On Saturday, October 5, the feast of Saint Faustina Kowalska, "Christ's secretary of Divine Mercy," there will be a candlelight Rosary procession at 3100 Weston Road, Toronto, Ontario. Our observance of this extraordinary feast day commemorates St. Faustina's great work in helping us understand more about the importance of Jesus' mercy in our lives. The essence of the Sacraments- especially worth mentioning is the Sacrament of Penance- in which our Lord tells Saint Faustina, “Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet” (Diary 699). This revelation of Jesus emphasizes the merciful nature of God and the availability of forgiveness through Confession.
According to St. Faustina’s Diary, Jesus revealed several essential truths about Confession:
1.) No Soul Should Fear to Draw Near to Him: Jesus assured St. Faustina, "Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet” (Diary 699). This emphasizes God's merciful nature and the availability of forgiveness through Confession.
2.) Exhaustive Detail Isn’t Necessary: When confessing sins, Jesus taught St. Faustina that “When we confess sin, exhaustive detail isn’t necessary. We shouldn’t be vague or hide our sins. We ought just to say plainly what we did and leave it at that” (Diary, as quoted in “How Jesus Speaks to St. Faustina (and You) About Confession”).
3.) Be Frank with the Confessor: St. Faustina advised being honest and open with the priest during Confession, as “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
4.) The Blood and Water of Jesus’ Heart Flows Upon the Soul: During Confession, Jesus’ mercy is poured out upon the soul, as recorded in Diary 1602: “When you go to confession, to this fountain of mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flows down upon your soul.”
These teachings from Jesus to St. Faustina emphasize the importance of Confession as a means of receiving forgiveness, mercy, and restoration to a right relationship with God.
“Today the Lord said to me, ‘Daughter, when you go to confession, to this fountain of My mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flows down upon your soul and ennobles it. Every time you go to confession, immerse yourself entirely in My mercy, with great trust, so that I may pour the bounty of My grace upon your soul. When you approach the confessional, know this: I am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy. Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity. The torrents of grace inundate humble souls. The proud remain always in poverty and misery, because My grace turns away from them to humble souls.’” (No. 1602)
Jesus said to recite the chaplet of the Divine Mercy:
From Saint Faustina:
"The Lord said to me, ‘The loss of each soul plunges Me into mortal sadness. You always console Me when you pray for sinners. The prayer most pleasing to Me is prayer for the conversion of sinners. Know, My daughter, that this prayer is always heard and answered.’” (No. 1397)
"I increasingly realize how much every soul needs God’s mercy throughout life, particularly at the hour of death. This chaplet mitigates God’s anger, as He Himself told me. " (1036)
"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 pardon is the same. When this chaplet is said by the bedside of a dying person, God’s anger is placated, 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. " (811)
The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy:
Our Father...
Hail Mary....
Apostle's Creed...
On the ordinary Rosary beads say, "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, say "For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and the whole world".
At the end of the 5th decade, say three times, "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and the whole world."