Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Divine Mercy Chaplet

Starting Good Friday, there is an amazing Divine Mercy Novena Catholics can pray in preparation for Mercy Sunday, which is the first Sunday after Easter. Day one is Good Friday, preferably at the 3:00pm hour since this is when our Lord died on the Cross. Visit the CatholicCity website to learn more about the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Novena, Mercy Sunday, and Saint Faustina.



On ordinary Rosary Beads, Pray the following:




First three beads:



Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Apostle's Creed



On the Our Father Beads, pray:



Eternal Father I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.



On the Hail Mary Beads, pray:



For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have Mercy on us and on the whole world.


At the conclusion of praying the five decades, recite these words three times:


Holy God,
Holy Mighty One,
Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Forgive Others to be Forgiven

Mercy is freedom. When I forgive others, I am free. I am free from the bitterness of self-righteousness, pride, and arrogance. I am free to love when I forgive, and when I forgive, I love.

Unfortunately, there are principalities, evils we can't see or touch, which tempt us to believe lies that there is no love, no hope, no life, no God, there is only death and despair. The truth of Jesus teaches us there is more, and I believe Him. I know, because of Jesus, I am saved. Yet more than that, I am a child of God. And He wants you to be His child, too.

I can only show mercy because of Jesus. He has removed the bitterness of hatred from the depths of my heart. I know the healing love of Christ 2000 years later because Jesus is Rise; He is truly alive! With His death and Resurrection, I am forgiven, and all I want to do is forgive others as I have been so compassionately forgiven. For truly, I am a sinner and in great need of mercy.

Thankfully, Jesus gives Himself to us, freely. He gives His Grace, the promise of life forever in heaven, and the life-giving food of His Body and Blood on earth. In spite of the lies and darkness in this world, the Light of Christ is shining in His Church. We have hope and peace in knowing our Lord is the Victor. He has destroyed death, yet sin still remains.

People are killing, lying, cheating, and stealing, and we wonder where the Light is with all this darkness. The Light does shine, in us, His Church, when we love, and forgive and persevere in the fight against evil which remains powerful in our world today. When Jesus comes again, it will be time for justice, and His Church must be ready.

To get ready, we must ask for mercy and give mercy. Right now, it's all about the merciful love of Jesus. Justice will come soon enough, so let us forgive today, and accept Jesus' Mercy forever.

Look for mercy is this merciless world, look for hope in this hopeless world, look for life in this lifeless world and when you find mercy, hope, and life, His name is Jesus.