Thursday of the Third Week of Lent
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
THURSDAY, March 24th Lk. 11: 14-23 “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful.”
Part One: JESUS LONGS TO INUNDATE YOU WITH MERCY
Part Two: Living His Mercy in daily life with St. Faustina Kowalska.
PART 1: JESUS LONGS TO INUNDATE YOU WITH MERCY! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
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, and 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 at peace until that fire be enkindled.”
Therefore, let us tap into this infinite reservoir of grace, this fire that is consuming the Heart of Jesus, this infinite reservoir of mercy, and by doing so, we 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, 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 trust in Jesus in all times, in all places, in all circumstances, in all the events on a world-level, national plane, 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 IN YOU! May we repeat these words frequently and fervently until the doubt dissipates and vanishes 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 love. If indeed our love for Jesus is sincere, then we will strive to imitate Him in all attributes, 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 every 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:
1) CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY! Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy daily. Strive to get as many people to pray the Chaplet as possible. It is short, easy to learn, and easy to pray.
2) HOLY CARDS. Buy a packet of 1000 Divine Mercy holy cards that explain on the back how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and distribute them far and wide!
3) 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.
4) 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, and beg that all those who die in that moment and for 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!
5) ENTHRONE AND HONOR THE IMAGE. Jesus desires to be known and loved in many ways. However, Jesus longs to be known and loved through the painting of Divine Mercy. He wants the image to be publicly venerated in Churches at all times, but especially on Divine Mercy Sunday—the Sunday following Easter Sunday. He also wants the image to be enthroned and venerated in your own home!
4. DIVINE MERCY AND TWO SAINTS: 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 on the two great saints who promoted Divine Mercy—Pope Saint John Paul II and Saint Faustina Kowalska. Strongly to be recommended would be the Encyclical of Pope John Paul II Dives 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. Resolve now to read one number of the Diary each day!
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 from a plethora of sources to pay tribute Our Lady, as Queen, Mother, and Mother of Mercy! The saint quotes the Bible, both Old and New Testament, Fathers and Doctors of the Church, other 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 even the most miserable of sinners. Another book that we can reap great blessings from by reading one short chapter a day in just 15 minutes. Do it!
PART 2: PRAYER TO BE MERCIFUL… Saint Faustina’s Diary #163… Let us beg for the grace to put into practice and live this prayer daily!
O Most Holy Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want to glorify Your mercy.
I want to be completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection, O Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue.
Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.
Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.
Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.
You Yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind. The second: the word of mercy – if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third: prayer – if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. My prayer reaches out even where I cannot reach out physically.
O my Jesus, transform me into Yourself, for You can do all things.
