Divine Mercy Day 7
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Jesus said to St. Faustyna:
Before I come as the just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy. Before the day of justice arrives, there will be given to people a sign in the heavens of this sort: All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and the feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day (Diary, 83).
I am prolonging the time of mercy for the sake of sinners. But woe to them if they do not recognize this time of My visitation. (Diary 1160)
We live in the time of mercy that comes before the Day of Justice.
The Day of Justice will come with the end of our lives and our particular judgment; it will also come with the end of this age in the world before the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary as promised at Fatima; and it will come at the end of the world with the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgement.
Jesus has given us this time, a window of Mercy, to step back and look at the state of our soul. This is the time to identify what is blocking me from perfect happiness through union with God.
What are my blockages: Pride, vain glory, envy, sloth, anger, greed, gluttony, or lust?
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The whole point of Divine Mercy Sunday is to help us be transformed before the day of Justice:
Jesus said to Faustyna:
Tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day are open all the divine floodgates through which graces flow…The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. 699
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Jesus said that on Divine Mercy Sunday, “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” What does Jesus mean by punishment?
The punishment does not come from God. It comes from us. The punishment of sin are the consequences that follow from free actions. Good actions bring good consequences, bad actions bring bad consequences. If we repeatedly make acts of pride, vain glory, envy, anger, greed, lust, etc…then we develop bad habits which are called vices. Vices make us vicious. When we live viciously, we punish ourselves and others because we destroy our lives and happiness as well as theirs. Did you know that to be vicious just means we are full of vice?
Well, I don’t know about you but I’m sick of my vice. I’m sick of punishing myself and my loved ones. But I must admit, as hard as I try, I can’t fix them completely. I try and try and still, there they are, rearing their ugly head.
Jesus has given us Divine Mercy Sunday as a special infusion of His life in us to set us free from the vices that make us vicious.
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If we take part in Divine Mercy Sunday, God will do His part. Then we must do our part.
We do our part by:
· Daily Meditation on the Word of God, especially through the Rosary.
· Conclude each meditation with a practical concrete resolution to put into practice.
· Each day do an examination of conscience to identify our dominant vices and learn to resist them.
· Don’t quit. If you do, just start again. That’s all that matters.
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The Seventh Day of the Novena to Divine Mercy
1224 Today bring to me the souls who especially venerate and glorify My mercy, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over My Passion and entered most deeply into My Spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death.
1225 Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy. These souls are united to Jesus and carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life. A soul who praises the goodness of her Lord is especially loved by Him. She is always close to the living fountain and draws graces from Divine Mercy.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their spirit, overflowing with joy, sings a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them, I Myself will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy.
Postscript
So this Sunday to receive the Divine Mercy Indulgence:
1. Place an image of the Divine Mercy where you can venerate it
2. Go to Confession 20 before or up to 20 days after the Feast
3. Pray for the intentions of the Pope while you pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
In this way you will obtain the Divine Mercy Indulgence - the complete forgiveness of sins and remission of all temporal punishment due to sin
· To receive a Full Indulgence on this day one must be completely detached from disordered desires for even venial sin.