Divine Mercy Sunday

(View the Divine Mercy Image on the front cover of our bulletin to analyze as you read the following message)

The Divine Mercy image and devotion stem from the mystical experiences of The Divine Mercy image and devotion stem from the mystical experiences of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who reported a series of revelations from Jesus in the early 20th century. One of the most significant occurred on February 22, 1931, when Jesus appeared to her wearing a white robe, one hand raised in blessing and the other touching His chest. From His heart flowed two rays: a pale one, symbolizing the water that justifies souls (linked to Baptism and Reconciliation), and a red one, symbolizing the blood that gives life to souls (representing the Eucharist). At Jesus’s request, the words “Jesus, I trust in You” are inscribed at the bottom of the image. Although St. Faustina couldn't paint, she described her vision in detail to an artist under the guidance of her spiritual director, resulting in the original image painted by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski in 1934.

The devotion to Divine Mercy includes several core practices. One is the Divine Mercy Chaplet, a prayer Jesus taught St. Faustina to be said on regular rosary beads, offering His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity to the Eternal Father in atonement for the sins of the world. Another key element is Divine Mercy Sunday, celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. Instituted by Pope John Paul II in 2000 during Faustina’s canonization, this feast offers unique graces to those who go to Confession and receive Holy Communion in a state of grace. Devotees also honor the Hour of Mercy at 3 PM, the time of Jesus’s death, by pausing to pray or reflect on His Passion. Jesus further asked that the image of Divine Mercy be spread and venerated, promising graces—especially at the hour of death—to those who honor it with trust.

At the heart of this devotion is a simple but profound message: God’s mercy is infinite.  As Jesus told St. Faustina, “The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy.” (Diary of St. Faustina, 723)

I invite you, here and now to pause for a moment and call to mind the places in your heart in most need of God’s Mercy.  With them in mind, allow Christ to see these places and gently touch them.  Let this be an invitation to experience His mercy and to encounter it personally through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.