Divine Mercy Chaplet
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On Friday, September 13, 1935, Jesus revealed to St. Faustyna the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
She writes: “I saw an Angel, the executor of divine wrath. He was clothed in a dazzling robe, his face gloriously bright, a cloud beneath his feet. From the cloud, bolts of thunder and flashes of lightning were springing into his hands; and from his hand they were going forth, and only then were they striking the earth. When I saw this sign of divine wrath which was about to strike the earth…I began to implore the Angel to hold off for a few moments, and the world would do penance. But my plea was a mere nothing in the face of the divine anger. Just then I saw the Most Holy Trinity…I was instantly snatched up before the Throne of God...I found myself pleading with God for the world with words heard interiorly.”
At that moment Jesus revealed the Divine Mercy Chaplet. (476) He said: “This prayer will serve to appease My wrath. You will recite it for nine days, on the beads of the Rosary…
First you will say one Our Father and Hail Mary and the Creed.
On the Our Father beads pray:
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
On the Hail Mary beads you will pray:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
In conclusion, three times you will recite these words:
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
The awesome vision of the Angel of Wrath ended this way: Faustyna relates: As I was praying in this manner I saw the Angel’s helplessness: he could not carry out the just punishment which was rightly due for sins. Never before had I prayed with such inner power as I did then.
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Pray the Chaplet for the Dying
Jesus said to Faustyna: Oh, what great graces I will grant to souls who say this chaplet…Write down these words, My daughter. Speak to the world about my mercy; let all mankind recognize my unfathomable mercy. It is a sign for the end times; after it will come the day of justice. 848
The Chaplet is especially powerful for the dying.
I have experienced this. Jesus told Faustyna that it was important to implore His mercy at 3:00 pm – the time of his death. I knew the sister of a friend of mine was getting close to death. On a Saturday at precisely 3pm we were driving in the van with all the kids and I was struck with the thought that she was dying just then. So we prayed the Chaplet for her. When we finished I immediately called my friend and the first thing she said was that her sister had just died.
Again Jesus said to Faustyna: “At the hour of their death, I defend as My own glory every soul that will say this chaplet; or when others say it for a dying person…When this chaplet is said by the bedside of a dying person…unfathomable mercy envelops the soul.”
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Jesus taught St. Faustyna the Formal Prayers of the Chaplet,
But he also told her, “Talk to me simply as a friend to a friend.” 1487
And it is even more important to listen in friendship. Jesus said to Faustyna, “When you reflect upon what I tell you in the depths of your heart, you profit more than if you had read many books. Oh, if souls would only want to listen to My voice when I am speaking in the depths of their hearts, they would reach the peak of holiness in a short time.” 584
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If we want to hear Jesus then we need silence
Jesus said to Faustyna, “Strive for a life of recollection so that you can hear my voice, which is so soft that only recollected souls can hear it…” 1779
Faustyna writes: “I see one rule as most important...and it is silence…the Holy Spirit does not speak to a soul that is distracted and talkative. He speaks by His quiet inspirations to a soul that is recollected, to a soul that knows how to keep silence. 552
Noise and distraction – that is why we cannot hear God.
We must give our attention to work and to the people in our lives. But there are so many moments not taken up by these that we waste on our screens. We contantly give our attention to our screen and not to God and wonder why we never her him…
Instead, turn your mind to God, speak with him, then read the Bible or the Diary of Divine Mercy or the writing of some saint and think about it. Jesus will speak to you through these in the silence and attention of your heart.
Faustyna said: “Silence is the sword in the spiritual struggle.” 477
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Day 8 of the Novena to Divine Mercy
1226 Today bring to Me the souls who are in the prison of Purgatory, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury (64) of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice.
1227 Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of the purifying fire, that in that place, too, the power of Your mercy may be praised.
From that terrible heat of the cleansing fire Rises a plaint to Your mercy, And they receive comfort, refreshment, relief In the stream of mingled Blood and Water.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way than through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion.