Divine Mercy Sunday 2012: Extraordinary Graces

+ JMJ +

What graces are available and how do we receive them?

In her Diary, St. Faustina records a special promise given to her by Jesus. He told her to communicate it to the whole world: 

My daughter, 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. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy (699).

In three places in her Diary, St. Faustina records our Lord’s promises of specific, extraordinary graces: 

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 (1109).

Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (300). 

The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (699). 

To receive these graces, the only condition is to receive Holy Communion worthily on Divine Mercy Sunday (or the Vigil celebration) by making a good confession beforehand and staying in the state of grace and trusting in His Divine Mercy. 

(You do not have to go to confession on Mercy Sunday itself. We know from her Diary that St. Faustina made her confession in preparation for Mercy Sunday on the day before (Diary 1072). In fact, all of Lent should be a preparation to make a good confession to receive Holy Communion worthily on Easter Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday.

The important thing is to receive Holy Communion on these great feast days in a state of grace, and with great trust in God's mercy.

By these conditions, our Lord is emphasizing the value of confession and Holy Communion as miracles of mercy. The Eucharist is Jesus, Himself, the Living God, longing to pour Himself as Mercy into our hearts.

In addition, our Lord says through St. Faustina that we are to perform acts of mercy:

“Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy” (742).

“The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive” (1578).

The worthy reception of the Eucharist on Divine Mercy Sunday is sufficient to obtain the extraordinary graces promised by Jesus. A plenary indulgence, obtained by fulfilling the usual conditions, also is available. 

Divine Mercy Chaplet can be said on any rosary and "...when this chaplet is said at the bedside of a dying person, God's anger is placated and his unfathomable mercy envelops the soul"... from the Diary of St Faustina p. 811.

http://www.thedivinemercy.org/celebrate/greatgrace/graces.php

Divine Mercy Sunday 2012: Jesus, I Trust in You!

+ JMJ +

In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Faustina Kowalska and at the same time announced that Divine Mercy Sunday would be celebrated by the universal Church on the Sunday following Easter Sunday.

At the canonization John Paul II said: "Jesus told Sister Faustina: 'Humanity will not find peace until it turns trustfully to divine mercy.'"

How to Practice Divine Mercy

"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. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.

I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy.

Many souls ... are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul.

If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy" (1317).
 

http://www.aquinasandmore.com/