The pope will celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at Rome’s Church of the Holy Spirit, which is near the Vatican.
This Sunday, April 19, Pope Francis will celebrate Mass for the Feast of Divine Mercy at the Church of the Holy Spirit, a shrine in the city of Rome dedicated to this central mystery of Christianity. The Mass will begin at 11 am and will be followed by the recitation of the Regina Caeli.
Because of the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, the pope will have to celebrate the Mass in private, but you can follow the live-stream here. The link above will go live at the designated time.
Pope Francis’ visit to the church, which is very close to St. Peter’s Square, comes 20 years after the institution of the feast of Divine Mercy by John Paul II, on the occasion of the canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) in the Jubilee Year of 2000. The Polish Pontiff passed away on the vigil of the feast, 15 years ago this year.
St. Faustina wrote of a desire for such a feast in her testimonies, in which she recorded her mystical apparitions of Jesus.
In her diary, Faustina wrote these words of the Lord: “I wish the Feast of Mercy to be a refuge for all souls, especially those of poor sinners.”
“I will bring forth a whole sea of graces for the souls who come to the source of my Mercy,” wrote St. Faustina, as she documented the messages she received from Christ.
Pope Francis, who has made a proclamation of Mercy a central theme of his pontificate, will proclaim this message to millions of people who are suffering at this time because of the consequences of the new coronavirus.
The Divine Mercy
On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. (Diary of Divine Mercy #699)
This message, spoken by Jesus to Saint Faustina in 1931, has now come true. What was spoken in the solitude of a cloistered convent in Płock Poland, now is celebrated by the Universal Church throughout the whole world!
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament was known to very few people during her lifetime. But through her, God has spoken the message of His abundant mercy to the entire Church and world. What is this message? Though its content is endless and unfathomable, here are five keyways that Jesus desires this new devotion to be lived:
The first way is through meditation on the sacred image of The Divine Mercy. Saint Faustina was asked by Jesus to have an image of His merciful love painted for all to see. It’s an image of Jesus with two rays shining forth from His Heart. The first ray is blue, indicating the font of Mercy coming forth through Baptism; and the second ray is red, indicating the font of Mercy poured forth through the Blood of the Holy Eucharist.
The second way is through the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus told Saint Faustina that He desired an annual solemn Feast of Mercy. This Solemnity of Divine Mercy was established as a universal celebration on the Eighth day of the Octave of Easter. On that day the floodgates of Mercy are opened, and many souls are made holy.
The third way is through the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The chaplet is a treasured gift. It’s a gift that we should seek to pray each and every day.
The fourth way is by honoring the hour of Jesus’ death every day. “It was at 3 o’clock that Jesus took His last breath and died upon the Cross. It was Friday. For this reason, Friday should always be seen as a special day to honor His Passion and ultimate Sacrifice. But since it took place at 3 o’clock, it is also important to honor that hour each and every day. This is the ideal time to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. If the Chaplet is not possible, it’s at least important to pause and give thanks to our Lord every day at that time.
The fifth way is through the Apostolic Movement of The Divine Mercy. This movement is a call from our Lord to actively engage in the work of spreading His Divine Mercy. This is done by spreading the message and by living Mercy toward others.
On this, the Eighth Day of the Octave of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, ponder the above desires of the heart of Jesus. Do you believe that the message of Divine Mercy is meant not only for you but also for the whole world? Do you seek to understand and incorporate this message and devotion into your life? Do you seek to become an instrument of mercy to others? Become a disciple of The Divine Mercy and seek to spread this Mercy in the ways given to you by God.
My merciful Lord, I trust in You and in Your abundant Mercy! Help me, this day, to deepen my devotion to Your merciful heart and to open my soul to the treasures that pour forth from this font of Heavenly riches. May I trust You, Love You and become an instrument of You and Your Mercy to the whole world. Jesus, I trust in You!
