Sacred Heart of Jesus Meditation

Sacred Heart of Jesus

Sacred Heart of Jesus

Meditation

Devotion to the Sacred Heart, as we know it, began about the year 1672.  On repeated occasions, Jesus appeared to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun, in France, and during these apparitions He explained to her the devotion to His Sacred Heart as He wanted people to practice it.  He asked to be honored in the symbol of His Heart of flesh; he asked for acts of reparation, for frequent Communion, Communion on the First Friday of the month, and the keeping of the Holy Hour.

Jesus Sacred Heart St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

When the Catholic Church approved the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, she did not base her action only on the visions of St. Margaret Mary.  The Church approved the devotion on its own merits.

There is only one Person in Jesus, and that Person was at the same time God and Man.  His Heart, too, is Divine—it is the Heart of God.

There are two things that must always be found together in the devotion to the Sacred Heart:  Christ’s Heart of flesh and Christ’s love for us.  True devotion to the Sacred Heart means devotion to the Divine Heart of Christ in so far as His Heart represents and recalls His love for us.

In honoring the Heart of Christ, our homage lingers on the Person of Jesus in the fullness of His Love.  

This love of Christ for us was the moving force of all He did and suffered for us—in Nazareth, on the Cross, in giving Himself in the Blessed Sacrament,  in His teaching and healing, in His praying and working.  When we speak of the Sacred Heart, we mean Jesus showing us His Heart, Jesus all love for us and all lovable.

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God’s infinite love.  The Human Nature which the Son of God took upon Himself was filled with love and kindness that has never found an equal.  He is the perfect model of love of God and neighbor.

Every day of His life was filled with repeated proofs of  “Christ’s love which surpasses all knowledge” (Eph 3:19).  Jesus handed down for all times the fundamental feature of His character:  “Take My yoke upon your shoulders and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of Heart.” (Mt 11:29).  He invited all, refusing none, surprising friends and rivals by His unconditional generosity.  He called out, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you.” (Mt 11:28).

The meaning of love in the life of Jesus was especially evident in His sufferings.  Out of love for His Father He willed to undergo the death of the Cross.  “The world must know what I love the Father and do as the Father has commanded Me” (Jn 14:31).

The love that Jesus bore toward us also urged Him to undergo the death of the Cross.  As the Last Supper, He said, “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (Jn 15:13).

What enhances Christ’s love is the sovereign liberty with which He offered Himself.  He said, “The Father loves Me for this: that I lay down My life to take it up again.  No one takes it from Me; I lay it down freely.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again.  This command I received from My Father” (Jn 10:17-18).

Christ praying at the Last Supper

Jesus loved people because they belonged to His Father.  Before He died He prayed, “For these I pray—not for the world but for these You have given Me, for they are really Yours” (Jn 17:9).  He did mankind much good for God’s sake, seeing in every person a child of God and the image of His Father.

He loved people for His own sake, because they were really so much in need of help, and because He wished to win them over to  His teaching by His innumerable favors.

When we see Jesus lavishly offering inexhaustible treasures of compassion and mercy, we are able to conceive something of the immensity of that ocean of Divine kindness and love from which the Sacred Heart of draws these treasures for us.

The Heart of Jesus never ceases to love us in heaven.  He sanctifies us through the sacraments.  These are inexhaustible fountains of grace and holiness which have their source in the boundless ocean of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on the Friday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost.

The Word of God

“This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord.  I will place My law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”  -- Jeremiah 31:33

“Take My yoke upon your shoulders and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of Heart.” – Matthew 1:28

“I have come to light a fire on the earth.  How I wish the blaze were ignited!” – Luke 12:49

Christ pierced by a lance

“When they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.  One of the soldiers thrust a lance into His side, and immediately blood flowed out.” – John 19:34

Taken from Treasury of Novenas,  by Rev. Lawrence G. Lovasik, SVD, Catholic Book Publishing Company, New York USA

Ascension of Our Lord - Meditation and Prayers

The Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven

Ascension

Meditation

On the fortieth day after His Resurrection, after having trained His Apostles for their high calling to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, Jesus prepared to ascend on high to where the glories of heaven awaited Him.  He blessed His loving Mother and His Apostles and disciples and bade them farewell.  A cloud received Him out of their sight.

The countless blessed spirits whom He had released from limbo accompanied Him as the first fruits of the redemption.  All the hosts of heaven’s Angels came out to meet Him, the Savior of the world.

As He took His place beside His heavenly Father, the whole court of heaven gave forth a glorious song of praise.  It was the song heard by John in his visions:  “Worthy is the Lamb That was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and praise!”  (Rv 5:12)

Jesus ascended into heaven to enter into possession of His glory.  While on earth He had always enjoyed the vision of God, but the glory of His Sacred Humanity had shone forth only at His Transfiguration.  On His Ascension into heaven He took His place as Man beside His heavenly Father and was exalted above all other human creatures.

The night before He died Jesus prayed to His Father: “I have given You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do.   Do You now, Father, give Me glory at Your side, glory I had with You before the world began” (Jn 17:4-5)

Since His Humanity is united to the Divine Word, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, It enjoys the right of eternal glory.  It shares with the Father the infinite bliss and mighty power of God.  This is the reward for all He has done and merited on earth.  In heaven He is raised above all because on earth He has lowered Himself below all.

When the struggle of this life is over Jesus will give us the grace to share His joy and triumph in heaven for all eternity.

Jesus ascended into heaven to be our Mediator with His Father.  There He is pleading for us.  He ascended into heaven to give an account to His heavenly Father of the great work He had done on earth.  The Church was born, grace springs up in abundance from His Cross of Calvary and is distributed through the Sacraments, God’s justice is satisfied, hell and death are conquered, heaven is opened and man saved.  Jesus had a right to the glorious homecoming.

Christ’s Ascension is also the assurance of our own ascension into heaven after the Last Judgment.  He entered into His Kingdom to prepare a place for us, for He promised to come again to take us to Himself. 

Let us ascend into heaven with Jesus in spirit, there to dwell by faith, hope and charity.  Let us seek only the joys that are true!

The Word of God

“After speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and took His seat at God’s right hand.” Mk 16:19

“When He ascended on high, He took a host of captives and gave gifts to men.”  Eph 4:8

“Since you have been raised up to company with Christ, set your hearts on what pertains to high realms where Christ is seated at God’s right hands.  Be intent on things above rather on things on earth.”  Col 3:1-2

Christ's Ascension into Heaven

Novena Prayers

Jesus, I honor You on the feast of Your Ascension into heaven.  

I rejoice with all my heart at the glory 

into which You entered to reign as King of heaven and earth.  

When the struggle of this life is over, 

give me the grace to share Your joy 

and triumph in heaven for all eternity.

I believe that You entered into Your glorious Kingdom 

to prepare a place for me, 

for You promised to come again 

to take me to Yourself. 

Grant that I may seek only the joys of Your friendship, 

so that I may deserve to be united with You in heaven.

In the hour of my homecoming, 

when I appear before Your Father 

to give an account of my life on earth, 

have mercy on me.

Jesus, in Your love for me 

You have brought me from evil to good 

and from misery to happiness.  

Give me the grace to rise 

above my human weakness.  

May Your Humanity 

give me courage in my weakness 

and free me from my sins.

Through Your grace 

give me the courage of perseverance 

for You have called and justified me by faith.  

May I hold fast to the life You have given me 

and come to the eternal gifts You promised.

You love me, dear Jesus.  

Help me to love You in return.  

I ask You to grant this special favor (Mention your request.)

By Your unceasing care, 

guide my steps toward the life of glory 

You have prepared for those who love You.  

Make me grow in holiness and thank You 

by a life of faithful service.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on us!

Prayer of Praise to Jesus in Glory

I praise You, dearest Heart of Jesus, Fountain of all goodness.

I praise You, most kind Heart of Jesus, 

for the boundless graces that have flowed 

and shall continue to flow from You into the souls of the just.

I praise You, most gentle Heart of Jesus, 

for the tender love with which You have 

so often refreshed devout hearts through Divine consolations.

I praise You, most loving Heart of Jesus, 

for the fullness of Your grace, 

the splendor of Your virtues, 

the generosity of Your Heart, 

and the purity of Your love.

I praise You, royal Heart of Jesus, 

for Your victory over death and sin, 

Your power over souls, 

and Your triumph over the living and the dead.

I praise You, Heart so poor and yet so rich, 

for having despised all earthly riches 

and for having renounced all earthly honors.

I praise You, most obedient Heart of Jesus, 

that hungered after the fulfillment of the Divine Will 

and thirsted after the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls.

I praise You, most generous Heart of Jesus, 

that did not seek its own glory; 

most patient Heart, that willingly bore the greatest insults; 

most unselfish Heart, that longed for and lovingly embraced the Cross.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 

teach me to love You with my whole Heart, 

and grant that, according to the little strength I have, 

I may imitate Your wonderful virtues.  Amen.

Prayer

God Our Father, make us joyful in the Ascension of Your Son Jesus Christ.  

May we follow Him into the new creation, for His Ascension is our glory and our hope. 

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever.  

Amen.

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Novena to the Sacred Heart

O my Jesus, Thou has said: “Truly I say to you, ask and it will be given you, see and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.”  Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of . . .

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be;

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee.

O my Jesus, Thou has said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in My Name, He will give it to you.”  Behold, in Thy Name, I ask the Father for the grace of . . .

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be;

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee.

O my Jesus, Thou has said: “Truly I say to you, Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away.”  Encouraged by Thy infallible words I now ask for the grace of . . .

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be;

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of Thee, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your tender Mother and ours.

Immaculate Heart of  Mary

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope.  To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.  To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.  Turn then, most gracious Advocate, Thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Novena to the Sacred Heart

O my Jesus, Thou has said: “Truly I say to you, ask and it will be given you, see and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.”  Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of . . .

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be;

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee.

O my Jesus, Thou has said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in My Name, He will give it to you.”  Behold, in Thy Name, I ask the Father for the grace of . . .

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be;

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee.

O my Jesus, Thou has said: “Truly I say to you, Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away.”  Encouraged by Thy infallible words I now ask for the grace of . . .

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be;

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of Thee, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your tender Mother and ours.

Immaculate Heart of  Mary

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope.  To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.  To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.  Turn then, most gracious Advocate, Thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer To Jesus Abandoned

He's Abandoned In the Blessed Sacrament

With Mary Immaculate, let us adore, thank, implore and console, the Most Beloved and Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

O Divine Jesus, lonely tonight in so many Tabernacles, without visitor or worshipper I offer Thee my poor Heart.  May its every throb be an act of love for Thee.  

Thou are always watching beneath the Sacramental Veils; in Thy Love Thou dost never sleep and Thou art never weary of Thy vigil for sinners.  

O lonely Jesus, may the flame of my heart burn and beam always in company with Thee.

O Sacrament Most Holy, 

O Sacrament Divine, 

All praise and all thanksgiving 

be every moment Thine!

Could you not spend one hour with Me?

Matthew 26:40

Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory, Prayer for Those in Their Last Agony

Christ's Mercy for the Souls in Purgatory

Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Have Mercy of gentle Jesus on the souls detained in purgatory.  Thou Who for their ransom didst take upon Thyself our human nature and suffer the most cruel death, pity their sighs and tears shed when they raise their longing eyes toward Thee; and by virtue of Thy Passion, cancel the penalty due to their sins.  May Thy Blood, O tender Jesus, Thy Precious Blood, descend into purgatory to solace and refresh those who there languish in captivity.  Reach forth Thy hand to them, and lead them into the realms of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.

During the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass souls in Purgatory are refreshed by the Blood of Christ

Prayer for Those in Their Last Agony

O Most Merciful Jesus, Lover of Souls: I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy Most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thy Immaculate Mother, cleanse in Thy Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their agony and are to die this day.

Amen

Heart of Jesus Agonizing, have mercy on the dying.

Act of Reparation

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Save Us!

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy Throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee!

The more Thy mysteries are blasphemed, the more firmly we shall believe them, O Sacred Heart of Jesus!

The more impiety endeavors to extinguish our hopes of immortality, the more we shall trust in Thy Heart, sole hope of mankind!

The more hearts resist Thy Divine attractions the more we shall trust in Thy Heart, sole hope of mankind!

The more unbelief attacks Thy Divinity, the more humbly and profoundly we shall adore It, O Divine Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy holy laws are transgressed and ignored, the more we shall delight to observe them, O most holy Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Sacraments are despised and abandoned, the more frequently we shall receive them with love and reverence, O most liberal Heart of Jesus!

The more the imitation of Thy virtues is neglected and forgotten, the more we shall endeavor to practice them, O Heart, model of every virtue!

The more the devil labors to destroy souls, the more we shall be inflamed with desire to save them, O Heart of Jesus, zealous Lover of souls!

The more sin and impurity destroy the image of God in man, the more we shall try by purity of life to be a living temple of the Holy Spirit, O Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Holy Church is despised, the more we shall endeavor to be her faithful children, O Sweet Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Vicar on earth is persecuted, the more will we honor him as the infallible head of Thy Holy Church, show our fidelity and pray for him, O kingly Heart of Jesus!

O Sacred Heart, through Thy powerful grace, may we become Thy apostles in the midst of a corrupted world, and be Thy crown in the kingdom of heaven.

Amen.

Taken from the book – Holy Hour of Reparation, copyright 1945

Consecration of the Human Race

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Consecration of the Human Race 

to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Ordered by His Holiness, Pope Pius XI, December 11, 1925 

For One Fold and One Shepherd

Most Sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thee.  We are Thine and Thine we wish to be; each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy Most Sacred Heart.

Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee.

Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy Sacred Heart. 

Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee.  Grant that they may quickly return to their Father’s house lest they die in wretchedness and hunger.

Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.

Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church, assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound, from pole to pole  with one cry:  

Praise to the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation; 

to It be glory and honor  forever!!

Amen.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, 

Thy Kingdom Come!

Taken from the book – Holy Hour of Reparation, copyright 1945

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by St. Alphonsus Liguori

          Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, 

living and life-giving fountain of eternal life, infinite treasure of the Divinity, 

and glowing furnace of love, 

You are my sanctuary.

O Adorable and Glorious Savior, 

consume my heart with that burning fire 

that ever inflames Your Heart.

Pour down on my soul those graces 

which flow from Your Love.  

Let my heart be one with, 

and in all things conformed to Yours.

May Your Will 

be the rule of both my desires and my actions.

Amen

St. Alphonsus Liguori

FATIMA PRAYERS NEEDED NOW

FATIMA PRAYERS NEEDED

TO BE PRAYED NOW!!

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

MOST HOLY TRINITY, I adore Thee! My God, My God,

 I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

(3 times)

PARDON PRAYER

MY GOD, I believe, I adore, I trust, and I love Thee!

 I ask pardon for for those who do not believe,

 do not adore, do not trust and do not love Thee.

(3 times)

 

SACRIFICE PRAYER

Sacrifices --  A great "secret" of converting sinners is to make sacrifices for them, as well as to pray for them. Our Lady Of Fatima said: "Many souls go to Hell because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them," And the holy Cure of Ars said that the conversion of sinners "begins with prayer and ends with penance."

  But whereas "penance" and "sacrifice" sound frightening to some people and we may not like these words, yet they are the key to obtaining Heaven for poor sinners. If we are frightened of penance, we can begin by making one little sacrifice per day-----perhaps eating something we do not like, or drinking water instead of pop, or making ourselves wait a half hour or so to take a drink when we are thirsty. These are little forms of "fasting". Some sacrifices we are obliged to make anyway, but we can offer them for sinners: examples of these are being patient with a trying person or turning off an immodest TV, program. These sacrifices will be presents for Our Lady, the precious coin she can use to buy back souls that are headed for Hell.

  It seems that God loves to "delegate" His work, He has given it to us to be the "secondary" causes of His work, including the salvation of our "brother" and our "neighbor." And though His Blood poured out on Calvary was sufficient to save all souls, He requires that we, the living branches on Him, the Vine, ask for and even "activate" its application to those souls by our prayers and our sacrifices.

  At Fatima both the Angel and Our Lady asked for sacrifices for sinners. They said, "Sacrifice yourself." This is done largely by generously making individual sacrifices.

The Angel of Fatima, too, told the three children to "Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High . . . Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners . . . Above all, accept and bear with submission the sufferings which the Lord will send you."

If Our Lady and the Angel ask for prayers and sacrifices for the conversion of sinners, this means that they actually intend to save sinners if prayers and sacrifices are offered up. We must therefore send these up with confidence in Our Lady's intention and power to save the dying. After receiving the above-mentioned message of the Angel, the children were given to understand "how pleasing it [sacrifice] is to Him and how, on account of it, He grants the grace of conversion to sinners." It does work! This is the true recipe for saving souls, even those who are dying and have very little time left.

 

OUR LADY OF FATIMA SAID: SACRIFICE YOURSELVES FOR SINNERS AND SAY MANY TIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU MAKE SOME SACRIFICE:

 O JESUS, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners,

 and in reparation for the sins committed against

 the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

DECADE PRAYER

(To be said after the Glory Be at the end of  each decade of the Rosary)

O MY JESUS, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of Hell,

 lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need of Thy mercy.

 

ANGEL'S PRAYER

(Given to the three children by the Angel who

 preceded Our Lady's first appearance to them.)

MOST Holy Trinity, Father, Son, a

nd Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly.

 I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity

 of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world,

 in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference

 by which He is offended.  And through the infinite merit

 of His Most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

 I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.

(3 times)

1000s of people see the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima

 

Pope John Paul II's Homily Divine Mercy Sunday, 2001.

Pope John Paul II's Homily

On the first universal celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday April 22, 2001

Divine Mercy: The Easter Gift

"Fear not, I am the first and the last, 
and the living one; I died, 
and behold I am alive for evermore"  
(Rev 1:17-18).

We heard these comforting words in the Second Reading taken from the Book of Revelation. They invite us to turn our gaze to Christ, to experience His reassuring presence. To each person, whatever his condition, even if it were the most complicated and dramatic, the Risen One repeats: "Fear not!; I died on the Cross but now I am alive for evermore"; "I am the first and the last, and the living one."

"The first," that is, the source of every being and the first-fruits of the new creation; "the last," the definitive end of  history; "the living one," the inexhaustible source of life that triumphed over death forever.

In the Messiah, crucified and risen, we recognize the features of the Lamb sacrificed on Golgotha, who implores forgiveness for His torturers and opens the gates of heaven to repentant sinners; we glimpse the face of the immortal King who now has "the keys of Death and Hades" (Rev 1:18).

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever! (Ps 117:1). Let us make our own the Psalmist's exclamation which we sang in the Responsorial Psalm: "The Lord's mercy endures forever!" In order to understand thoroughly the truth of these words, let us be led by the liturgy to the heart of the event of salvation, which unites Christ's Death and Resurrection with our lives and with the world's history. This miracle of mercy has radically changed humanity's destiny. It is a miracle in which is unfolded the fullness of the love of the Father who, for our redemption, does not even draw back before the sacrifice of His Only-begotten Son.

In the humiliated and suffering Christ, believers and non-believers can admire a surprising solidarity, which binds Him to our human condition beyond all imaginable measure. The Cross, even after the Resurrection of the Son of God, "speaks and never ceases to speak of God the Father, who is absolutely faithful to His eternal love for man. ... Believing in this love means believing in mercy" (Rich in Mercy, 7).

Blessed Pope John Paul II and Divine Mercy

Let us thank the Lord for His love, which is stronger than death and sin. It is revealed and put into practice as mercy in our daily lives, and prompts every person in turn to have "mercy" towards the Crucified One. Is not loving God and loving one's neighbor and even one's "enemies," after Jesus' example, the program of life of every baptized person and of the whole Church?

A great joy

With these sentiments, we are celebrating the Second Sunday of Easter, which since last year, the year of the Great jubilee, is also called "Divine Mercy Sunday." It is a great joy for me to be able to join all of you, dear pilgrims and faithful who have come from various nations to commemorate, after one year, the canonization of Sister Faustina Kowalska, witness and messenger of the Lord's merciful love.

The elevation to the honors of the altar of this humble religious, a daughter of my land, is not only a gift for Poland but for all humanity. Indeed the message she brought is the appropriate and incisive answer that God wanted to offer to the questions and expectations of human beings in our time, marked by terrible tragedies. Jesus said to Sister Faustina one day: "Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy" (Diary, 300). Divine Mercy! This is the Easter gift that the Church receives from the risen Christ and offers to humanity at the dawn of the third millennium.

The Gospel, which has just been proclaimed, helps us to grasp the full sense and value of this gift. The Evangelist John makes us share in the emotion felt by the Apostles in their meeting with Christ after His Resurrection. Our attention focuses on the gesture of the Master, who transmits to the fearful, astounded disciples the mission of being ministers of Divine Mercy. He shows them His hands and His side, which bear the marks of the Passion, and tells them: "As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you" (John 20:21.)

Immediately afterwards, "He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained' " (John 20:22-23). Jesus entrusted to them the gift of "forgiving sins," a gift that flows from the wounds in His hands, His feet, and especially from His pierced side. From there a wave of mercy is poured out over all humanity.

Let us relive this moment with great spiritual intensity. Today the Lord also shows us His glorious wounds and His Heart, an inexhaustible source of light and truth, of love and forgiveness.

Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Heart of Christ!

His "Sacred Heart" has given men everything: redemption, salvation, sanctification. Saint Faustina Kowalska saw coming from this Heart that was overflowing with generous love, two rays of light which illuminated the world.

The two rays, [according to what Jesus Himself told her], denote blood and water (Diary, 299). The blood recalls the sacrifice of Golgotha and the mystery of the Eucharist; the water, according to the rich symbolism of the Evangelist John, makes us think of Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Spirit (See John 3:5; 4:14).

Through the mystery of this wounded Heart, the restorative tide of God's merciful love continues to spread over the men and women of our time. Here alone can those who long for true and lasting happiness find its secret.

"Jesus, I trust in You!"

This prayer, dear to so many of the devout, clearly expresses the attitude with which we too would like to abandon ourselves trustfully in Your hands, O Lord, our only Savior.

You are burning with the desire to be loved and those in tune with the sentiments of Your Heart learn how to build the new civilization of love. A simple act of abandonment is enough to overcome the barriers of darkness and sorrow, of doubt and desperation. The rays of Your Divine Mercy restore hope, in a special way, to those-who feel overwhelmed by the burden of sin.

Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us always to have this trust in your Son, our Redeemer. Help us too, St. Faustina, whom we remember today with special affection. Fixing our weak gaze on the Divine Savior's face, we would like to repeat with you: "Jesus, I trust in You!" Now and for ever. Amen.