Chaplet of the Divine Mercy

On the 13 September 1935 Sister Faustina had a vision: in the evening, when she was in her cell, she saw an angel “the executor of divine wrath”. The angel was wearing “a dazzling”  garment and had a bright face. There was a cloud beneath His feet, thunderbolts and lightnings were coming out of the cloud into His hands, and from  His hand they were coming out and touching the ground. (cf. Diary 474)

When St. Faustina saw that “sign of God’s wrath” which  was to destroy a certain place, she began to pray and beg the angel to refrain from carrying out the penalty. However, her own words proved unsuccessful. Then she began to ask God for the world “with words heard interiorly.” (cf. Diary 474)

“As I was praying in this manner, I saw the Angel’s helplessness: he could not carry out the just punishment which was rightly due for sins. Never before had I prayed with such inner power as I did then. The words with which I entreated are these: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us. ” (Diary 475)

The next day, Jesus said to St. Faustina that prayer would serve to appease His wrath. (cf. Diary 476) Then He dictated her the prayer and instructed how to recite (say) it on ordinary rosary beads. (This prayer we call the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy)

First of all you will say one “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” and “I believe in God”. Then on the “Our Father” beads  you will say the following words: “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 you will say the following words: “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.” In conclusion, three times you will recite these words: “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” (Diary 476)

In one of the later revelations, the Lord Jesus called this prayer “the chaplet” and encouraged Sister Faustina to pray it “unceasingly” (cf. Diary 687)

On the pages of “Diary” you can find many words of the Lord Jesus about the enormous graces that will be granted to people who recite the chaplet: “Oh, what great graces I will grant to souls who say this chaplet, the very depths of My tender mercy are stirred for the sake of those who say the chaplet. ” (Diary 848)

PROMISES

The Lord Jesus attached great promises to the praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy:

  • Graces for all those who recite the  chaplet

“My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. (Diary 1541)

  • Graces for unredeemed sinners, and the promise of a happy death for them.

“When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one.” (Diary 1541)

  • A grace of happy death for everyone who recites the chaplet. The Lord Jesus calls the chaplet “the last hope of salvation” for sinners.

“Whoever will recite it, they will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation; Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. ” (Diary 687)

  • The grace of mercy at the hour of death for a dying person, in whose presence the Chaplet will be recited

“When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as a just Judge, but as the merciful Savior “(Diary 1541) “When this chaplet is said by the bedside of a dying person, God’s anger is placed, unfathomable mercy envelops the soul, and the very depths of My tender mercy are moved for the sake of the sorrowful Passion of My Son. “(Diary 811)

  • The grace of mercy for people who will recite this Chaplet in the presence of the dying person.

“At the hour of their death, I defend as My own glory every soul that will say this Chaplet, or when others say it for a dying person,  – the indulgence is the same ” (Diary 811)

  • Delivering the dying from despair and filling them with trust – if this Chaplet is said in the presence of a dying person

“My daughter, help Me to save souls. You will go to a dying sinner and you will continue to recite the chaplet, and in this way you will obtain for him  trust in My mercy, for he is already in despair.” (Diary 1797)   

Sister Faustina described a vision of a man dying in terrible torments: “Suddenly I found myself in a strange cottage where an elderly man was dying amidst great torments. All about the bed was a multitude of demons and the family, who were crying.  When I began to pray, the spirits of darkness fled with hissing and threats directed at me. The soul became calm, and filled with trust, rested in the Lord. At the same moment, I found myself again in my own room. ” (Diary 1798)

  • Each request will be heard, for which the chaplet will be recited, if the request is in accordance with God’s will. One day, Sister Faustina wrote in her “Diary”:

“Today I was awakened by a great storm. The  wind was raging and it was raining in torrents, thunderbolts striking again and again. I began to pray that the storm would do no harm, when I heard the words: Say this chaplet I have taught you, and the storm will cease. I began immediately to say the chaplet and hadn’t even finished it when the storm suddenly ceased, and I heard the words: “Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible  with My will.” (Diary 1731)

  • Jesus said to St. Faustina: “(…) by saying the Chaplet you are bringing humankind closer to Me.” (Diary 929) People who recite the chaplet, – pray for God’s mercy for the world and humanity. In this way, they help the Lord Jesus in the work of saving souls and become apostles of the Divine Mercy.

THE FOUNDATION: TRUST AND THE ATTITUDE OF MERCY

The Lord Jesus attached great promises to the recitation the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The  foundation for the Divine Mercy devotion is the attitude  of trust in God and the attitude of mercy towards neighbours. While reciting the chaplet, we should remember to fully trust the Lord Jesus, who said: “The graces of My Mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is trust.” (Diary 1578). The trusting attitude, apart from the attitude of mercy towards other people – is the foundation for the devotion to the Divine Mercy.

Sister M.  Elizabeth Siepak O.L.M, based on the book of Fr. prof. Ignacy Różycki devoted the Divine Mercy, writes: “If there is no foundation, that is, shaping the Christian life in the spirit of trust in God and mercy towards others, then none of the forms of devotion will be an authentic act and will not bring the expected results. So – writes Fr. I. Różycki – if, for example, someone recites the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and at the same time has no trust, they will not receive in return anything that Jesus has attached to praying the Chaplet.”

(That is my own translation from Polish language. The original text in Polish to  be found on: www.faustyna.pl)

CHAPLET OF THE DIVINE MERCY

(The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is recited using  ordinary rosary beads of five decades)

Begin with:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

On the ve large beads:

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 ten small beads:

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Concluding repeat  3 times:

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

https://www.saint-faustina.org/chaplet-of-the-divine-mercy/