Sunday within the Octave of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday), April 12, 2015


J.M.J. The Universal Church recognizes that the Almighty Triune God—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—is merciful. Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, during the 1930s, shared with Sister Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament Kowalska (1905-1938), a Polish Sister, His message of Merciful Love. Saint Maria Faustina’s work, Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul is readily available and remains excellent spiritual reading. She was beatified on April 18, 1993 and canonized on April 30, 2000 (the first Saint to be canonized in the Third Christian Millennium) by Pope Saint John Paul II (1978-2005), who, on that very day of her Canonization, extended the Feast of Divine Mercy to the Universal Church. The liturgical Memorial (Feast) of Saint Maria Faustina is October 5th.

How each of us is in need of Christ’s Mercy! Let us avail ourselves of it by praying daily, receiving the Holy Sacraments of the Church worthily and often, having regular recourse to Our Blessed Lady and performing genuine acts of charity and self-denial.

The Sacred Image of Divine Mercy, which displays the Blood and the Water gushing from the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, is a treasure that we should venerate in our homes. And let us never forget to commend ourselves to Jesus daily at 3:00 p.m.—“The Hour of Great Mercy.”

Jesus requested that the Feast of the Divine Mercy be preceded by a Novena which begins on Good Friday. Our Blessed Lord told Sister Maria Faustina that on the Feast of Divine Mercy, “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” [Diary, 699] (Confession may be made shortly before or after the Feast.) Again, Our Messiah: “I want to grant complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy.” [Diary, 1109]  Imagine: “complete forgiveness” of our sins and the temporal punishment due to them!

During the Solemn Novena leading to Divine Mercy Sunday, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is offered for each day’s Special Intention that is listed below. God loves us! Let us receive His infinite Mercy as never before and radiate it to all. May we never refuse to accept and diffuse His Divine Mercy!

Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, Who is Divine Mercy, have mercy on us! Our Blessed Lady, who is the Mother of Divine Mercy and the joyful Queen of Heaven who stood faithfully at the Cross, pray for us! Saint Joseph, the Foster-father of Divine Mercy, pray for us! Saint Maria Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, pray for us! Saint John Paul II, the Pastor of the Divine Mercy, pray for us!



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