Divine Mercy Explained - What is Divine Mercy from the Bible, History and the Visions of St. Faustina + How to Gain the Divine Mercy Indulgence


Divine Mercy is God's love reaching down to meet the needs and overcome the miseries of His creatures. (Indulgence rules below)

In the Old Testament, there are two principal Hebrew words that we usually translate as mercy. First of all, there is the word hesed, which means "steadfast love, covenant love." Someone who has the attribute of hesed is someone you can always count on, someone who never lets you down. The second most common word for God's mercy in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word rachamim: tender, compassionate love, a love that springs from pity. Someone who has rahamim is someone who feels for your plight and is moved with compassion to help you.

In the New Testament, the Greek word that is usually translated as "mercy" is the word eleos. It can also be translated as loving kindness or tender compassion. The Greek word comes from a root word meaning oil that is poured out. Thus, when the Church sings in her liturgy the Greek words Kyrie Eleison and Christie Eleison, she is praying that the merciful love of God will be poured out upon her children, like holy oil from above. According to the ancient Fathers of the Church, the Church herself was born from the wounded side of Christ, when out of His heart there poured out blood and water, symbolic of all the graces of the two chief Sacraments, Baptism and the Eucharist. In short, eleos is God's love poured out upon His people.

In the Latin tradition, the principal word for mercy is misericordia, which means, literally "miserable heart."

Saint Faustina's Visions:
In Pope John Paul II's encyclical letter Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy, 1981) wrote, "Mercy is love's second name." Secondly, he taught that mercy is "the greatest attribute of God."

Love in general might be defined as a sharing and giving of oneself to another, a selfless seeking of the good of another. Traditional Catholic moral theology treats of the virtue of mercy as flowing from love of neighbor. Namely, it is that virtue which inclines us to offer assistance to a person suffering from want or misery.

Divine Mercy Sunday is a Feast celebrated the Sunday after Easter (2022 on April 24). It comes from the visions of a Polish Nun, Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska, that began on February 21, 1931. In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina and, during the ceremony, he declared: It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church will be called “Divine Mercy Sunday”.She saw a vision of Jesus standing and was told to have the image made with the prayer : JESUS I TRUST IN YOU. The visions that speak of Jesus' great mercy for sinners if they come to him lasted from 1931-1938. SEE ALSO: Divine Mercy Novena - It's Never too late to Start these Powerful Prayers against Evil to Share! https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2020/04/divine-mercy-novena-powerful-prayers.html

PLENARY INDULGENCE
Pope John Paul II established that this Sunday have a plenary indulgence, In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their neighbour, and after they have obtained God’s pardon, they in turn might be persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters. . . .
a plenary indulgence, granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”).
Sister Faustina was declared a Saint by Pope John Paul II on in 2000. Divine Mercy Sunday was instituted at the same time.
It is a universal Feast for the entire Church. The promise of Jesus to St. Faustina was: "I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion... on the Feast of My mercy. Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment."
Our Lord also asked…"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere.
Here are the DIRECTIONS for fulfillment of Divine Mercy promise for the Sunday:
The Divine Mercy Message and Devotion

1. Celebrate the Feast of the Divine Mercy Sunday by going to Mass
2. Go to Confession, preferably before that Sunday (or within a week) (during the Pandemic it is sometimes impossible to go to Confession - thus a perfect Act of Contrition and promise to go to Confession is possible) O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. i firmly resolve, with the help of they grace to confess my sins, do penance, and ammend my life. Amen.
3. Receive Holy Communion on the day of the Feast  (if unable due to restrictions or illness make a Spiritual Communion)
4. Pray for the Pope's intentions, 1 Our Father, Hail Mary and the Creed.It is also good to Venerate the Image of The Divine Mercy, b
e merciful to others, through our actions, words, and prayers on their behalf.    
Recommended: Say the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy Prayer (Instructions below)

1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.
2. Then on the Our Father Beads say the following:
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.

3. On the 10 Hail Mary Beads say the following:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

(Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades).

4. Conclude with (three times):
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Then say: (optional)
O Blood and Water that gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us, I trust in You.

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury
of compassion --- inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with
great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will,
which is Love and Mercy itself.
Sister Faustina who gave us the Chaplet from God acknowledges the following:

"I saw an Angel, the executor of God's wrath... about to strike the earth...I began to beg God earnestly for the world with words which I heard interiorly. As I prayed in this way, I saw the
Angel's helplessness, and he could not carry out the just punishment...."

"Say unceasingly this chaplet that I have taught you. Anyone who says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as the last hope. Even the most hardened sinner, if he recites this Chaplet even once, will
receive grace from My Infinite Mercy. I want the whole world to know My Infinite Mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in My Mercy...."

"....When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I
will stand between My Father and the dying person not as the just judge but as the Merciful Savior".

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