IN THE FOOTS
TEPS OF JESUS
SAINT OF THE MONTH
St. Faustina and Divine Mercy Sunday – Sunday following Easter
Author: Fr. Dean Danos
Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated the first Sunday after Easter. The liturgical color is white.
Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska was born August 25, 1905, in Poland to a very poor but religious family. She was one of ten children. She was baptized with the name Helena and had a great love for prayer, good works, obedient and was very concerned about the poor. At the age of seven, she received the call to become a religious sister. At the age of nine, she made her First Communion. She attended school for only three semesters.
She wanted to enter the convent, but her parents would not give permission. At the age of sixteen, she left home and went to work as a housekeeper, to support herself and her parents.
On August 1,1925, she entered the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and took the name of Sister Maria Faustina of the Most Blessed Sacrament. She spent thirteen years in the convent as a cook and gardener.
She had a child-like trust in God, as well as mercy toward her neighbors. The Lord chose Sister Faustina as the Apostle and Secretary of His Mercy. She received messages from the Lord to record an entire diary called Divine Mercy in my Soul. She only had a third grade education and did not even have a good pen to write with. Scholars were amazed that every word was spelled correctly and the grammar was also correct.
For she was inspired by Jesus. In the diary, she stated that Jesus greatest attribute was His Divine Mercy. She also received a Novena to Divine Mercy, which begins on Good Friday and runs for nine days. She has also given us the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which is prayed at the three o’ clock hour.
The three o’clock hour is the hour Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday. The Chaplet is recited using ordinary rosary beads of the five decades. Our Lord said to St. Faustina to encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I gave you. Whoever will recite it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death. When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between my Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the Merciful Savior. 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. One can receive a plenary indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday.
What is an indulgence? An indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin that has already been forgiven. One must go to Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday, pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Eucharistic Adoration and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation and pray for Our Holy Father, Pope Francis.
Sister Faustina had a painting of Jesus with rays following from His heart. The white rays flowing from His heart is for the water that flowed from his side and the red rays flowing from His heart is for the blood that flowed from His side. Sister Faustina signed the painting with the words, “Jesus, I trust in you!”
At the age of 33, Sister Faustina died on October 5,1938, and was canonized a Saint on April 30,2000, in Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City by Pope John Paul ll on Divine Mercy Sunday. Her feast day is October 5th. Pope John Paul ll died on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday April 2, 2005.
Divine Mercy Chaplet: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/chaplet-13364
Divine Mercy Novena for Divine Mercy Sunday: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/novena-13366
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES
“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” – St. Catherine of Siena
“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.” – St. Catherine of Siena
“The soul is in God and God is in the soul. God is closer to us than water is to a fish.” – St. Catherine of Siena
“God seeks you, precisely you! God always precedes you, always arrives first. And He waits for you like the father of the Prodigal Son, and He embraces you in whatever situation you are in, as you are, full of limitations, in your sin.” – Pope Francis
“Suffering is the greatest treasure on earth; it purifies the soul. In suffering, we learn who our true friend is.” St. Faustina
“Jesus loves hidden souls. A hidden flower is the most fragrant. I must strive to make the interior of my soul a resting place for the Heart of Jesus.” St. Faustina
Article Spotlight
John Paul II’s Angelus from Sunday, November 30, 1986
BOOK OF THE MONTH
“Divine Mercy in My Soul: Diary of St. Faustina” by Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
Congregation’s Website: https://www.sisterfaustina.com/books.html
Amazon: https://a.co/d/6aAgcFs
“Heavenly Army of Angels” by Bob and Penny Lord
APPARITION OF THE MONTH
Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel
Apparition:
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel:
Chaplet of St. Michael:
EWTN: https://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/ItemSearch--search-St-Michael-Chaplet--srcin-1
Amazon: https://a.co/d/00pZD2o
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