The greatest attribute in the Sacred Heart of Jesus is His Mercy. He longs to inundate us at all times, in all places, in all circumstances with His Infinite Mercy. It is like an all-consuming fire in the very depths of His being, in His Sacred Heart, so much so that He suffers unspeakable anguish until it is poured forth in abundance! Jesus Himself cried out: “I have come to cast fire on the earth, and I am not in peace until that fire be enkindled.” (Lk. 12:49)
Therefore, let us tap into this infinite reservoir of grace, this fire that is consuming the Heart of Jesus, this infinite font of mercy, and console the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In this short essay we would like to offer for your reading and meditation five simple, concrete ways that you can immerse yourself and others in the infinite abyss, the infinite ocean of the mercy of the Heart of Jesus, Our Lord, God, Savior and Friend. Never forget that those who live and promote the mercy of Jesus will receive it in abundance at the moment of their departure from this life to the next!
1. TRUST. Let us place our trust in Jesus in all times, in all places, in all circumstances, in all the events that happen on a worldwide plane, on a national level, and in our own personal lives. When tempted to doubt, let us lift our mind to Jesus and pray with all our heart these words that are inscribed on the bottom of the painting of the image of Divine Mercy: JESUS, I TRUST YOU!!! May we repeat these words frequently and with fervor until the doubts dissipate and vanish into thin air.
2. IMITATE. Jesus said: “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:36) Love leads to imitation of the Person we truly love. If indeed our love for Jesus is sincere then we will strive to imitate Him in all things, but most especially in the most sublime and noble of His attributes—that of His Infinite Mercy. How? When offended by others—especially in the context of our own family—we must practice mercy by forgiveness, and immediate forgiveness! Delay in forgiving those who hurt us is a victory for the devil who loves to throw fuel on the flames of our resentments, turning a spark of anger into a sea of rage!
3. PROMOTE. Now is the time in which true Apostles of Divine Mercy must surface and spread like wildfire. Why not accept the challenge right now to become a true Apostle of Divine Mercy seeking any occasion to spread and diffuse the Mercy that is overflowing from the Heart of Christ. What are some of the ways that one can promote Divine Mercy? There are many, but a few are worthy of suggestion:
a) CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY! Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and strive to get as many people to pray the Chaplet as possible. It is short, easy to learn, and easy to pray.
b) HOLY CARDS. Buy a packet of 1000 holy cards with the image of Divine Mercy on the front and an explanation how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on the back, and then distribute them far and wide!
c) THE DYING AND DIVINE MERCY. Strive to pray as often as possible the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for those who are in their last agony, those who are about to die. The Eternal Father, contemplating the Sacred Wounds of Jesus will have mercy on those souls who are about to pass from this life to judgment and their eternal destiny.
d) MERCY HOUR. At 3:00 p.m., which is the mercy hour, stop for even a brief moment and unite yourself to the agony of Jesus on the cross, then beg that all those who will die at that moment and the rest of the day will be saved. Uniting yourself with the Passion and last agony of Jesus is a most precious and efficacious time to implore the conversion and salvation of poor sinners. One soul is worth more than the whole created universe!
e) ENTHRONE AND HONOR THE IMAGE. Jesus desires to be known and loved in numerous ways. However, Jesus longs to be known and loved through the painting of Divine Mercy. Have the image blessed and enthroned in a prominent place in your home! He also wants the image to be publicly venerated in Churches at all times, but especially Divine Mercy Sunday—the Sunday following Easter Sunday.
4. DIVINE MERCY AND TWO SAINTS: SAINT POPE JOHN PAUL II AND SAINT FAUSTINA. Let us get to know the message of Divine Mercy, first and foremost through the Bible, the Word of God. But also let us sink deep into the message of Divine Mercy by reading and meditating upon the works of two great saints who promoted Divine Mercy—Saint Pope John Paul II and Saint Faustina Kowalska. Strongly to be recommended would be the Encyclical of Saint Pope John Paul II Dives In Misericordia—God is Rich in Mercy. This is a literary and spiritual masterpiece commenting on God’s mercy manifested through The Parable of the Prodigal Son—we might even be bold enough to call it, The Parable of the Merciful Father. Then, of course, we cannot recommend too much Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul by Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. This spiritual masterpiece will most likely go down as one of the greatest spiritual, mystical and theological works in the history of Catholicism. It is a must for your reading and meditating.
5. MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY, OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS, AND OUR HOPE. Finally, to support and strengthen our journey into the depths of the Mercy of God we invite all to purchase and read with great humility, docility and openness of heart the spiritual masterpiece of the great Doctor of the Church, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary. One of the greatest Marian Masterpieces, The Glories of Mary takes the prayer The Hail Holy Queen, that is prayed at the end of the Holy Rosary, and explains in the most minute detail every word of The Hail Holy Queen. Saint Alphonsus gleans a plethora of sources to pay to tribute Our Lady as our Queen and Mother, and Mother of Mercy. This saint quotes the Bible, both Old and New Testaments; Fathers and Doctors of the Church; saints, both men and women; all with the purpose of portraying Our Lady in the most sublime dimension of her tender mercy; this is especially manifest in her love and tenderness toward sinners, and at times the most miserable of sinners.
