The Essence of the Divine Mercy Devotion
1. Trust
- expresses the disposition we should have toward God. It includes not only the virtue of hope, but also a lively faith, humility, perseverance and remorse for sins committed. It is simply the attitude of a child who trusts boundlessly in the merciful love and omnipotence of the Heavenly Father in every situation.
Trust is so essential to the Divine Mercy devotion that without it the devotion cannot exist; this is because our worship of the Divine Mercy is first and foremost an expression of trust. An attitude of trust alone (even without the practice of other forms of the devotion) already assures the trusting soul of grace that will receive God's mercy.
I desire, Jesus promised, to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy. (687) Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust. Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good. Whoever places his trust in My mercy will be filled with My divine peace at the hour of death. (1520)
Trust is not only the essence or soul of this devotion, but also the condition for obtaining graces.
The graces of mercy, Jesus told Sister Faustina, are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is - trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. (1578) The soul which will trust in My mercy is most fortunate, because I Myself take care of it. (1273) No soul that has called upon My Mercy has been disappointed or brought to shame. I delight particularly in a soul which has placed its trust in My goodness. (1541)
2. Mercy
- expresses the disposition we should have towards every human being.
Jesus told Sister Faustina, I demand ... deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it. I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first - by deed, the second - by word, the third - by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My Mercy. (742)
This attitude of an active love of neighbor is also a condition for obtaining graces.
Jesus recalled the Gospel maxim when He said, If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgement. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgement with their mercy. (1317) The Lord desires that those who worship Him perform at least one act of mercy every day. My daughter, Jesus told Sister Faustina, know that My Heart is mercy itself. From this sea of mercy, graces flow out upon the whole world. ... I desire that your heart be an abiding place of My mercy. I desire that this mercy flow out upon the whole world through your heart. Let no one who approaches you go away without that trust in My mercy which I so ardently desire for souls. (1777)
