Divine Mercy Devotion
He asked her to have his image painted, with the signature : “Jesus, I trust in you “ and that his message of “Grace” be shared with the whole world, so that the devotion to Divine Mercy may be spread throughout the word. The meaning of the image, as revealed to Sr Faustina is : “The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the water which makes the souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the very depths of my tender mercy when my agonized heart was opened by a lance on the cross”. The Lord also requested that the Chaplet to Divine Mercy be said by all the faithful : “Encourage souls to say the Chaplet that I have given you.” He also asked that the Feast of Mercy be celebrated across the world. “The Feast of Mercy emerged from my very depths of tenderness. It is my desire that it solemnly be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the fount of My Mercy.” These requests of the Lord given to Sr. Faustina between 1931 and 1938 can be considered the beginning of the Divine MercyMessage and Devotion as we see across the world today. In 2000, St. Pope John Paul canonized Sr. Faustina (making her St. Faustina), and also, established Divine Mercy Sunday as a feast day for the entire Church. The feast day falls on the Second Sunday of the Easter season.
The Hour of Great Mercy
In His revelations to St. Faustina, Our Lord asked for a special prayer and meditation on His Passion each afternoon at the three o’clock hour, the hour that recalls His death on the cross. At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion (Diary, 1320). As often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul. In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world — mercy triumphed over justice. (1572). My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant. (1572) From these detailed instructions, it’s clear that Our Lord wants us to turn our attention to His Passion at the three o’clock hour to whatever degree our duties allow, and He wants us to ask for His mercy.