faustina, has written that we should use Lent as preparation for the Feast and confess even before Holy Week! So, it is clear that the confessional requirement does not have to be met on the Feast itself. That would be an impossible burden for the clergy if it did. The Communion requirement is easily met that day, however, since it is a day of obligation, being Sunday. We would only need confession again, if received earlier in Lenten or Easter Season, if we were in the state of mortal sin on the Feast.
WHEN SHOULD THE DIVINE MERCY BE PRAYED?
Just as the Image can serve as a reminder of the “ocean of Divine Mercy,” as well as its price, so can the daily remembrance of the Divine Mercy at the hour of Christ’s death.
Jesus asked Saint Faustina, and through her us, to celebrate the Hour of Great Mercy, promising tremendous graces for those who do so, both for themselves and for others.
Jesus asked Saint Faustina, and through her us, to celebrate the Hour of Great Mercy, promising tremendous graces for those who do so, both for themselves and for others.
At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is 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)
WHY IS 3 O'CLOCK SO IMPORTANT FOR PRACTICING A DEVOTION TO DIVINE MERCY?
In the Gospels we are told that Jesus died at the ninth hour (cf. Mt. 27:46-50) on the Day of Preparation before Passover (cf. Mt. 27:62, John 19:14), which was also a Sabbath that year (cf. John 19:31). This sets the time of His Death as the ninth hour, (according to Sun time), or 3 p.m., on a Friday (since the Jewish Sabbath is Saturday). This is the Hour of Great Mercy and the time at which under the old covenant the Passover Lamb was slaughtered.
While 3:00 p.m. is the best time to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the faithful can say this prayer any time of day and on any day of the week.
While 3:00 p.m. is the best time to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the faithful can say this prayer any time of day and on any day of the week.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PRAY THE DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET?
Jesus told St. Faustina the following:
"Say unceasingly the Chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will recite it, they will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy." (Diary, 687)
Among the requests made by Our Lord of St. Faustina was the Divine Mercy Chaplet, promising,
“The souls that say this chaplet will be embraced by My mercy during their lifetime and especially at the hour of their death.”
A chaplet is a devotional form which uses beads to count out the prayers as they are being prayed. The Marian Rosary is the most famous example. Many chaplets, including this one, simply use the rosary beads for this purpose.
Jesus’ Mercy is incomparable. He wants—more than anything—for us to come to Him, to live with Him in Heaven. His Love, manifested on the Cross, is the reason that the Chaplet is so powerful.
Jesus’ Mercy is incomparable. He wants—more than anything—for us to come to Him, to live with Him in Heaven. His Love, manifested on the Cross, is the reason that the Chaplet is so powerful.
HOW DO YOU PRAY THE DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET?
SIGN OF THE CROSS
At the first large bead: You expired, Jesus, but the source of the life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
Repeat three times: O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us; I trust in You!
At the first small bead: 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, Amen.
At the second small bead: Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst 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.
At the third small bead: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come 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.
At the first large bead: You expired, Jesus, but the source of the life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
Repeat three times: O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us; I trust in You!
At the first small bead: 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, Amen.
At the second small bead: Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst 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.
At the third small bead: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come 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.
REPEATING CHAPLET PRAYERS
AT THE LARGE BEADS (1x):
Leader: Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
ALL: In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
AT THE SMALL BEADS (10x):
Leader: For the sake of his sorrowful Passion,
ALL: have mercy on us and on the whole world.
CONCLUDE WITH HOLY GOD
ALL 3x Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Eternal Father, 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.
PRAYER OF ENTRUSTMENT TO THE DIVINE MERCY:
ALL: O Lord, our God, we place all our trust in You, because You are mercy itself. We repent of our sins and turn to You for mercy. We trust You to provide for our every need, according to Your will. Help us to forgive others as You forgive us. We promise to be merciful by our deeds, words, and prayers. Though we have fears because of human weakness, we rely on Your infinite goodness and mercy. We entrust to Your mercy our very lives, our present situation and our uncertain future. We entrust to You the future of our planet, our Church, our nations, our families, and all our needs. With loud cries, we implore Your mercy on us and the whole world. Look upon us created in Your image and likeness. Form us in the Heart of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit into living images of mercy. May all come to know the depth of Your mercy and sing the praises of your mercy forever. Amen.
St. Faustina Kowalska, Pray for us
St. John Paul II, Pray for us
Bl. Michael Sopocko, Pray for us
AT THE LARGE BEADS (1x):
Leader: Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
ALL: In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
AT THE SMALL BEADS (10x):
Leader: For the sake of his sorrowful Passion,
ALL: have mercy on us and on the whole world.
CONCLUDE WITH HOLY GOD
ALL 3x Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Eternal Father, 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.
PRAYER OF ENTRUSTMENT TO THE DIVINE MERCY:
ALL: O Lord, our God, we place all our trust in You, because You are mercy itself. We repent of our sins and turn to You for mercy. We trust You to provide for our every need, according to Your will. Help us to forgive others as You forgive us. We promise to be merciful by our deeds, words, and prayers. Though we have fears because of human weakness, we rely on Your infinite goodness and mercy. We entrust to Your mercy our very lives, our present situation and our uncertain future. We entrust to You the future of our planet, our Church, our nations, our families, and all our needs. With loud cries, we implore Your mercy on us and the whole world. Look upon us created in Your image and likeness. Form us in the Heart of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit into living images of mercy. May all come to know the depth of Your mercy and sing the praises of your mercy forever. Amen.
St. Faustina Kowalska, Pray for us
St. John Paul II, Pray for us
Bl. Michael Sopocko, Pray for us