Duc in Altum

Tomorrow is the feast of Divine Mercy. The Polish nun St. Faustina Kowalski received numerous visions, mystical experiences, and favors which she, in obedience to her confessor, recorded in her diary. The essence of the messages which she received was that the Lord wanted once again for people to be aware of His infinite Divine Mercy. Part of the revelations which she received was our Lord asking her to promote His Divine Mercy through a feast to be celebrated on the second Sunday in Easter.

From Zenit:

Faustina Kowalska was born in the rural village of Glogowiec on Aug. 25, 1905. At 20, she was admitted to the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Warsaw. For the next 13 years, she carried out humble tasks as cook, gardener and porter. She died in Krakow on Oct. 5, 1938.

While living her hidden, humble life, she began to be favored with the mystical experience of consecration to the Divine Mercy. She received visions, revelations, and hidden stigmata and, at the suggestion of her spiritual director, began to write about these experiences in her diary in 1934.

Faustina Kowalska's life centered on the proclamation of Divine Mercy to every human being. Her spiritual legacy to the Church is devotion to the Divine Mercy, inspired by a vision in which Jesus himself asked that a portrait be painted of him with the inscription "Jesus I trust in you," which she commissioned to a painter in 1935.

Sister Faustina's diary, entitled "Divine Mercy in My Soul," revealed how Our Lord entrusted her with the mission to proclaim to the world once again, the evangelical message of his mercy and to establish new ways of devotion to God in his attribute of Mercy for all, especially those in greatest need.

The essential and fundamental characteristic of devotion to the Divine Mercy is trust in Jesus, a point which the Lord stresses, according to St. Faustina's diary.

All forms of devotion to the Divine Mercy must stem from trust, according to the revelations given to the Polish nun, whether it is venerating the image of Divine Mercy, or praying the chaplet of Divine Mercy, or observing the hour of great Mercy -- 3 in the afternoon, the time that Jesus died on the Cross -- or receiving the sacraments on the feast of Divine Mercy.

The devotion revealed to St. Faustina urges the faithful to act daily with a spirit of mercy toward their neighbor, with prayers, words and deeds.


The Divine Mercy Chaplet is another way of growing in an understanding, appreciation, and practice of Divine Mercy. The Chaplet can be prayed on a Rosary.

From EWTN:

. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.
2. Then on the Our Father Beads say the following:
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.

3. On the 10 Hail Mary Beads say the following:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

(Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades).

4. Conclude with (three times):
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Jesus said later to Sister Faustina:

"Say unceasingly this chaplet that I have taught you. Anyone who
says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death. Priests
will recommend it to sinners as the last hope. Even the most
hardened sinner, if he recites this Chaplet even once, will
receive grace from My Infinite Mercy. I want the whole world to
know My Infinite Mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to
those who trust in My Mercy...."

"....When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I
will stand between My Father and the dying person not as the just
judge but as the Merciful Savior".


I have found this to be a wonderful prayer. I have often used the five decades to mediate on the five sorrowful mysteries or the five wounds of Christ. Have a wonderful Feast Day!