Divine Mercy, Eugeniusz Kazimirowski, 1934; painted at the request of Saint Faustina Kowalska
HOW TO PRAY THE CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY
Using a set of Rosary beads, make the sign of the cross, then say the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Apostles' Creed, meditating on the Passion of Christ as you pray.
On each of the large beads say, "Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world."
On each of the small beads say, "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
After going completely around once, repeat three times, "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
THE STORY OF THE DIVINE MERCY DEVOTION
Saint Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, received a series of visions of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the 1930’s, emphasizing His mercy for sinners. “Let the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy,” He declared to her. “They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy” (Diary of St. Faustina 1146).
In one vision, Jesus appeared with red and white rays of light streaming from His heart, symbolizing the blood and water that flowed from His side on Calvary. He asked Faustina to have an artist paint this image for devotional purposes with the words below it: “Jesus, I trust in you.”
In another vision, Faustina was given the words of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a prayer to be recited on Rosary beads. When this Chaplet is prayed at the hour of death or in the presence of the dying, Jesus promised, “I will stand between My Father and the dying not as the just judge but as the Merciful Savior” (Diary 1541). When recited daily, this prayer is usually said at 3 p.m., the hour of Christ’s death—the Hour of Divine Mercy.
On another occasion, Jesus requested the establishment of the Feast of Divine Mercy on the second Sunday of Easter. “Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day,” He promised, “will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (Diary 300).
The Church teaches there are two consequences to sin: guilt and punishment. The guilt is removed through sacramental Confession. With it, the threat of eternal punishment, or hell, is removed. However, a debt of temporal (or “temporary”) punishment is also attached to sin, which remains even after the sin has been forgiven. This debt involves the wounds one’s sins have caused in his relationship with God and others, as well as in himself. Consider the boy who disobeys his father. When he apologizes, his father forgives him. But the son must continue to show love and gratitude to his father. The bond of trust has been broken and will be restored only in time.
The penance the priest assigns after Confession helps to heal the wounds caused by sin. If this healing is incomplete at the time of death, the soul will need to undergo the purification of purgatory before entering heaven.
On Divine Mercy Sunday both guilt and punishment—the need for purgatory, that is—are forgiven! The Church calls this a plenary indulgence. To receive a plenary indulgence, one is asked go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, and pray for the intentions of the Pope. In addition to this, he should either participate in the prayers and devotions on Divine Mercy Sunday or recite the Our Father and the Apostles’ Creed before the Tabernacle, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus, such as, “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”