Divine Mercy Sunday is this Sunday.
During the Great Depression in 1931, a sister of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, Faustina Kowalska, is said to have had a personal visit from Jesus. During the visit, an imagine was revealed to her of the risen Lord whose heart is shone with two rays, one that is red (representing blood) and the other a light blue (symbolizing water). The words, "Jesus, I trust in You" are written a the bottom. Faustina wrote in her diary the words from Jesus, "I promise that the soul that will venerate this imagine will not perish."
After she was canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II (her fellow countryman), he proclaimed the Second Sunday of Easter would be known as Divine Mercy Sunday.
The imagine in the picture captures me and holds my gaze while reminding me to let go and let God.
Life is a journey full of ups and downs. Sometimes you don't even realize how you can become almost like a robot, just trying to make it through the day.
Jesus, I trust in you.
Everyone has their own story and mine is no more special or hard than another, but thinking back some 10 years ago when our family experienced being laid off the first time, I wonder how we did it because it was hard. We had 5 young children (Noah was only 9 months old at the time- he is now 11). We not only lost our income, we lost our house and most everything else. We had to move 3 times in 9 months. It felt like we were being dragged through the desert, and I for one had not signed up for that journey!
Jesus, I trust in you.
I am grateful for hindsight vision...it is always 20/20! Through that journey in the desert, we can see now that we were never abandoned. We were given manna to eat and companionship from complete strangers. We learned that a home is where you are together, and a house doesn't always make a home. We learned the virtue of humility and the value of surrendering our will.
Jesus, I trust in you.
The journey continues. We continually learn how to trust, how to empty ourselves of our own desires. We abandon ourselves to Him, trusting in His plan, knowing it dong so we will eventually make it to the promised land.
Jesus, I trust in you.
This Sunday is such a good reminder for me, for us. Realizing that in times such as the ones that we are currently in, we must trust in something greater.
Jesus, I trust in you.
Jesus, I trust in you.
I found a quick article and video (linked here) that shares what to do on this Divine Mercy Sunday when the churches are closed.
Join your fellow countryman at St. John the Baptist:
- Sunday Mass at 10am: click here
- Live streaming Mass (Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 8am): Click here
- Divine Mercy Chaplet live-stream on Sunday, April 19 at 3:00pm View it here.
Jesus, I trust in you.
I've had a relationship with St. Faustina since 1995, before she was even canonized. She is one of my favorite saints, and is Keelia's patron saint. We're on the 8th day of the Divine Mercy Novena, which is so awesome. We couldn't even hand out Divine Mercy booklets at church this year :(
ReplyDeleteMore info: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/novena-13366