The
Divine Mercy Novena
Saint (Sister)
Faustina (Helen) Kowalska, through her diary, gave the world Jesus’
words on Divine Mercy, His Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and a very
powerful Novena that He asked be prayed especially during the nine
days immediately preceding Divine Mercy Sunday. Good Friday (today)
marks the beginning of the Novena. In her diary, St. Faustina wrote
what Christ told her about the Novena:
“I
desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of
My mercy, that they may draw there from strength and refreshment and
whatever grace they have need of in the hardships of life, and
especially at the hour of death.
“On each day of the novena
you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will
immerse them in this ocean of My mercy … On each day you will beg
My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these
souls.”
Completing the Novena involves praying the
Divine Mercy chaplet daily for that day’s intention.
Here
are some resources:
Have a
blessed Triduum and a Joy-filled Easter!
Background
From
the diary of a young Polish nun, a special devotion began spreading
throughout the world in the 1930s. The message is nothing new, but is
a reminder of what the Church has always taught through scripture and
tradition: that God is merciful and forgiving and that we, too, must
show mercy and forgiveness. But in the Divine Mercy devotion, the
message takes on a powerful new focus, calling people to a deeper
understanding that God’s love is unlimited and available to
everyone — especially the greatest sinners.
The
message of mercy is that God loves us — all of us —no matter how
great our sins. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater
than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His
mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to
share His joy. It is a message we can call to mind simply by
remembering ABC.
A
— Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approach Him in prayer
constantly, repenting of our sins and asking Him to pour His mercy
out upon us and upon the whole world.
B
— Be merciful. God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow
through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to
others just as He does to us.
C
— Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know that the graces
of His mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in
Jesus, the more we will receive.