The Holy Bible starts with the story of a gift given by God the Father to Adam and Eve. It was the offer to live for all eternity in the Garden of Eden where God himself was ready to walk with them. Though Adam and Eve accepted the offer, unfortunately they proved that they were not worthy for the continuous enjoyment of the gift. And God had no other way but to send them out of the place that He created exclusively for them.
Then comes the second gift. Unlike the first, this time it was a promise to be realized after thousands of years. It was the promise to send a Savior to redeem them from where they found themselves after being thrown out of the garden of Eden.
When Jesus Christ came to this world, he rewrote the then existing law by adding something that became his hallmark. It was Divine Mercy. Jesus summed up his teachings by exhorting his followers to be merciful as their father in heaven is merciful. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful’ (Lk 6:36)
Jesus taught us that mercy is a virtue of God the Father. He added that those who trust in divine mercy will never be lost. ‘I will not reject anyone who comes to me’ (Jn 6:37). But God’s mercy comes with a caveat. Those who seek mercy from God should be ready to show mercy to others as well. ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy’ (Mt 5:7). Jesus gave priority to mercy over ritual sacrifice. ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’ (Mt 9:13)
This Good Friday, we are entering a period of preparation to celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy which falls on the Sunday coming after Easter. We are familiar with the chaplet of Divine Mercy which has over the past few decades become a part of our spiritual exercises. Apart from that the Novena of Divine Mercy is a powerful prayer to be said for nine days preceding the feast of Divine Mercy.
We invite all our readers to join us in saying the Novena of Divine Mercy for the next nine days. The prayers for the first day are given below.
Novena of Divine Mercy – Day 1
Meditation: Today bring to Me all mankind, especially all sinners, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me.
Prayer: Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from it. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.
Then conclude the Novena by saying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
‘Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need’ (Heb 4:16) for there is no one who does not need Divine Mercy and our days need Divine Mercy more than ever.
