Divine Mercy Sunday

Just a few words of Our Lord to Saint Faustina, found in St Faustina’s diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul, regarding Divine Mercy Sunday….

“I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy” (1109).

“Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (300).

“The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (699).

“Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy … 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 or absolve yourself from it” (742).

If you have not read St. Faustina’s diary, you should!  With the “mass market, paperback” version available for only $8, it really is accessible to most of us.

I urge everyone to observe Divine Mercy Sunday today and to receive from the Lord all He stands ready to give us. The following is from the Apostles of Mercy website:

Thus, to fittingly observe the Feast of Mercy, we should:

1. Celebrate the Feast on the Sunday after Easter;

2. Sincerely repent of all our sins;

3. Place our complete trust in Jesus;

4. Go to Confession, preferably** before that Sunday;

5. Receive Holy Communion on the day of the Feast;

6. Venerate* the Image of The Divine Mercy;

7. Be merciful to others, through our actions, words, and prayers on their behalf.

*To venerate a sacred image or statue simply means to perform some act or make some gesture of deep religious respect toward it because of the person whom it represents ‑ in this case, our Most Merciful Savior.

©Copyright 2003, Apostles of Divine Mercy
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robertallard [at] divinemercysunday.com

**it is not too late if you have not gone to confession in the days immediately preceding this feast. Typically it is understood that we go to sacramental confession within a week of meeting the other requirements of gaining a plenary indulgence.

On the Feast of Divine Mercy:

a plenary indulgence, [is] granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”); [from EWTN]

So today, go to Mass, receive holy Communion and really, truly deny attachment to all sin and either attend Divine Mercy Sunday celebrations at a local parish or go and visit the Eucharistic Lord either exposed or reserved in a tabernacle. Pray for the Holy Father’s intentions. Pray a sincere prayer to the Merciful Lord. Today is a great feast. Today is a day set aside in the whole Church to gain this indulgence and to start fresh with the Lord.

Today, even the oldest, crustiest of us can become a new creation, yet again, by the Mercy of Our Lord. How can we NOT take advantage of that?

Merciful Jesus, I trust in You!!