Divine Mercy Day 5
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Jesus taught Faustina that His Goodness and Mercy was unlimited and available even to the greatest of sinners. This week we are meditating on the seven ways Jesus wants to give His Mercy to mankind
1 The first way Jesus revealed to Faustina that we may receive His Mercy is through the Image of Divine Mercy. On Feb 22, 1931 Jesus appeared to Faustina. She writes: In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside at the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In silence I kept my gaze fixed 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.” 47
Later Jesus said: “By means of this Image I shall be granting many graces to souls; so, let every soul have access to it.” 570
I encourage you to place the Image of Divine Mercy in a prominent or central place in your home.
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Faustyna writes: My confessor told me to ask the Lord Jesus the meaning of the two rays in the image, I answered, “Very well, I will ask the Lord.” During prayer I head these words within me: The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous (Baptism and Reconciliation which cleanse the soul). The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls (The Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist). These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy. (299)
Jesus continued stating: “whoever approaches the Fount of Life (the Sacrament of Reconciliation) on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment. Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy. 300
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Jesus is the Mercy of God. We receive His Mercy the more we allow Him to live through us.
Christianity is profoundly misunderstood. Christianity is not the demand to live without sin and with heroic virtue based on our heroic effort alone. That results in everyone throwing in the towel and saying there is no way – I can’t do it. And because we rely on our own effort, knowing we can’t measure up, instead we water down Christianity, we lower the bar, get rid of all the hard teachings – because we can’t do it.
Christianity is a work of Mercy. Jesus is Mercy. Christianity is about Jesus living in us and living through us. Mercy means that Jesus’ action becomes ours because He is acting in us. Christianity is not the call to supreme achievement through heroic effort; rather it is letting Jesus live in us and that He may do in us what He wants, purifying us over and over that He may live and act through us!
We receive Mercy when we Trust in the Goodness of God
Jesus said to her: Oh, how much I am hurt by a soul’s distrust! Such a soul professes that I am Holy and Just, but does not believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in My Goodness. Even the devils glorify My Justice but do not believe in My Goodness. My Heart rejoices in this title of Mercy. 300
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Jesus said to Faustina: I assure you of a permanent income on which you will live. Your duty will be to trust completely in My goodness, and My duty will be to give you all you need. I am making Myself dependent upon your trust: if your trust is great, then My generosity will be without limit. Diary 548
five
This is Day Five of the Novena 1218-1219
Jesus said: Today bring to Me the souls who live apart from the Truth I revealed and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart; that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church, My wounds heal, and in this way they alleviate My Passion.
Faustina replied: Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who knowingly or unknowingly live apart from Your Truth. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to extol the generosity of Your mercy.
Even for those who have torn the garment of Your unity, A fount of mercy flows from Your Heart. The omnipotence of Your mercy, Oh God, Can lead these souls also out of error.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who neither know nor follow the Truth of Jesus, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.