Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19, During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Today is the wonderful feast of Divine Mercy.

It is the day when God's unfathomable Mercy and Goodness enter our hearts if we TRUST in Him. The more we trust, the more graces we receive.

This year's feast is unlike any other before it for the faithful who are suffering from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Many in the United States and around the world are unable to participate in Divine Mercy Sunday in the traditional way, namely, to attend confession and receive Holy Communion at Mass due to closed churches and canceled services.

If you can attend Mass safely, please do it. If you are unable, then pray from home. Don't give up grace because you aren't celebrating in a church or with others.

On Sunday, April 19:

• If the Sacrament of Reconciliation with a priest is unavailable, say an Act of Contrition, with the desire never to sin again. Be contrite and humble as you pray. If you can attend church for a traditional confession, then do so seven days before or after the feast. When you do, you leave those sins in the past.
  
  
• Go to Mass. If you are unable to attend Mass in person, watch the Vatican's video stream of the Mass or via EWTN.
  
  
• Make a Spiritual Communion with this prayer. Pray for God's Mercy on you, your family and for the world.
  
  
• Venerate the image of Divine Mercy.
  
  
• Practice works of selfless love and mercy by helping others in trouble and offering prayers to save souls during the pandemic.

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Watch live the events at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Cracow-Lagiewniki, where the image of The Divine Mercy and Saint Faustina's tomb reside.

After the feast, spread the message of Mercy and pray daily the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy.

From Saint Faustina's Diary:

November 5, 1934. One morning, when it was my duty to open the gate to let out our people who deliver baked goods, I entered the little chapel to visit Jesus for a minute and to renew the intentions of the day. Today, Jesus, I offer You all my sufferings, mortifications and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father, so that he may approve the Feast of mercy. But, Jesus, I have one more word to say to You; I am very surprised that You bid me to talk about this Feast of mercy, for they tell me that there is already such a feast and so why should I talk about it? And Jesus said to me, And who knows anything about this feast? No one! Even those who should be proclaiming My mercy and teaching people about it often do not know about it themselves. That is why I want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it.

Make a novena for the Holy Father's intention. It should consist of thirty-three acts; that is, repetition that many times of the short prayer  -- which I have taught you -- to The Divine Mercy. (Diary entry 341)

Trust in God in Times of Temptation: "Jesus, I love you, I trust in You"

As we attempt to increase our trust in God's Mercy, we likely will encounter temptations to fall into despair when life sends us difficulties, lose hope in the future and also pull away from Our Lord. In these times repeat, "Jesus, I love you, I trust in You." Say a Hail Mary prayer and ask the saints in heaven for their prayers.

In February 1938, Saint Faustina wrote this passage in her diary and gives us the words of Jesus that we may not be afraid in darkness, but hurry to Him in prayer with great openness, admitting our struggle and asking for peace of mind.

February 3, [1938]. Today after Holy Communion, Jesus again gave me a few directives: First, do not fight against a temptation by yourself, but disclose it to the confessor at once, and then the temptation will lose all its force. Second, during these ordeals do not lose your peace; live in My presence; ask My Mother and the Saints for help. Third, have the certitude that I am looking at you and supporting you. Fourth, do not fear either struggles of the soul or any temptations, because I am supporting you; if only you are willing to fight, know that the victory is always on your side. Fifth, know that by fighting bravely you give Me great glory and amass merits for yourself. Temptation gives you a chance to show Me your fidelity.

And now I am going to tell you something that is most important for you: Boundless sincerity with your spiritual director. If you do not take advantage of this great grace according to My instructions, I will take him away from you, and then you will be left to yourself; and all the torments, which you know very well, will return to you. It displeases Me that you do not take advantage of the opportunity when you are able to see him and talk with him. Know that it is a great grace on My part when I give a spiritual director to a soul. Many souls ask Me for this, but it is not to all that I grant this grace. From the moment when I gave you this priest as spiritual director, I endowed him with new light so that he might easily know and understand your soul…..

O my Jesus, my only mercy, allow me to see contentment in Your face as a sign of reconciliation with me, because my heart cannot bear Your seriousness; if this continues a moment longer my heart will burst with grief. You see that I am even now crushed to dust.

And at that very moment I saw myself in some kind of a palace; and Jesus gave me His hand, sat me at His side, and said with kindness, My bride, you always please Me by your humility. The greatest misery does not stop Me from uniting Myself to a soul, but where there is pride, I am not there. 

When I came to myself, I reflected on what had happened in my heart, thanking God for His love and for the mercy that He had shown me. (Diary entries 1560 to 1563)

Divine Mercy During Coronavirus

How to prepare and celebrate the 2020 Feast of the Divine Mercy
during the coronavirus pandemic.

This year's feast is unlike any other before it for the faithful who are suffering from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Many in the United States, South America, Western and Eastern Europe and across Asia are unable to observe the Feast of the Divine Mercy in the traditional way, namely, to attend confession and receive Holy Communion at Mass due to closed churches and canceled services.

Yet, because of our tremendous faith in God, we won't be deterred in our special prayers for the feast. Please celebrate Divine Mercy in your own homes. By faithful prayer, open your heart to receive God's Grace, Mercy, Goodness and Kindness.

To prepare for this wonderful feast, do the following on Good Friday:

• Start a Novena to the Divine Mercy during the pandemic, using the Chaplet, in preparation for the feast on Sunday, April 19.
  
  
• Ask Jesus to help you place all your trust in the Divine Mercy of His Most Sacred Heart.
  

On Sunday, April 19:

• If the Sacrament of Reconciliation with a priest is unavailable, say an Act of Contrition, with the desire never to sin again. Be contrite and humble as you pray. If you can attend church for a traditional confession, then do so seven days before or after the feast.
  
  
• Go to Mass. If you are unable to attend Mass in person, watch the Vatican's video stream of the Mass or via EWTN.
  
• Make a Spiritual Communion with this prayer.
  
  
• Venerate the image of Divine Mercy.

Then...

• Practice works of selfless love and mercy by helping others in trouble and offering prayers to save souls during the pandemic.
  
  
• Watch the live stream of the chapel in Poland housing the image of Divine Mercy and Saint Faustina's shrine.

* * *

Saint Faustina wrote in her diary on Good Friday 1937:

Jesus is commanding me to make a novena before the Feast of Mercy, and today I am to begin it for the conversion of the whole world and for the recognition of The Divine Mercy...so that every soul will praise My goodness. I desire trust from My creatures. Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins than there are grains of sand in the world, all would be drowned in the unmeasurable depths of My mercy.  (Diary entry 1059)

* * *

My daughter, look into My Merciful Heart and reflect its compassion in your own heart and in your deeds, so that you who proclaim My mercy to the world, may yourself be aflame with it. (Diary entry 1688)