Divine Mercy: The Lord’s Answer to Our Fallen World

The message of Divine Mercy has tremendous implications for our day of judgment, and it has a tremendous impact on Maria Riley’s everyday life.

This week I’m in the throes of a pilgrimage to Poland, the place where Jesus chose to reveal his message of Divine Mercy to St. Faustina. If you are reading this, I’m praying for you, most especially on this coming Sunday, Divine Mercy Sunday. My future blogs will feature stories from my pilgrimage, but this week I want to make sure no one misses out on the amazing Feast of Divine Mercy and the abundant graces that come from it.

The message of Divine Mercy is a simple one, yet I believe it is the most important one. In fact, the entire Bible is a story of Divine Mercy, from creation (a loving creator who makes us because he loves us), to his faithfulness throughout the Old Testament (the Lord mercifully forgiving Israel when they forsake him), through God himself taking the form of a human in order to bridge the gap between God and man.

We hear in the ever popular verse John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” I understand why this verse is so commonly quoted, but I believe the following verse, John 3:17, really gets to the heart of the matter:

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

This is the message of Divine Mercy. God has every right to condemn us. God would be completely justified in releasing his wrath and judgment on the world. Yet he chooses mercy. He chooses to save. He chooses love. He chooses for us to have life in him and through him, even though we don’t deserve it.

The most amazing part? Receiving this mercy is extraordinarily simple. It requires only three things. First, we have to acknowledge our sin and need of a savior. Second, we have to accept the generously offered mercy of Christ. Third, we have to be merciful ourselves, to everyone (even that super annoying guy who just cut you off).

That’s it. It’s so simple and yet so challenging. Recognizing our own wretchedness is no fun. It may be too painful, or we may be blinded by pride. Or, we may simply be so busy and distracted with the demands of everyday life that we simply don’t take the time to sit down and get honest with ourselves.

Accepting help doesn’t come naturally to many of us. This is amplified when we’re talking about the free and completely undeserved mercy of our God and creator. Accepting the assistance of others, though, can be immensely rewarding, especially when that help comes from our Lord. Allowing Christ to shower us with his mercy requires humility, and that is a virtue we can all benefit from growing in.

Living mercifully in this broken world is no small task. Not only is it contrary to everything we’re taught (you get what you deserve; make your own luck; work hard and you’ll be rewarded), but it goes against our instincts. It doesn’t feel natural to love and pray for people who are mean to me. I don’t automatically think about giving more to someone who is trying to steal from me. I don’t want to forgive someone who has wronged me until they’ve apologized and worked for my forgiveness.

But it’s worth it. Living mercifully gets easier with practice, though I’m not sure if/when it will ever happen without effort on my part. I believe that’s part of the gig; since loving mercifully takes an act of will, God is able to reward my efforts. I can’t ever match the mercy I graciously receive from Christ, but I can try.

Jesus has promised great graces for those who approach the mercy of Jesus, especially on Divine Mercy Sunday. He said to Saint Faustina:

I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and a shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.

Diary of St. Faustina, 699

The requirement for confession can be completed up to 20 days before or after the Feast of Divine Mercy (the Sunday after Easter). Jesus couldn’t make it easier to forgive all of our sins and any punishment due to us. Simply attend Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday and make a sincere confession. With an open heart to his mercy, we will be forgiven and eliminate the need to spend time in purgatory after our earthly death.

The forgiveness of sins and promise of remission of punishment is motivation enough for anyone to participate in the celebration of Divine Mercy. The benefits begin here on earth, before I meet my maker. There’s so much more to accepting Jesus’s mercy than promises of avoiding purgatory. Living in the grace of Jesus’s mercy is living free and happy now.

I am untethered by fear of a vengeful God. As my trust in the goodness of my loving creator grows, so does my joy. I recognize his hand in my life, and when I do fail (which happens far more often than I’d like), I know that forgiveness is only as far away as my refusal to return to his fount of mercy. The more I graciously accept his mercy, the more I am living as the child he wants me to be. The more I live like that, the happier I am.

I am deeply devoted to and in love with Divine Mercy. My heart has been drawn to this loving message since I first heard it. Come with me; come drink from the fount of everlasting life.