Divine Mercy Divine Mercy SundaySunday

created by: Darlene Mary Fulton 2010created by: Darlene Mary Fulton 2010www.redberrycatholic.comwww.redberrycatholic.com

Our Lord's Mercy Our Lord's Mercy grants forgiveness grants forgiveness

of al l s ins and of al l s ins and punishment punishment

on Divine Mercy on Divine Mercy Sunday, Sunday,

mercy for even mercy for even the most hardened the most hardened

sinners!s inners!

TT he first Sunday after he first Sunday after EasterEaster

It was Jesus, Himself It was Jesus, Himself

who asked for the Feast day to be who asked for the Feast day to be celebrated celebrated

on this particular Sunday fol lowing on this particular Sunday fol lowing Easter .Easter .

Jesus left al l the details in a diary Jesus left al l the details in a diary which He commanded Saint Faustina to which He commanded Saint Faustina to

write write in the 1930’s.in the 1930’s.

((““Divine Mercy In My SoulDivine Mercy In My Soul ”)” )

When did Jesus make this promise?When did Jesus make this promise?How do we receive it?How do we receive it?

Our Lord speaks strongly about this to Saint Faustina:

”I demand from you deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love for Me.

You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere.

You must not shrink from this or try to excuse yourself from it .”

(Diary, 742)

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 celebratedthe Sunday after Easter .

“I desire the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter

for al l souls, especial ly 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 fount of My mercy .”

(Diary, 699)

“The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion

shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.”

(Diary, 699)

““ On that day On that day al l the divine f loodgates al l the divine f loodgates

through which grace f low are through which grace f low are opened.opened.

Let no soul fear to draw near Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its s ins be to Me, even though its s ins be

as scarletas scarlet .”.” (Diary , 699)

This Feast, which had already been granted This Feast, which had already been granted to the nation of Poland to the nation of Poland

and celebrated within Vatican City, and celebrated within Vatican City, was granted to the Universal Church was granted to the Universal Church

by Pope John Paul II by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of canonization of Son the occasion of canonization of Stt. Faustina . Faustina

on 30 April 2000.on 30 April 2000.

In a decree dated 23 May 2000,

the Congregation for Divine Worship

and the Discipl ine of the Sacraments

stated that " throughout the world

the second Sunday of Easter

wil l receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday,

a perennial invitation to the Christ ian world

to face, with confidence in divine benevolence,

the difficulties and trials that mankind wil l experience in the years to com e”.

These Papal acts represent

the highest endorsement

that the Church can give to a private revelation, an act of   Papal

infall ibi l ity

proclaiming the certain sanctity of the mystic ,

and the granting of a universal feast ,

as requested by Our Lord to St. Faustina.

Divine Mercy Novena

Jesus further asked that this Feast of the Divine Mercy

be preceded by a Novena of Chaplets to the Divine Mercy

which would begin on Good Friday.   Say one chaplet each day fol lowing

the novena intention.

The Hour of Great Mercy

Jesus asked Saint Faustina, and through her … for us,

to celebrate this Hour of Great Mercy,

promising tremendous graces to those who would, both for themselves

and on behalf of others at 3 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 a soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.”

(Diary, 1320).

Jesus commissioned St. Faustina to have a special image painted.

He wanted the world to know His mercy through this image.

"In the evening, when I was in my cel l , I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment.

One hand raised in the gesture of bless ing, the other was touching the garment at the breast .

From beneath the garment, s l ightly drawn aside at the breast,

there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale.

In s i lence I kept my gaze f ixed on the Lord;my soul was struck with awe, but also with great joy.

After a while , Jesus said to me …

“paint an image according to the pattern you see with the signature: “Jesus, I trust in you”.

I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and throughout the world.”

(Diary, 47)

"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"

(Diary,327)

In the beginning of 1934, in Vilnius,

Father Sopocko, the principal spiritual director

and confessor of St. Faustina,

entrusted the painting of the image of Merciful Jesus

to artist painter Eugeniusz Kazimirowski

who resided in the same building.

Since then, Sister Faustina visited

the painter’s studio to give some instructions

and to instruct the artist about details of the image.

Father Sopocko did his best to make the image painted precisely following her instructions.

He adjusted the canvas on which he asked the image of Merciful Jesus to be painted,

to the size of the old frame donated earlier by one of parishioners.

When the painting was ready to be displayed (June 1934-see Memories),

he requested sister Faustina to ask Lord Jesus about instructions to inscr ibe the image .

“The two rays denote 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 souls.

These two rays issued forth

from the depths of My tender mercy

when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross.”

(Diary, 299)

“I promise that the soul that wil l venerate

this image wil l not perish.

I also promise victory over [ its] enemies

already here on earth,

especial ly at the hour of death.

I Myself wil l defend it as My own glory. (Diary, 48)

Holy God, Holy Mighty One,

Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us

and on the whole world. (3 times)