In my opinion, Divine Mercy and its devotions are the greatest forms of praise to our God.
Think about this. We are now 6 months out from Divine Mercy Sunday. On that day, 6 months from now, God Himself offers “complete remission of all our sins and punishment.” Divine Mercy in my soul # 300 I don’t know about you, but I want that. All one needs to do on Divine Mercy Sunday is receive the Eucharist in a state of grace (make a good confession during Lent) and make an act of trust in God’s mercy.
Additionally, the Church offers a plenary indulgence – go to Confession, receive Eucharist on Divine Mercy Sunday, pray for the Pope’s intentions, practice a form of devotion to Divine Mercy and be free of attachment from any sin.
Who wants both? This is like the ultimate BOGO at rock bottom prices – we need to do so little to receive everything. For a small and relatively simple price on our part, Jesus wipes away all our sins and opens the gates of Heaven allowing us to enter straight through.
Is this something to give praise about?!?!? I know what Jesus has done for me on His cross, I know what price Jesus paid for my soul and I know that the Father’s greatest desire is that every soul choose His Divine Mercy over all the treasures and gifts this world could offer.
God has changed me through His Divine Mercy. In what I would say was my darkest night, He came to me. In the ICU that night, I had fallen completely into a state of despair, my faith and trust in God collapsed. It was precisely at that moment of desolation that He came with the devotion of Divine Mercy. In the pit of despair, my soul called out and I prayed words over my daughter reminiscent of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. “Father, protect Your daughter for the sake of Your Son’s passion.” I prayed this over and over.
Within the following weeks, St. Faustina came heavily onto my radar. Understand, at this point, I had never heard of Divine Mercy, the Chaplet or St. Faustina. But, there they were, everywhere. Then, the diary ‘appeared’ at my elbow as I leaned against a bookshelf during a teen meeting at our parish.
Over the past decade, God has been drawing me deeper into His Divine Mercy through the tutelage of my patroness, St. Faustina. I am forever changed through this devotion.
Divine Mercy and everything about it – Divine Mercy Sunday, the Chaplet and Novena, Hour of Mercy and image and Diary – are eternity altering. This alone of God is worthy of all our praise.
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 136:2
Come tomorrow to St. Albert the Great, lift your praise to the great Divine Mercy of God as we join together in this Praise Nation event “Coming Home”. Praise is offered from 5:30-7:00 followed by an opportunity to pray with our prayer teams. Through all the dark months of Covid, make this event your Coming Home celebration. Look for me, I’ll be working with Praise Nation and joining you in praise as we lift our voices to God’s glory and mercy. I’d love to have the Road of Faith community join together in prayer after the event.
Mercy brings the soul back to God. This is why i see the Divine Mercy message and devotion as being so critical to “Coming Home.”
“I would like to cry out to the whole world, “Love God, because He is good and great is His mercy!”” Divine Mercy in my soul # 1372