JESUS TRUSTS IN YOU TRUSTS IN YOU AN EXTRAORDINARY BOOK ON DIVINE ZACCHAEUS,

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Lk 19:5 143 TAbLE 9 FEAST OF CONTENTS OF INTRODUCTION

MESSAGE THE HOUR OF MERCY TO YOUTH 135 THE SHRINE OF DIVINE 159 153 23 MERCY THE WAY OF MERCY MEDITATION 227229 CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY HOW DO I CONFESS? 127 ST. SISTER 185 FAUSTINA CONFESSION THE SACRAMENT OF MERCY X 43

ST. JOHN PAUL II DIVINE MERCY 63 QUESTIONS? & ANSWERS “JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU”

81 115 INTRODUCTION

WORD FROM METROPOLITAN OF KRAKÓW TO PARTICIPANTS OF THE THE THIRTY-FIRST KRAKÓW 2016 I welcome you to the country which, through the baptism of Prince Mieszko I in 966, opened itself up to the …

AND ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS ITS LORD

10 AND SAVIOuR O GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, We invite young people from all over the world to our Polish FOR HE IS GOOD; Cenacle where we reserve an important place for the Lord’s HIS MERCY Mother. Mary carries the title of the Queen of and is venerated in numerous paintings and figures, the most fa- ENDURES FOREVER! Ps 118 (117):1 mous one is the Black Madonna of Częstochowa at Jasna Góra. Apart from Mary, Poland holds hosts of Polish saints and With these words from the Psalm normally sung in church on blesseds: St. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr; St. Kinga; Bl. Sa- the first Sunday after Easter, known as Mercy Sunday, let me lome; St. Jadwiga, who was queen; St. John of Cantius; Bl. Zo- cordially welcome all participants of World Youth Day. We are fia Czeska; Bl. Stanislaus Papczyński; St. ; grateful to the Holy Father, Francis, for choosing Kraków St. : St. Ursula Ledóchowska and and Poland as the place of gathering of young people from Bl. Maria Teresa Ledóchowska, who were sisters; St. Max- all over the world so that they can bear witness to their imillian Maria Kolbe and many saint and blessed martyrs of in Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen to share peace and , World War II; Bl. Jerzy Popiełuszko, martyred by communist goodness and kindness with all people of good will. authorities; and St. Sister and St. John I welcome you to Poland and to Kraków, the homeland of Paul II, who are called Apostles of Divine Mercy. John Paul II. I welcome you to the country which, through Dear young people, along with your ministers, you are com- the baptism of Prince Mieszko I in 966, opened itself up to ing from various parts of the world: from Europe, Africa, Amer- the Gospel and accepted Jesus Christ as its Lord and Sav- ica, Asia, Australia and Oceania, to the homeland of John Paul iour. Fifteen hundred years ago, the foreheads of our ancestors were anointed with the waters of baptism and the sacrament’s grace filled their hearts making of them a harvest of Christ’s teaching. Therefore, Christ has been present in our history and life for over a thousand years, shaping the attitude of from the Oder to the Vistula and Bug rivers, from the Tatra Mountains to the Baltic Sea. Christ suffering on the cross has WHAT IS become a symbol of our past, marking the history of Poland, particularly in times of wars, persecution, and the country’s oc- THE RECIPE cupation. Our Risen Lord was a symbol in the times of Hitler’s occupation and long years of communist subjugation. He was FOR a source of and of the strength needed to persevere in

following God and His rule. HOLINESS? 12 36-40 22, Mt 13 © DAYENU Image of Our Lady of Częstochowa Black Madonna

14 15 II in order to share your experience of faith and joy of believing out over the whole of humanity through the sacraments of in Christ. In this Polish Cenacle, we feel moved by the call that the Church. Mercy, as John Paul II wrote in Dives in the Christ made to His disciples: “As the Father has sent me, Misericordia (No. 7), is “love’s second name”, indicating God’s so I send you” (Jn 20:21). Over two thousand years ago, when unlimited ability to forgive our sins. saying these words, Jesus showed His disciples His pierced We believe that Christ entrusted St. Faustina with his mes- hands and His side. He showed them wounds inflicted on Him sage of mercy so that she could pass it to the world. God gave by Roman soldiers during His ordeal. Most of all, He showed us this message at a very difficult point in the world’s history them His wounded Heart from which poured a torrent of love – between World War I and World War II – at the time when over the world. humanity experienced horrific atrocities embodied by concen- Gathering in Kraków’s Cenacle of Divine Mercy, we come to tration camps and gulags. Jesus said to St. Faustina: “Mankind realize that we have been brought here by the Merciful Jesus. will not find peace until it returns with trust to my mercy” He has called us here and has given us courage to travel from (Diary, 300). Thanks to St. Faustina and John Paul II – for whom very distant places to come here and to once again hear the we thank God – this message has become a sign of hope for proclamation of love and bear witness to God’s great love for humanity, like “a bridge to the third millennium”. That is how His people. St. John Paul II referred to Divine Mercy. In Kraków, together with the Holy Father , we Gathering in Kraków, let us look at a special Apostle of Mer- want to look at the image of the Merciful Jesus at the rays of cy, namely St. John Paul II. With courage he stood by St. Sister light emanating from His heart onto the whole world. “The Faustina carrying the message of mercy to distant corners of two rays – Jesus explained to St. Faustina – denote Blood the world. Even as a young worker at Solvay, Karol Wojtyła and Water” (Diary, 299). We are here to once again relive used to come to the sanctuary chapel in Łagiewniki to pray this Gospel scene, depicted by St. John, and contemplate the before the image of the Merciful Jesus. Later on, as Archbish- greatest mystery of our salvation. The blood that flowed from op of Kraków, he started the process of of Sister Jesus’s pierced side (see Jn 19:34) reminds us of the Sacrifice Faustina. As Pope, he made the message of mercy the central of the Cross and the gift of the Holy ; and water is a sym- point of his teaching. He discussed the teaching of God’s Mer- bol not just of baptism, but also of the gift of the Holy Spirit cy in his encyclical – God who is rich in (see Jn 3:5; 4:14; 7:37-39), who enlightens our minds and hearts, mercy. Canonising Sister Faustina on 30th April 2000, he estab- showing the ways in which we are going to bring love to the lished the Feast of Divine Mercy. During his apostolic visit to world. his home country on 17th August 2002, he entrusted the whole Today, looking at the Merciful Jesus, we contemplate the world to Divine Mercy. mystery of Jesus, Crucified and Risen, who continuously shows This act of entrusting became a special declaration of faith us the mystery of Divine Mercy. Today, Christ says to us what as he was convinced that God had given us the message of He told St. Faustina: “Tell [all people], My daughter that I mercy as a sign for humanity which is losing itself in material- am love and mercy itself” (Diary, 1074). God’s Mercy pours ism. Quoting St. Faustina: “Mankind will not find peace until it

16 17 returns with trust to my mercy”, St. John Paul II reminded us that “the light of Divine Mercy, which the Lord in a way wished to return to the world through Sister Faustina’s charism, will illumine the way for the men and women of the third millenni- um” (Homily of John Paul II at the canonisation of Sister Fausti- na, , 30th April 2000). Divine Mercy is indeed a light for the world and the whole of mankind because it reminds us that people cannot live with- out God’s merciful love. People simply cannot exist without God; they lose their way and become monsters for others, dan- gerous beasts. The message of mercy also brings in another important truth: through merciful love, a love offered uncon- ditionally, a person opens up to another person. Overcoming loneliness, he or she builds a community: a family, a home, a community of friendship and kindness. Here, in Łagiewniki, John Paul II said: “apart from the mercy of God there is no other source of hope for mankind” (Homily at the consecration of the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków, 17th August 2002). The spreading of the message of Divine Mercy, which the world was reminded of by St. Faustina and was shown afresh in the teaching of St. John Paul II, was continued by Pope Bene- dict XVI for the eight years of his pontificate, and now by Pope Francis, who in the papal bull has an- nounced that this is an Extraordinary Year of Mercy. The Holy Father has emphasized that this mercy is the name of God who revealed Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Therefore today we still need to contemplate the mystery of mercy: “It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us” (Misericordiae Vultus, 2). Mercy dis- covered in God is a basic right that resides in the heart of every

© DAYENU 18 19 person. It shows itself when a person looks with sincerity at his or her brother met on their journey of life. Mercy is a route connecting God with a person, because it opens up their heart giving hope of being loved eternally despite the limitations of our sin. Mercy unites people and opens them to each other. At this special place we wish to share the joy of being disci- ples of Christ and apostles of Divine Mercy. The Holy Father John Paul II entrusted the Church and the whole world to Di- vine Mercy and encouraged us to pass the message of mercy to the whole world bringing hope to men’s hearts. “Mankind will not find peace until it returns with trust to my mercy!” May those words accompany us during the World Youth Days and may they inspire us to be apostles of mercy in the contem- porary world.

Stanisław Cardinal Dziwisz Metropolitan of Kraków Kraków, The Feast of Presentation of the Lord, 2nd February 2016

20 21 MESSAGE TO YOUTH

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE THIRTY-FIRST “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7) A YEAR ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD Dear Young People, We have come to the last stretch of our pilgrimage to Kraków, the place where we will celebrate the 31st World Youth Day next year in the month of July. We are being guided on this long and challenging path by Jesus’ words taken from the Ser- mon on the Mount. We began this journey in 2014 by medi- tating together on the first Beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3). The theme a trumpet (jobel) calling them (jobil) to celebrate for 2015 was: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see a holy year as a time of reconciliation (jobal) for God” (Mt 5:8). During the year ahead, let us allow ourselves everyone. During that time they had to renew to be inspired by the words: “Blessed are the merciful, for they their good relations with God, with their neigh- shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7). bours and with creation, all in a spirit of gratui- tousness. This fostered, among other things, debt 1. The Jubilee of Mercy , special help for those who had fallen into With this theme, the Kraków 2016 WYD forms part of the poverty, an improvement in interpersonal relations and the Holy Year of Mercy and so becomes a Youth Jubilee at world freeing of slaves. level. It is not the first time that an international youth gath- Jesus Christ came to proclaim and bring about the Lord’s ering has coincided with a Jubilee Year. Indeed, it was during everlasting time of grace. He brought good news to the poor, the Holy Year of the Redemption (1983/1984) that Saint John freedom to prisoners, sight to the blind and freedom to the op- Paul II first called on young people from around the world pressed (cf. Lk 4:18-19). In Jesus, and particularly in His Paschal to come together on Palm Sunday. Then, during the Great Mystery, the deeper meaning of the jubilee is fully realized. Jubilee of the year 2000, over two million young people from When the Church proclaims a jubilee in the name of Christ, around 165 countries gathered in Rome for the 15th World we are all invited to experience a wonderful time of grace. The Youth Day. I am sure that the Youth Jubilee in Kraków will be, Church must offer abundant signs of God’s presence and close- as on those two previous occasions, one of the high points of ness, and reawaken in people’s hearts the ability to look to the this Holy Year! essentials. In particular, this Holy Year of Mercy is “a time for Perhaps some of you are asking: what is this Jubilee Year that the Church to rediscover the meaning of the mission entrusted is celebrated in the Church? The scriptural text of Leviticus 5 to her by the Lord on the day of Easter: to be a sign and an can help us to understand the meaning of a “jubilee” for the instrument of the Father’s mercy” (Homily at First Vespers of people of Israel. Every fifty years they heard the sounding of , 11th April 2015).

24 25 2. Merciful like the Father The motto for this Extraordinary Jubilee is “Merciful like the Father” (cf. Misericordiae Vultus, 13). This fi ts in with the theme of the next WYD, so let us try to better understand the meaning of divine mercy. The Old Testament uses various terms when it speaks about mercy. The most meaningful of these are hesed and rahamim. The fi rst, when applied to God, expresses God’s unfailing fi - delity to the Covenant with His people whom He and forgives for ever. The second, rahamim, which literally means “entrails”, can be translated as “heartfelt mercy”. This particu- larly brings to mind the maternal womb and helps us under- stand that God’s love for His people is like that of a mother for her child. That is how it is presented by the prophet Isaiah: “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you” (Is 49:15). Love of this kind involves making space for oth- ers within ourselves and being able to sympathize, suff er and rejoice with our neighbors. The biblical concept of mercy also includes the tangible presence of love that is faithful, freely given and able to for- give. In the following passage from Hosea, we have a beautiful example of God’s love, which the prophet compares to that of a father for his child:

26 Despite the child’s wrong attitude that deserves punish- EVERYTHING IN JESUS SPEAKS OF MERCY ment, a father’s love is faithful. He always forgives His repent- ant children. We see here how forgiveness is always included in mercy. It is “not an abstract idea, but a concrete reality with INDEED, HE HIMSELF IS MERCY which he reveals his love as of that of a father or a mother, moved to the very depths out of love for their child… It gushes forth from the depths naturally, full of tenderness and com- passion, and mercy” (Misericordiae Vultus, 6). The speaks to us of divine mercy (eleos) as a synthesis of the work that Jesus came to accomplish in the world in the name of the Father (cf. Mt 9:13). Our Lord’s mercy can be seen especially when He bends down to human misery and shows His compassion for those in need of understanding, “When Israel was a child I loved him; healing and forgiveness. Everything in Jesus speaks of mercy. Indeed, He Himself is mercy. out of Egypt I called my son. In Chapter 15 of Luke’s Gospel we find the three parables The more I called them, of mercy: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the parable of the prodigal son. In these three parables we are struck by God’s the farther they went from me… joy, the joy that God feels when He finds and forgives a sinner. Yes, it is God’s joy to forgive! This sums up the whole of the Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, Gospel. “Each of us, each one of us, is that little lost lamb, who took them in my arms; the coin that was mislaid; each one of us is that son who has squandered his freedom on false idols, illusions of happiness, I drew them with human cords, and has lost everything. But God does not forget us; the Father with bands of love; never abandons us. He is a patient Father, always waiting for us! He respects our freedom, but he remains faithful forever. I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks… I stooped to feed my child.”

Hos 11:1-4

28 29 And when we come back to him, he welcomes us like children out of love? Saint Paul tells us that “God proves his love for into his house, for he never ceases, not for one instant, to wait us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom for us with love. And his heart rejoices over every child who 5:8). Do we really understand the power of these words? returns. He is celebrating because he is joy. God has this joy, when one of us sinners goes to him and asks his forgiveness” (Angelus, 15th September 2013). God’s mercy is very real and we are all called to experience it firsthand. When I was seventeen years old, it happened one day that, as I was about to go out with friends, I decided to stop into a church first. I met a priest there who inspired great confidence, and I felt the desire to open my heart in Confes- sion. That meeting changed my life! I discovered that when we open our hearts with humility and transparency, we can con- template God’s mercy in a very concrete way. I felt certain that, in the person of that priest, God was already waiting for me even before I took the step of entering that church. We keep looking for God, but God is there before us, always looking for us, and He finds us first. Maybe one of you feels something weighing on your heart. You are thinking: I did this, I did that… Do not be afraid! God is waiting for you! God is a Father and He is always waiting for us! It is so wonderful to feel the merciful embrace of the Father in the sacrament of Reconciliation, to discover that the confessional is a place of mercy, and to allow DO NOT ourselves to be touched by the merciful love of the Lord who always forgives us! You, dear young man, dear young woman, have you ever felt BE AFRAID the gaze of everlasting love upon you, a gaze that looks be- yond your sins, limitations and failings, and continues to have faith in you and to look upon your life with hope? Do you real- ize how precious you are to God, who has given you everything TO LOOK IN HIS EYES 30 31

I know how much the WYD cross means to all of you. It was Here I would recall the episode of the two thieves crucified a gift from Saint John Paul II and has been with you at all your beside Jesus. One of them is arrogant and does not admit that World Meetings since 1984. So many changes and real conver- he is a sinner. He mocks the Lord. The other acknowledges sions have taken place in the lives of young people who have that he has done wrong; he turns to the Lord saying: “Jesus, encountered this simple bare cross! Perhaps you have asked remember me when you come into your kingdom”. Jesus looks yourselves the question: what is the origin of the extraordinary at him with infinite mercy and replies: “Today you will be with power of the cross? me in Paradise” (cf. Lk 23:32, 39-43). With which of the two do we identify? Is it with the arrogant one who does not acknowl- Here is the answer: edge his own mistakes? Or is it with the other, who accepts that he is in need of divine mercy and begs for it with all his heart? It is in the Lord, who gave His life for us on the cross, that we will always find that unconditional love which sees our lives as something good and always gives us the chance to start again.

3. The amazing joy of being instruments of God’s mercy The Word of God teaches us that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Ac 20:35). That is why the fifth Beatitude declares that the merciful are blessed. We know that the Lord loved us first. But we will be truly blessed and happy only when the cross is the most eloquent sign we enter into the divine “logic” of gift and gracious love, when we discover that God has loved us infinitely in order to of God’s mercy! make us capable of loving like Him, without measure. Saint It tells us that the measure of God’s love John says: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is for humanity is to love without measure! of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows Through the cross we can touch God’s mercy God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is and be touched by that mercy! love… In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another” (1 Jn 4:7-11).

34 35 Aft er this very brief summary of how the Lord bestows his I always like to link the Gospel Beatitudes with Matthew 25, mercy upon us, I would like to give you some suggestions on where Jesus presents us with the and tells us how we can be instruments of this mercy for others. that we will be judged on them. I think of the example of Blessed . He I ask you, then, to rediscover the corporal works of mercy: said, “Jesus pays me a visit every morning in Holy Communion, and I return the visit in the meagre way I know how, visiting the to feed the hungry, poor”. Pier Giorgio was a young man who understood what it means to have a merciful heart that responds to those most give drink to the thirsty, in need. He gave them far more than material goods. He gave clothe the naked, himself by giving his time, his words and his capacity to listen. He served the poor very quietly and unassumingly. He truly did welcome the stranger, what the Gospel tells us: “When you give alms, do not let your assist the sick, left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiv- ing may be secret” (Mt 6:3-4). Imagine that, on the day before visit the imprisoned, his death when he was gravely ill, he was giving directions on and bury the dead. how his friends in need should be helped. At his funeral, his family and friends were stunned by the presence of so many poor people unknown to them. They had been befriended and Nor should we overlook the spiritual works of mercy: helped by the young Pier Giorgio. to counsel the doubtful, teach the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the sorrowful, forgive off ences, patiently bear with troublesome people, and pray to God for the living and the dead.

36 37 As you can see, mercy does not just imply being a “good I meet so many young people who say that they are tired of person” nor is it mere sentimentality. It is the measure of our this world being so divided, with clashes between supporters authenticity as disciples of Jesus, and of our credibility as Chris- of different factions and so many wars, in some of which re- tians in today’s world. ligion is being used as for violence. We must ask If you want me to be very specific, I would suggest that for the Lord to give us the grace to be merciful to those who do the first seven months of 2016 you choose a corporal and a us wrong. Jesus on the cross prayed for those who had cruci- spiritual work of mercy to practice each month. Find inspira- fied Him: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” tion in the prayer of Saint Faustina, a humble apostle of Divine (Lk 23:34). Mercy is the only way to overcome evil. Justice is Mercy in our times: necessary, very much so, but by itself it is not enough. Justice “Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I and mercy must go together. How I wish that we could join to- will never be suspicious or judge by appearances, but always gether in a chorus of prayer, from the depths of our hearts, to look for what is beautiful in my neighbours’ and be of implore the Lord to have mercy on us and on the whole world! help to them; (…) that my ears may be merciful, so that I will be attentive to my neighbours’ needs, and not indifferent to 4. Kraków is expecting us! their pains and complaints; (…) that my tongue may be mer- Only a few months are left before we meet in Poland. Kraków, ciful, so that I will never speak badly of others, but have a the city of Saint John Paul II and Saint Faustina Kowalska, is word of comfort and forgiveness for all; (…) that my hands waiting for us with open arms and hearts. I believe that Divine may be merciful and full of good deeds; (…) that my feet Providence led us to the decision to celebrate the Youth Jubi- may be merciful, so that I will hasten to help my neighbour, lee in that city which was home to those two great apostles despite my own fatigue and weariness; (…) that my heart of mercy in our times. John Paul II realized that this is the time may be merciful, so that I myself will share in all the suffer- of mercy. At the start of his pontificate, he wrote the encycli- ings of my neighbour” (Diary, 163). cal Dives in Misericordia. In the Holy Year 2000 he canonized The Divine Mercy message is a very specific life plan because Sister Faustina and instituted the Feast of Divine Mercy, which it involves action. One of the most obvious works of mercy, now takes place on the Second Sunday of Easter. In 2002 and perhaps the most difficult to put into practice, is to for- he personally inaugurated the Divine Mercy Shrine in Kraków give those who have offended us, who have done us wrong or and entrusted the world to Divine Mercy, in the desire that whom we consider to be enemies. “At times how hard it seems this message would reach all the peoples of the earth and to forgive! And yet pardon is the instrument placed into our fill their hearts with hope: “This spark needs to be lighted by fragile hands to attain serenity of heart. To let go of anger, the grace of God. This fire of mercy needs to be passed on to wrath, violence, and revenge are necessary conditions to living the world. In the mercy of God the world will find peace and joyfully” (Misericordiae Vultus, 9). mankind will find happiness!” (Homily at the Dedication of the Divine Mercy Shrine in Kraków, 17th August 2002).

38 39 Dear young people, at the Shrine in Kraków dedicated to the merciful Jesus, where He is depicted in the image venerated by the people of God, Jesus is waiting for you. He has confidence in you and is counting on you! He has so many things to say to each of you… Do not be afraid to look into His eyes, full of infinite love for you. Open yourselves to His merciful gaze, so ready to forgive all your sins. A look from Him can change your lives and heal the wounds of your souls. His eyes can quench the thirst that dwells deep in your young hearts, a thirst for love, for peace, for joy and for true happiness. Come to Him and DO YOU WANT TO do not be afraid! Come to Him and say from the depths of your HAVE A SELFIE hearts: “Jesus, I trust in You!”. Let yourselves be touched by His boundless mercy, so that in turn you may become apostles of WITH mercy by your actions, words and prayers in our world, wound- POPE FRANCIS? ed by selfishness, hatred and so much despair. Carry with you the flame of Christ’s merciful love – as Saint (insert your photo here) John Paul II said – in every sphere of your daily life and to the very ends of the earth. In this mission, I am with you with my encouragement and prayers. I entrust all of you to Mary, Mother of Mercy, for this last stretch of the journey of spiri- tual preparation for the next WYD in Kraków. I bless all of you from my heart.

FRANCIS From the Vatican, 15th August 2015 Solemnity of the Assumption of the B.V. Mary

40 41 ST. SISTER FAUSTINA

42 SHE wAS NOT bORN A SAINT bUT SHE MATURED TO SANCTITY will defend it as My own glory.” (Diary, 47-48). The Divine Mercy image depicting Jesus as seen by Faustina that night in 1931 in her cell is now known all over the world and millions of people give glory to the God of Mercy. Howev- er, the journey leading to this point was long and took many, sometimes dramatic years, even after Faustina’s death, to be known to the world. She was common and simple yet extraordinary. She had a From 22nd February 1931 until her death in 1938, Sister strong personality and great sensitivity. Intelligent despite Faustina had visions in which Jesus was gradually revealing to Iher lack of education. She was a mystic with her feet firmly her the complete essence of Divine Mercy, and told her about on the ground. She was not born a saint but she matured to new ways in which to worship God’s Mercy. sanctity. This is Sister Faustina. When her revelations of the Divine Mercy started, Sister Faustina was 26 years old. By then, she had been at the Con- The life mission of Faustina Kowalska was to remind the gregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy for six years. Be- Church and the world that God’s greatest attribute is mercy. fore joining the Congregation her name was Helena. She was She was given this mission by Jesus on the night of Sunday born in Głogowiec, a few dozen kilometers from Łódź, on 25th 22nd February 1931. Faustina, who was a sister in the Congrega- August 1905. She was the third of ten children of Marianna­ tion of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, was living in the con- and Stanisław Kowalski. The family was very poor and strug- vent in Płock, over a hundred kilometers from . She gled to make ends meet, living off a sire was in her cell when suddenly she saw Jesus. He was standing few acres of poor soil and whatever before her with one arm raised for blessing, and the other income their father made as an oc- touching the gown at His chest. “From beneath the garment, casional carpenter. Even as a seven- slightly drawn aside at the breast there were emanating two year-old girl Helena felt a calling to

large rays, one red, the other one pale. In silence I kept my a kind of life which she described as de- gaze fixed on the Lord; my was struck with awe, but also more perfect, as at that stage she did with great joy” – she wrote in her Diary (No. 47). After a while not yet know about the existence of Jesus said to her: “Paint an image according to the pattern you consecrated life. Because of her pov- see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this erty she could not get an education, image be venerated, first in your chapel and [then] through- she completed only three years of out the world. I promise that the soul that will venerate this primary school. At the age of 15 or image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies 16, she started working as a maid, already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I myself initially in Aleksandrów near Łódź,

46 and then in Łódź. Throughout that time she dis- covered consecrated life and did not give up the thought of joining a convent. She asked her par- ents’ permission to do so several times but they kept refusing her request. Later on her mother explained that the reason was a lack of money for a dowry or at least enough to pay for a set of clothing which back then was required by mo- nastic congregations. Apart from this, as Helena was an exceptionally good child, her parents saw themselves being cared for by her in their old age. What also mattered was the fact that work- ing as a maid in a city, Helena would send most of her wages back home. However, Jesus Himself demanded that Hele- na’s vocation be fulfilled. It happened in Łódź in June 1924, on a warm Sunday afternoon.

Helena, a girl of medium-height, with grey eyes, a pretty smile, beautiful voice, with a slightly freckled complex- ion, and long, thick, reddish hair which she wore in a plait, went to a dance with her friends at Wenecja Park. For the oc- casion she wore a pink dress with frills. She started dancing with a young man when Jesus stood next to her.

49 He was “racked with pain, stripped of His clothing, all covered with wounds” (Diary, 9). He asked the girl reproachfully:

HOW LONG „ SHALL I PUT UP WITH YOU AND HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP PUTTING ME OFF?

50 Helena immediately stopped dancing and left the party; she ran to a church nearby where she heard in her heart that she was to go to Warsaw without delay as there she would fi nd a congregation that would accept her. Helena who, until that point complied with her parents’ will, now did not hesitate for a minute. She knew that she had to act against their will in order to carry out what God intended for her. However, an- other year passed before she joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Warsaw. This year was a time to test the strength of Helena’s calling for the superiors of the congregation. Over that year, Helena worked as a maid in Os- trówek near Warsaw, saving money to pay for her trousseau. SHE LIKED She joined the convent in Warsaw on 1st August 1925. Aft er a few months she received a habit and the name Maria Fausti- na. She spent the two-year noviciate at Łagiewniki, where she BAKING made her vows (of chastity, poverty and obedience). In 1933 she also professed her perpetual vows over there. Seen from the outside, Faustina’s life was no diff erent from CAKES anyone else’s. Due to her lack of education and dowry, she belonged to a second monastic choir whose sisters undertook physical chores (division into choirs was abolished only aft er MOST OF World War II). Faustina was a cook, a gardener, she sold bak- ery products, and towards the end of her life she was on duty at the convent gates. She liked baking cakes most of ALL AND all and making grand gateaux. Faustina was obedient to her superiors and was frequently moved from one convent to an- other to do manual labor. Over the thirteen years of her mo- MAKING nastic life, she lived in eight , sometimes returning to the ones she had lived in before; she stayed at Łagiewniki, Warszawa, Vilnus, Płock, Derdy, Walendów, Kiekrz and Biała. GRAND She spent the longest time in Łagiewniki where she passed away on 5th October 1938, aft er suff ering for several years from tuberculosis in her lungs and in her bones. GATEAUX 52 53 The most important things in Faustina’s life were happening in her spiritual life. She was chosen by God to proclaim the truth about Divine Mercy to the Church and to the world, a truth which was by no means new. Faustina was one of the greatest mystics in the history of the Church. She achieved the highest mystical possible for a human being on earth. At the beginning of this journey, she experienced what is known as a dark night, a period in one’s spiritual life when a soul feels rejected by God and the senses and the spirit are purified of the desires of this world. In Faustina’s case this period did not last long. For Faustina, this period was a year and a half, while for instance, in the case of blessed , her night of the soul lasted for half a century. After the dark night Sister Fausti- na swiftly moved through the next stages of mystical dark night life until her soul attained union with God in a mystical marriage. The decisive moment which marked the deep- ening of her mystical life was when she expressed her consent saying ‘yes’ to God, herself becoming a sacrifice for sinners. In her Diary Faustina complained on several occa- sions that physical language cannot describe what a human soul experiences when it is immersed in God; nevertheless she described her experiences in a very emotional way. She noted down in her Diary what she learned about the essence of Divine Mercy while ex- periencing those mystical states. She also wrote down what Jesus told her in her visions; she had as many as 82 of them! These visons can be summarized in the follow- ing words: God is prepared to forgive a person, even the person’s worst sin, and the only thing required of that person is to cut with evil and turn to God with trust.

54 55 Faustina knew that the One who appeared to her and spoke to her was Jesus. However, most of her superiors whom she told about the message of Divine Mercy, as Jesus wanted, did not believe her. She was advised to avoid those visions which were considered to be the outcome of fantasizing and hysteria. This, as well as the unfair judgments of some other sisters who did not understand Faustina’s spiritual ‘otherness’, was the rea- son for her moral suffering. It was not until the autumn of 1932, which was a year and a half after she had her first vision about the Divine Mercy, that Faustina met a priest, Fr. Edmund Elter, who confirmed that her visions were of a supernatural nature. The greatest helper of Sister Faustina’s message of Divine Mercy was Fr. Michał Sopoćko, whom she met at the convent in , Lithuania. By examining the depth of her spiritual life, the sincerity of her intentions, and her mental health by 8 having her examined by himself and professionals, Fr. Sopoćko, became Faustina’s spiritual director. It was on his orders that she started keeping her diary where she wrote down her mys- tical experiences. Her Diary is a great hymn of praise to Divine Mercy. It was also on orders from Fr. Sopoćko, with Fausti- na’s involvement, that , a Vilnius artist, painted the first image of the Merciful Jesus with the words: “Jesus, I trust in You” in 1934 the way Sister Faustina first saw 2 Jesus in 1931 (the painting in Łagiewniki renowned all over the world was painted in 1943 by Adolf Hyła). In September 1935, Jesus gave Faustina the words of the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy and in October 1937 He told her about the Prayer at the Hour of Divine Mercy. Sister Faustina suffered for a long time because she was un- able to implement Jesus’s orders expressed in 1931, and then repeated several times, for the Church to establish a celebra- tion of Divine Mercy on the first Sunday after Easter (as was

56 57 introduced by John Paul II in 2000). Despite that, she was at peace when she died. She possessed many spiritual gift s in- cluding foretelling the future (e.g. she foretold her own canon- ization), she knew that despite great diffi culties, the cult of Di- vine Mercy would survive and develop (a ban by the against spreading the cult of the Divine Mercy in the forms passed by Sister Faustina lasted from 1958 to 1978). Faustina wrote that “There will come a time when this work, which God is demanding so very much, will be as though utterly undone. And then God will act with great power, which will give evi- dence of its authenticity” (Diary, 378). Faustina was a mystic FAUSTINA but she knew that it was not this that determined her sanctity: “My sanctity and perfection consist in the close union of my WAS ONE will with the will of God” (Diary, 1107). John Paul II beatifi ed Sister Faustina in 1993, and in 2000 she was canonized. A casket with her reliquary is kept at the OF THE GREATEST Convent Chapel in Łagiewniki where Faustina would pray over several years. It is stored on the altar behind the paining of MYSTICS Merciful Jesus with a caption “Jesus, I trust in you”. IN THE HISTORY Ewa K. Czaczkowska OF THE CHURCH

Ewa K. Czaczkowska – journalist, historian, senior lecturer at the Institute for Media Education and Journalism at UKSW; author of books including Sister Faustina (translated into English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Croatian and Slovak), Miracles of Saint Faustina, and The Pope who believed. How Karol Wojtyla persuaded the Church to accept the devotion to Divine Mercy. 58 59 A little child came and woke me up. (…) The child (…) said to me, “look at the sky”

And when I looked at the sky I saw the stars and the moon shining. Then the child asked me, “Do you see this moon and these stars?” When I said yes, he spoke these words to me, “These stars are the souls of faithful Christians, and the moon is the souls of religious.”

Diary, 424

60 61 ST. JOHN PAUL II ord Jesus be fulfilled:

64 65 M ay the binding promise of L from here there must go forth the spark which will prepare world for from here there must go forth HIS FINAL COMING SEIN ENDGÜLTIGES 1920 John Paull II was first referred to as “an apostle of Divine In 1940, he participated in prayer meetings led by Mercy” by Pope Benedict XVI during the Angelus prayer on where he read letters of John of the 30th March 2008. The Pope rightly noted that John Paul II’s Cross. On 18th February 1941 Karol Wojtyła’s father entire life and papal teachings revolved around the mystery passed away after a long illness. During the war, many of Divine Mercy. The mission of “the Pope from a distant of his Jewish friends from and Kraków 1929 country” was service to “the truth of God, mankind and peace were arrested by the German occupying army and in the world”. Benedict XVI also noted the exceptional coin- taken to the concentration camp in Auschwitz. cidence of the Pope’s death occurring on the eve of Divine At the end of 1942 and beginning of 1943, when Mercy Sunday. he was praying at the convent church of the Con- ‘19 gregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1. Karol Wojtyła’s long journey Ła­giewniki, Karol discovered the devotion to the Di- Karol Wojtyła was born in Wadowice on 18th May 1920 as the vine Mercy. He saw the painting of Merciful Jesus second son of Karol Wojtyła and Emilia née Kaczorowska. His by ­Adolf Hyła for the first time and he learned the father was a retired military man and his mother was a seam- Chaplet of Divine Mercy. During World War II, to- stress by trade. Karol had an older brother, Edmund, who was gether with Tadeusz Kotlarczyk, he set up Teatr Rap- a doctor, and sister Olga, who died soon after she was born. sodyczny, where he was an actor. 38 In his childhood Karol was usually called Lolek – a diminutive During the war Karol Wojtyła worked hard to sup- form of his name. In 1929, when he was 9, his mother Emil- port himself. He performed at the theatre and wrote ia passed away followed by his brother Edmund three years poetry and plays. In 1942, when death at the hands later. of German invaders was a daily threat, Karol decided Karol first attended primary school and then middle school to join seminary. He studied philosophy and theology in Wadowice where he developed an interest in poetry and at the underground seminary in Kraków. On 17th Jan- 1939 theatre. He was an altar boy at the parish church, a scout, uary 1945, when Kraków was liberated by the Red played football, went skiing, hiked through the countryside, Army, he moved into the seminary and continued his and went on pilgrimages with his father to the Marian Shrine theological studies. ‘46 in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. In September 1938, having passed secondary school exams, he and his father moved to Kraków 2. Service to the Church in Kraków where he studied Polish at the Department of Philosophy at On 1st November 1946, Karol Wojtyła was ordained the Jagiellonian University. On the outbreak of World War II on as a priest by the Metropolitan of Kraków, Cardinal st nd ‘40 1 September 1939, universities in Poland were closed down . On 2 November he celebrat- and he was forced to undertake manual labour in the German ed his first Holy Mass at St. Leonard’s Crypt at Waw- chemical factory, Solvay. el Cathedral. In November 1946, he went to Rome 66 1941 ‘4 1951 to study theology. He studied at the Pontifical University of tinued to publish poetry and plays like The Jeweller’s Shop and Saint (Angelicum) in Rome. He successfully Radiance of Fatherhood. In 1969, he published an anthropolog- defended his doctoral thesis “The Doctrine of Faith According ical monograph Person and Act, and in 1972 he also published 2 to St. ”. On his return from his studies in July a book on the . He researched philo- 1948, Karol Wojtyła started working as an assistant priest at sophical traditions (classic Greek ethics, St. Thomas Aquinas, Niegowić parish (40 km from Kraków). In August 1949, he was phenomenology) as well as the Bible and mysticism (St. John transferred to the Parish of St. Florian in Kraków, where he of the Cross). ‘52 worked until 1951 as the student chaplain. On 16th October 1978 Cardinal Karol Wojtyła was elected as In 1952, Fr. Karol Wojtyła was working to prepare his thesis Pope and took the name of John Paul II. He was the first Pope that would promote him to the level of assistant professor. from Poland and the first Bishop of Rome who was not Italian At that period he also dedicated a lot of time to journalism by in 455 years (since the pontificate of Hadrian VI).

1943 writing philosophical and theological essays. He was a lecturer in ethics and moral theology at the Seminary in Kraków. For a 3. The Pilgrim Pope year he was a professor at the Catholic University in Lublin. He A key characteristic of John Paul II’s pontificate were pilgrim- 1945 taught ethics of marriage, humanity, and freedom. On 4th July ages. His first apostolic visit was to Mexico in 1979. Here, he 1958, Karol Wojtyła was appointed a coadjutor bishop of the taught that politicians of Catholic countries should not for- Archdiocese of Kraków. The guiding motto that he chose for get about human rights, religious freedom and human dignity

his episcopal ministry was Totus Tuus (which in Latin means while in power. When he returned to Rome he published his 1958 Totally Thine) taken from St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Mont- first encyclical Towards Christ, the Redeemer of Man (1979). fort’s book True Devotion to Mary. This motto, which has to In this encyclical, he depicted Christ as man’s only re- do with the theme “spiritual servitude”, is understood as a vol- deemer. In June 1979, the Pope went to his first ap- untary and complete surrendering of his life to the service to ostolic visit to Poland, where he famously said, “Let the Church and to the spiritual motherhood of Mother of God. your Spirit descend and renew the face of the earth, This was a constant throughout his life. the face of this land”. The Gospel message preached Bishop Karol Wojtyła participated in the Second Vatican by John Paul II contributed to the fall of communism Council (1962-1965). On 13th January 1964 he was appointed in the European countries of the Eastern Bloc. In No- '65 Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków and on 26th June 1967 he vember 1979, the Pope visited Turkey, where he met became a cardinal. As the Bishop of the Archdiocese of Kraków with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. This he visited parishes and , maintained numerous con- was the first step towards establishing

1948 tacts with people of science, culture and art. In 1965, he started between the East and the West. In 1980, John Paul II the beatification process of Sister Faustina Kowalska. He con- published his second encyclical, which was about God 1967 1949 1978 who is rich in mercy, Dives in Misericordia, which pointed to Di- vine Mercy, the feature that would distinguish his pontificate. On 13th May 1981, during a general audience in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, at 5:19pm, John Paul II was shot by Turkish gunman, Mehmet Ali Ağca. The attack took place on the an- niversary of the Fatima revelations of 1917. The Pope was convinced that the Mother of God shielded him with her cloak against danger. He survived the shooting, but he shed his blood for Christ. A year later John Paul II was attacked again. The Pope was attacked with a bayonet by Juan María Fernández y Krohn, but did not suffer any serious injuries. let On 27th October 1986, John Paul II initiated an ecumenical gathering in Assisi, where representatives of many religions your spirit prayed for peace in the world. In addition, he was the first suc- cessor of St. Peter who visited a synagogue in Rome (1986). After the overthrow of communism in the 1990’s, John Paul II descend made numerous pilgrimages to those countries in the world which were experiencing wars and conflicts, in particular to Af- rica and the Balkans, as a pilgrim of peace. He received Fidel and renew Castro in the Vatican and himself visited Cuba (1998). John Paul II led the Church and the world into the new mil- THE FACE OF THE EARTH, lennium. In the jubilee year of 2000, he visited the Holy Land. During his visit he went to Yad Vashem Institute, a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, and he prayed by the West- ern Wall. In 1999, the Pope kissed the Quran brought to him by Muslim imams as a gift. In 2000, during his trip to Egypt he met with Sunni sheik, Grand Imam of al-Azhar in Cairo. In 2000, as the first Pope ever, he entered the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. The pontificate of John Paul II is regarded as the longest after the pontificate of St. Peter and Bl. Pius IX. He was Pope for 26 and a half years (9666 days). The personal THE FACE OF THIS LAND

70 beatified the Church of England has not recognized the authority of the 1338 people, appointed Vatican. He was also the first Pope to have visited the White and canonized 482 231 cardinals at House. 9 consistories and Despite his best efforts he was not able to make an apostolic 1 cardinal in pectore pilgrimage to Russia due to the unwillingness of the Moscow Patriarch who accused the Vatican of proselytism. As Pope, John Paul II most frequently visited Poland (8 times), USA (7 times), and France (7 times). John Paul II was renowned for his meetings with the youth at the World Youth Days, nine of wrote which he attended. During his pontificate John Paul II beatified 14 1338 people and canonized 482 people. He appointed 231 car- dinals at nine consistories. He also appointed one cardinal in wrote pectore whose name has never been disclosed. a great nd number of apo- John Paul II passed away on 2 April 2005 at 9:37pm, on the stolic letters 9666th day of his pontificate, on the eve of the Feast of Divine Mercy. The Pope’s funeral took place on Friday 8th April 2005. A simple coffin of cypress wood (the symbol of eternity) was and also 15 apostolic as a poet exhortations and playwright published the poem visits Roman Triptych of John Paul II over 100 visits around Italy 104 countries

9 meetings assistant of John Paul II throughout the whole pontificate was at World Fr. Stanisław Dziwisz, who is the present Cardinal Metropoli- Youth Days tan of Kraków. Apostolic pilgrimages were a characteristic fea- ture of the pontificate of John Paul II. He visited 104 countries on all continents and made 100 trips throughout Italy. Many 8 visits places he visited had never seen a Pope before. For instance, to Poland he was the first Pope to visit Great Britain where, since 1534, 7 visits to France 7 visits to the USA 72 placed directly on St. Peter’s Square. The Holy Mass was con- John Paul II gave the Church 14 encyclicals. In these encycli- celebrated by a few thousand cardinals, bishops and patriarchs cals, he considered the following themes: important dogmatic, of Eastern Catholic Churches. The Mass was led by the College moral and social issues of contemporary man and of the world. Dean, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. There were 300,000 faithful He wrote a great number of apostolic letters on the dignity of in the St. Peter’s Square, 200 presidents and prime ministers, women, celebrating Sunday, Ss Cyril and Methodius, the Jubi- 2 and representatives of world religions including Muslim clergy lee of the Year 2000, priestly ordination, the rosary, 15 apos- and Jewish rabbis. All over Rome, 5 million people, including 1.5 tolic exhortations on the family, catechesis, reconciliation and million Poles, gathered around screens set up in the city. Many penance, the consecrated life, the laity, the life and service of mourners were holding banners with the Italian phrase santo priests, and apostolic constitutions on reform of Roman Curia subito (saint now). John Paul’s II coffin was placed in the crypt and the code of canon law. The Pope, who was both a poet and of John XXIII in the Vatican grottoes. playwright, also published the poem Roman Triptych during Since his death, he has been referred to as John Paul the his pontificate. Great. In the history of the Church, only three have had 1 this epithet: Leon I, Nicolas I and Gregory I. This epithet was 4. The truth of Divine Mercy first used in the homily of cardinal Angelo Sodano at the requi- The truth about the Divine Mercy constitutes a central motif of em mass in the St. Peter’s Square on Sunday 3rd April 2005, the the pontificate of John Paul II. It features in the encyclical Dives day after John Paul II passed away. It was also used in news and in Misericordia (God rich in mercy, 1980). Along with the en- current affairs programs by large American TV stations (“John cyclical (The Redeemer of man, 1979) and Paul the Great” – CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS). The successor of (The Lord and Giver of Life, 1983), John Paul II, Benedict XVI used this epithet in the homily at his the Pope speaks to contemporary man about God revealing papal inauguration. himself in the history of redemption as the Holy Trinity, Father, : The beatification of John Paul II took place in Rome on 1st May Son and Holy Spirit. Mercy is the key to understanding the 2011, on the Feast of Divine Mercy. He was then canonized by mystery of God, the mystery of man, and the mystery of the Pope Francis on 27th April 2014. John Paul II is the world. In these encyclicals (Dives in Misericordia, 3) John Paul of the World Youth Day. II refers to the time of the Israelite’s Exodus from Egypt where John Paul II dedicated a lot of time to the unity of Christian God revealed His name YHWH (“I am who I am”) to explain the churches. Throughout his pontificate, he sought closer rela- mystery of His name: “The LORD, the LORD, a God gracious tionship with Protestant and Orthodox churches. He testified and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity, to his work in the cause of ecumenism in the encyclical pub- continuing his love for a thousand generations, and forgiving lished in 1995, . wickedness, rebellion, and sin (…)” (Ex 34:6-7). 3 74 75 7 HE (…) DID NOT SPARE HIS O

John Paul II tells us that mercy is a template of God’s love John Paul II proclaimed the second Sunday after Easter as for man and it includes every “shade of love”. It is fatherly love, Mercy Sunday stressing that Mercy is a chance to get to know patient, forgiving, kind and compassionate. Every person can “the true face of God and the true face of brethern” (Homily discover God in nature and in the cosmos through God’s “invis- at the of Sister Faustina, Rome, 30th April 2005). ible attributes” (Rom 1:20) and can discover God in their own The message of mercy reminds us of the dignity and value of life history as a good and forgiving Father. The full revelation each person. Mercy also helps those who are lost among the of God’s love was embodied in Jesus Christ. Jesus revealed the various ideologies and ideas of the 20th and 21st centuries find Merciful God in the parables about the lost sheep and lost coin a way to God. In the mystery of Divine Mercy, a Christian will (Lk 15:1-10), and in particular in the parable of the prodigal son find the true face of God, who is close to man, and also the (Lk 15:11-32). The story first shows the greatness of fatherly true face of the man, who is in need of mercy and is ready to love, ready to forgive and to lavish gifts on his son again. John show mercy. In his apostolic letter, pub- Paul II focuses on the dignity of the prodigal son, which, thanks lished at the turn of the third millennium (6th January 2001), to the Father’s mercy, shines anew. John Paul II wrote about the need to develop the vision of The full revelation of Divine Mercy is in the death and res- mercy, or the ability to see the world in the context of God’s urrection of Christ. The Paschal mystery shows the greatness unlimited love. of God’s love for man as “He (…) did not spare his own Son” On August 17th, 2002 during the consecration of Basilica of (Rom 8:32). Through the mystery of the cross, God reveals the Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, John Paul II entrusted the depth of His love, which exists in the creation of man and in the world to Divine Mercy and set the Church a task to familiar- act of Redemption. ize the world with the Divine Mercy: “Today, therefore, in this God’s mercy can be encountered in sacraments, in particu- Shine, I wish solemnly to entrust the world to Divine Mercy. I lar those of penance and in the Eucharist, in which a Christian do so with the burning desire that the message of God’s merci- touches God’s merciful love. The Church undertakes the mis- ful love, proclaimed here through Saint Faustina, may be made sion of proclaiming Divine Mercy through declaring the truth known to all the peoples of the earth and fill their hearts with that God is Mercy and by venerating Divine Mercy. The second hope. May this message radiate from this place to our beloved task of Christ’s disciples is to act mercifully and the third way homeland and throughout the world. May the binding promise W N SON of bearing witness to God is to pray for mercy for the world. of the Lord Jesus be fulfilled: from here there must go forth During the canonization of Sister Faustina Kowalska in Rome the spark which will prepare the world for his final coming.” on 30th April 2000, John Paul II announced the message of This spark of mercy is now brought to the world by Pope mercy to the whole world. At the same time he reminded us Francis, who has announced 2016 as the Jubilee Year of Mercy. that Divine Mercy provides mankind with the opportunity to be renewed; he referred to the Diary: “Mankind will not have Fr. Jan Machniak peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy” (Diary, 699).

76 77 Fr. Prof. Jan Machniak – graduate of Polish Studies from the Jagiel- lonian University (1976-1980) and from the Seminary of the Archdio- cese of Kraków; ordained a priest in 1985, spiritual theology studies in Rome (1986-1990); spiritual director of the Seminary of the Arch- diocese of Kraków (1991-1995); professor of spiritual theology at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków; author of many books on spirituality, preacher, chaplain in St. John’s Church in Kraków (Sis- ters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary), rector of the International Academy of Divine Mercy; participant of World Youth Day in Buenos Aires (1987), Częstochowa (1991), (1997), Rome (2000), and Cologne (2005). 78 79 DIVINE MERCY QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

80 81 There are questions to which … you won’t find answers… ON THE WEB

82 83 WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT HIMSELF? HAPPINESS God introduces Himself to us already in the first books of the Old Testament by saying: “The LORD, the LORD, a God Discovering gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in that we are loved love and fidelity (…) forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin (…)” (Ex 34:6-7). It is these characteristics of God that ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR CULTURE, RELIGI- we can see in His reactions to the choices people have made ON OR PLACE OF BIRTH, WANT TO BE LOVED. IT IS ONLY throughout the history of the world. His reaction to Adam WHEN YOU FEEL LOVED THAT YOU CAN BE HAPPY. and Eve’s sin was the promise of Christ’s coming and our CHRISTIANITY OFFERS US SOMETHING GREATER THAN salvation. When God saw the suffering of the Israelites in AN IMPRESSION OF LOVE – IT GIVES US CERTAINTY THAT Egypt, He called Moses to lead them out of slavery. When THERE IS SOMEONE WHO LOVES US SO MUCH. WE ARE they were complaining while wandering through the desert, NOT BORN WITH THIS CERTAINTY, THOUGH. WE OF- He showed them His patience and care and provided them TEN ARRIVE AT IT GRADUALLY. WE SEARCH, ASK QUES- with food and drink. He has cared in the same way for the TIONS AND FINALLY FIND THE ANSWER IN GOD’S MERCY. next generations and so is He taking care of us today. “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8,16); therefore, anything He does results from His love. IS WHAT WE THINK ABOUT GOD THE ACTUAL TRUTH ABOUT HIM? Is there anything like unconditional love? If a person’s heart were a room full of paintings and if we took a You cannot love more than rahamim. This Hebrew word oc- picture illustrating God from everyone’s heart, we could create a curs frequently in the Bible as a name for God’s love for us. very diverse art gallery. Some of the paintings would amaze us, Rahamim is the deepest, intimate, tender and totally uncon- some other could scare us away. The story of our lives shapes ditional love. God loves us more than even the best mother. different images of God in our hearts. For example, if we had too He cannot give up on loving us! demanding parents who constantly controlled us, we can think that God is like them. If we didn’t get enough attention from our Can we be certain that this love will never family when we were children, we can think that God cares little change? about us as well. If we grew up with the constant fear of punish- God’s hesed is irrevocable. This Hebrew term is used in the ment for our mistakes, we are likely to be afraid of God, who will Bible to mean God’s mercy towards us. Hesed means faithful be a strict judge in our eyes. love, which makes us feel safe. Regardless of our actions, Was sagt Gott selbst über sich? God will always love us.

84 85 The Lord is merciful and gracious (…) He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

Ps 103:8.10

DO WE NEED TO DESERVE GOD’S MERCY? We put a lot of effort into looking good. We work over- time to afford fashionable things. We can spend plenty of time choosing the best picture for our Facebook profile. We do it all to be accepted, to feel loved. God accepts us the way we are, despite our shortcomings and weaknesses. He sees our helplessness in many situations and takes pity on us. He sees perfectly what we sometimes try to hide from people and what we are afraid of in ourselves. Neverthe- less, He loves us. It does not mean, however, that we do not need to act at all. God loves us because we are His children but when we start looking for Him consciously, He grants us even more graces and gifts, which help us improve our- selves on our way to sainthood.

WHERE DO OUR FRIENDS, THE NIAGARA FALLS OR POWER IN THE LIGHT BULB COME FROM? When we think about God’s mercy, we tend to associate it solely with forgiveness, but we need to realize that what is good and beautiful is a gift from the merciful Father as well. He wants us to be happy so He gives us friends! He wants to amaze us with beauty so He has created so many wonders of nature! He wants us to enjoy a better life in this world so He gives inspiration to inventors! God is our Father, we are His children. He takes care of our everyday life. In doing so, He shows His mercy to us.

86 87 How do we know that God wants us to be happy? THE SAVED ONES When we love somebody, we want him or her to be happy. What Jesus God loves us. If we have any doubts as to whether He wants did for us us to be happy, it means that we still have a false picture of Him in our minds. Knowing about our doubts, God decided to give us the greatest proof of His merciful love. We will OUR STORY TAKES ITS ROOTS IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, discuss it in the next section. WHERE EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL, PURE AND DELIGHT- FUL. THERE WAS NO FEAR, HATRED, ILLNESS, OR DEATH. THERE WAS ONLY FREEDOM. AT SOME POINT, ADAM AND EVE, DECEIVED BY SATAN, CHOSE EVIL, WHICH BROUGHT AN END TO THE HARMONY OF THE WONDROUS WORLD CREATED BY GOD. FROM THAT MOMENT ON, EVERYTHING HAS BEEN POISONED BY SIN. HOWEVER, THE ANSWER OF THE MERCIFUL FATHER TO ADAM AND EVE’S DISOBEDI- ENCE WAS HIS PROMISE OF CHRIST’S COMING AND OUR SALVATION.

Did God go mad? If a friend told us that he wanted to become an ant, we would probably think that he went crazy. The difference between a man and this little creature is so huge that it is virtually impossible to imagine someone having such a wish. Therefore, it is so difficult to understand that God decided to become man! The Creator of Heaven and Earth, the King of the Universe, the One who is not limited by time or space (because He created them) becomes a little helpless baby! THEY HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE In no other religion has God become so close to us, men. Some people believe that God’s incarnation is sufficient IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB. rev 7:14 proof of His crazy love for us, but He took a step further, © DAYENU some claim that a step too far.

88 89 wAS IT POSSIbLE TO DO MORE? ARE wE REALLY THAT bAD THAT wE NEED TO bE We are able to do great things out of love. We can sit long SAVED? hours by the bed of a sick person, travel thousands of kilome- Every sin is a rejection of God and harm we ters to meet the person we love even for a while, give up our infl ict on ourselves. The drama of many sins dreams, spend all our savings to help somebody. Jesus off ered is that they leave us with wounds which may His life out of love for us, He gave it for everyone of us! stay hidden for a long time. Sometimes, we hear stories of people who have had a car crash and are DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE? badly injured but are in a state of shock and can walk Every action has some consequences. The same applies to our many kilometers, for example with a broken leg, with- sins, although very oft en we cannot see their consequences im- out feeling any pain. They can walk bleeding until they mediately, or we can notice only some of them. No person, even lose consciousness. Similarly, we are oft en unable to see the strongest or the holiest one, would not be able to bear the the wounds resulting from our sins. We need a saviour consequences of their sins. Jesus had to do it for us. He had to because we all have some hidden wounds which can lead because He loves us, because He is Love and Mercy. He did not to death… eternal death! Jesus is our Saviour. do it because somebody forced Him but because He wanted to do it for us. This is the greatest mercy we have ever experi- ARE THERE PEOPLE wHO DO NOT SIN? enced: Jesus gave His life for us, sinners. He saved us! “I haven’t killed anybody, I haven’t stolen anything, I go to church on Sunday…” It is common for people who are away from God and lead a bad life to claim that they do not have any sins. They are really unable to see them. And it would suffi ce to “switch on the light”… Nobody is without sin. The closer we are to God, the better we can see the truth about ourselves.

Mercy is like light which, falling on our life, (…) consider My Sorrowful Passion makes us see the darkness in it, too. in all its immensity. Bp. Grzegorz Ryś Consider it as if it had been undertaken for your sake alone. IF MY DEATH HAS NOT CONvINCED YOU OF MY LOvE, WHAT WILL? 90 91 Diary, 1761, 580 Can people be divided into smaller and bigger Where can we find the merciful God? sinners? If Jesus appeared before us today and invited us to follow There are people who let themselves be deceived by Satan Him, what would be our answer? Some might say: “Great, in their lives and committed grave sins. Some other strug- but not today. I need a bit of time to get ready.” We tend to gle with their venial sins. Are the ones better than the oth- believe that to meet God we need to be perfect or, at least, ers? We are all sinners and debtors of the merciful God. we should not have any bigger shortcomings or weaknesses. He forgives those who have grave sins, and protects other And maybe this is the reason why we meet Him so rarely. He people from committing them. Both result from His grace looks for us “on the ground floor” and we are “on the 10th and mercy. floor”. We put on attractive masks to make a good impres- sion on Him but it is our real face that draws Him, even if it Can God be merciful and just at the same is scarred. You do not need to wear any make-up when you time? come to meet the merciful God. We truly encounter Him Many people become very indignant when God shows His only if we acknowledge the truth about ourselves. mercy towards wrongdoers. They will ask: Where is justice? Some others comfort themselves with the thought: I can sin Where does the merciful God act? because the merciful God will forgive me everything any­ For the last 2,000 years, the merciful God has been saving way. They all misinterpret God’s justice and mercy, most us through the sacraments. He stays invisible to our senses commonly by treating them as two opposites. They believe – we cannot see Him, we cannot hear Him, but He is present that there is room for either mercy or justice. However, in there and He acts! He is constantly saving us from trouble, fact, the two go hand in hand because both mercy and jus- especially by means of two sacraments of “everyday use”: tice result from God’s love. The best illustration thereof is confession and the Eucharist. In confession, God removes the cross of Jesus Christ. It was on this cross that justice the dirt of our sins, and, in the Eucharist, He gives Himself was done for our sins – the punishment for sins is death and to us, He gives us life and the strength to lead a good life. Jesus died for us voluntarily. It is also through Christ’s cross that God showed us the greatest mercy – He forgave us Have you already met the enemy of the merci- everything and opened us the way to Heaven. ful God? Enemy, foe, the master of lies and illusion is Satan. We en- Mercy without justice counter him in all the situations which are supposed to raise is the mother of dissolution; doubts in our hearts, destroy our faith in God’s love for us justice without mercy is cruelty. and stop us from believing in the possibility of returning to St. Thomas Aquinas God and being forgiven. He wants us to stop believing in God’s mercy. If we trust in God’s constant love despite our

92 93 sins, Satan is helpless. Therefore, he attacked St. Faustina so What will the years ahead bring us? (…) brutally, especially when she wrote in her Diary about the We are not given to know. Divine Mercy. He tried to intimidate her, force her to stop However, it is certain that in addition to new progress writing. He had a feeling that what she was writing would there will unfortunately be no lack help many people find the way back to God in the future. of painful experiences. But the light of divine mercy, Why is there so much “buzz” around mercy which the Lord in a way wished now? to return to the world through Sister Faustina’s God is always the same, invariable, always merciful. The charism, will illumine whole Bible, the sacred tradition, the experience of thou- the way for the men and women sands of saints tell us about God’s mercy. However, it has of the third millennium. not always been that obvious to us. The twentieth century St. John Paul II witnessed acts of unprecedented atrocity. The wars and the totalitarian systems led to the death of many innocent peo- What is the Message of Mercy? ple. It was at that time that God decided to remind us about The Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska is the most frequently His mercy through St. Faustina. Nowadays, the evil takes dif- translated Polish book. It contains all the words that Jesus ferent forms, destroying people more secretly, but there are directed at the whole world through St. Faustina. We refer equally many victims, if not more. Today, evil is presented as to them as the Message of the Divine Mercy. It is in this something good, and sin as freedom. Faced with a growing message that God reminds us about His great love and en- number of dangers, man needs God’s mercy more than ever. courages us to trust Him and to be merciful towards other people.

(…) I intend today to pass this message on to the new millennium. I pass it on to all people, so that they will learn to know ever better the true face of God and the true face of their brethren. Be constantly on the watch, St. John Paul II for many souls will turn back from the gates of Who is the apostle of mercy? and worship My mercy. The closest disciples of Jesus, the 12 men he called, were not His only apostles. Jesus also sent other apostles (apos- Diary, 639 tle means “one who is sent away”). In the 20th century, He

94 95 entrusted the special mission of proclaiming God’s mercy to a woman – Sister Faustina. She was supposed to remind all FILLED WITH PEACE the people about the Divine Mercy and proclaim it through acts, words and prayer. By means of St. Faustina’s Diary, Those who decided Jesus also encourages us to proclaim God’s great mercy. You to trust God do not need to be a priest or a trained journalist. All He asks us for is to testify about Him in our everyday life, to no- HOW BEAUTIFUL THE WORLD WOULD BE IF EVERYBODY tice the presence of the merciful God in everyday situations HAD PEACE IN THEIR HEARTS! THE TRUTH IS THAT WE and to trust that He will lead us. We also need to become ALL LONG FOR PEACE AND MISS IT. MANY PEOPLE LOOK merciful towards our brethren. We can proclaim His mercy FOR INNER PEACE IN VARIOUS RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, in everyday conversations by sharing our experiences with MEDITATION, ALCOHOL AND DRUGS, WHICH MAKE US others. We can also help other people notice the presence FORGET ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS FOR A MOMENT. ALL of God in their lives and encourage them to trust Him, espe- THESE METHODS SEEM TO WORK PERFECTLY AND GIVE cially in difficult situations. US RELIEF FOR A WHILE, BUT THEY LEAD TO DEVAS- TATING CONSEQUENCES IN THE LONG RUN. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HELP US BUT, IN FACT, THEY ONLY MAKE MATTERS WORSE. HOWEVER, THERE IS SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS HOW TO REGAIN INNER PEACE. SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THE FATHER AND KNOWS THAT HE IS LOVE. AND THERE IS ONLY ONE ANSWER TO THIS LOVE – TRUST, WHICH LEADS US TO A COMPLETE PEACE. AS OFTEN AS YOU WANT Why is it important to trust God? God encourages us to trust Him as many as 365 times in TO MAKE ME HAPPY, the Bible by saying: “do not fear”, “peace be with you”, “do not be afraid”… In St. Faustina’s Diary, we can often SPEAK TO THE WORLD find these words of encouragement and comfort, along with the reason why we can live without fear. Jesus repeats many ABOUT MY GREAT times: “I am with you”. His closeness should be the source of deep peace and release us from any fears. It all depends, AND UNFATHOMABLE MERCY. however, on whether we will trust Him since we are able to Diary, 164 trust only somebody whom we know very well.

96 97 HOw CAN wE COME TO KNOw GOD? In spite of everything, Jesus, I trust in You It is actually incredible that we, people, can get to know in the face of every interior sentiment God! He wants to be discovered by us, He wants to stay which sets itself against hope. close to us! Therefore, Jesus stayed with us in the sacra- Do what You want with me; I will never leave you, ments, through which we can experience His closeness in a because You are the source of my life. special way and learn to know Him better and better. Every prayer is a special meeting with God and a time to discover Diary, 24 the truth about Him. It is also incredibly important to read the Bible, where God speaks to us about Himself. We can also learn to know Him better when we look back at our lives – we discover that He has been present in our lives, He HOw CAN wE bE CERTAIN THAT GOD’S PLAN IS bET- loves us and constantly acts in our everyday life. TER THAN OURS? Every inventor knows best what to do with the device he The more I come to know Him, or she has created to make it work perfectly. They give a the more ardently, the more fi ercely I love Him (…). detailed description in the manual so that the user knows Diary, 231 what can and cannot be done with the device. God is our Creator. He knows us better than we do ourselves. He wHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TRUST GOD? knows what is good and what is bad for us. He knows every We oft en think that trusting God means having hope that He person’s abilities and how to use them best. He wants us will fulfi ll our dreams. In fact, this attitude is oft en refl ected to be happy. Therefore, He leaves us hints and advice as to in our prayers: we present God a list of our wishes. Howev- what to choose for our benefi t. er, to truly trust God is to accept His plan for our life and to believe that it is the best plan possible. Sometimes, we can HOw CAN wE CHECK wHETHER wE REALLY TRUST have the impression that we do not trust God because we GOD? cannot feel it. Trust is not a feeling. It is a conscious choice We can check the temperature of our body with a thermom- of a pathway which we decide to follow listening to Christ’s eter. We can check our language skills with a specially-de- words. signed test. But how can we check whether we trust God? What we need to do is to analyze our everyday choices and see whether they are in accordance with God’s will or not.

98 99 How to live in accordance with God’s will? What will happen if I choose a different way God has left us hints how to live. We can find them in the -Bi from the one God intended for me? ble (especially, the Ten Commandments and the Eight Beat- When we choose a way which is against God’s will, we com- itudes). He also speaks to us through the Church, through mit sin. And this way leads us to death. God says, “I have the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, through everyday set before you life and death (…) therefore choose life events and our meetings with other people. The moment (…)” (Deut 30:19). God never stops taking care of us. we discover what God wants from us, He gives us some di- Even when we do not follow His way, He stays by our side rections how to fulfill His calling in our lives. He also speaks wherever we are. to us through our everyday experiences. We can stay indif- In our lives, we often choose a different way from the one ferent to His words, we can reject them, or accept them as intended for us by God. For example, Saul of Tarsus initially a gift from our best friend, Jesus. chose the way of violence against Christians. He was travel- ling to Damascus to persecute them. And it was at that time Can I choose what I want? that God decided to call Him to become an apostle. Saul One of the biggest gifts we received from God is freedom. became one of the most zealous Christians because he ex- His gift is irreversible – we will always be free, we will al- perienced the great mercy of God, who turned a persecutor ways be able to choose what we want. If somebody wants into His trusted friend. to trust God, they will always be looking for His will and God straightens our crooked paths and is able to notice trying to understand what He wants from them, believing goodness in us despite our bad choices. Trust is a dynamic that God wants the best for them. This quest requires a reality. God’s will is not a strict mathematical plan to follow lot of effort and engagement every day since we often have but a wonderful story that we can co-create with Him. difficulties recognizing God’s will straight away. The choice between good and evil is obvious, but the choice between God is like GPS. good and good seems more complex. In such a case, we He tells us where to go, might need to talk to somebody who will help us under- but if I choose a different way (…) stand what God will like better. than Him, He says with the same, calm voice, “You’ve changed the route. I’m creating a new route, then.” Fr. Wojciech Ziółek SJ

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. 1 Cor 6:12 101 Will trust in God protect us from suffering? part of God’s plan of salvation. We can learn from her how Let’s imagine the following situation: a beautiful young to trust God in the difficult moments of our lives. We can student prays for a good future husband. After some time, also ask Mary for help. Many saints came to trust God com- she meets her dream boyfriend at a meeting of the youth pletely by doing so. chaplaincy. They fall in love with each other and he asks her to marry him. Two days after their engagement, the young What is the best way of showing God that we man dies in a car crash. Could the merciful God include trust Him? such a horrible event in His best plan for our life? After Jesus has shown us this way. All His life, He was looking all, He never inflicts suffering on people. But sometimes He for His Father’s will and followed it. We can see it best in allows it. Trust is not about understanding everything that Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Despite the happens to us. To trust is to be certain that God is with us great fear of immense suffering, He said to the Father: “Fa- in our suffering and wants to carry us through it. The logic ther, if you are willing, remove this chalice from me; never- of mercy does not consist in protecting us from suffering theless not my will, but yours, be done” (Lk 22:42). With but it consists in deriving good from the most difficult expe- His trust, Jesus opened the doors of Heaven for us. We also riences. The best illustration thereof is the life of Jesus. His participate in Christ’s mission of salvation if we trust God Passion and death led to His resurrection, which brought us and let Him act in our lives. Such trust is the manifestation salvation. of the greatest love. By choosing what God wants from us we become filled with peace. When my soul is in anguish, I think only in this way: Jesus is good and full of mercy, and even if the ground were to give way under my feet, I would not cease to trust in Him. Diary, 1192

Who can teach us how to trust in God? In fact, any saint who let himself or herself be led by God, can serve as an example of trust for us. However, the most remarkable example of completing God’s will is Mary’s life. At the Annunciation, she said “yes” to God and did not stop trusting Him, even when she was standing by the cross, on What place does Jesus have in your life? which her only Son was dying. She believed that this was last second 102 first on the couch 103 © DAYENU THE HAPPY ONES Love everyone out of love for Me, even your greatest enemies, Those who love so that My mercy may be fully reflected in your heart. Diary, 1695 JESUS SHOWED US THE WAY TO HAPPINESS IN THE SER- MON ON THE MOUNT. HIS WORDS “BLESSED ARE THE Can we be merciful from time to MERCIFUL, FOR THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY” (MT 5:7) time? ENCOURAGE US TO LOVE OTHER PEOPLE. ONLY WHEN It is not possible to love somebody in the WE LOVE CAN WE DISCOVER THE MYSTERY OF HAPPI- morning and to stop loving them in the NESS. evening. If it happens, it means that this is not a true love. The same applies to mer- cy, which grows roots in people’s hearts so Merciful – what does it mean? that it fills their thoughts, words and actions. People tend to think that a merciful person is “a weakling” Such people love and therefore act, out of mercy. The mercy who starts crying the moment they see suffering. Some- becomes their lifestyle. times, people think that mercy exists only in the sphere of Be always merciful emotions and feelings. However, when we look at Jesus and as I am merciful. the saints, we can easily understand that the merciful per- Diary, 1695 son is the one who loves and therefore acts – reacts in a concrete way trying to fight the consequences of evil. What is the price of mercy? The original sin is a wound that we are all born with. It makes us prone to selfishness, to focusing on our needs Are events a manifestation of mercy? more than on other people. However, if we become fascinat- There are plenty of people in the world who suffer and need ed by Jesus, we want to follow Him and a desire arises in our help. Fortunately, there are also many warm-hearted peo- hearts to love others as much as Jesus loves them. When ple who devote their time, strength and money to help the we decide to turn to the merciful lifestyle, we declare war needy ones. However, what they do is not necessarily an act on our instincts and selfishness. Mercy comes at a price, it of mercy. We need to ask about their intentions. If they act can be difficult since it requires us to choose what demands out of their love for Jesus, then their actions are an example a greater effort. of mercy.

104 105 Is every good deed really good? Are there any situations when it is impossible Generally speaking, prayer is a good thing. But what if we to be merciful? pray on an exam day for our teacher to get sick and stay In some circumstances, we feel at first glance that our home? It is good to help a friend who is short of money. hands are tied and we cannot do anything. It is easy to find But what if we lend him the money that we have stolen an excuse then and go back to our own business. However, from our parents? It is a great thing to volunteer for a local people with the vision of mercy will not give up that quick- organization. But what if somebody else needs to do our ly. They will look for new ways, new ideas how to help a household chores for us? Any good deed needs to have person in need. First, they will try to take some action. If good intentions (e.g. a prayer for somebody to be well), be this turns out to be impossible, they will try to help the performed only with good means (e.g. I lend somebody my person with the words of support, comfort or forgiveness. own money) and in certain circumstances (e.g. I can help a Sometimes, however, even this is not possible. Then we can local organization after fulfilling my duties first). always turn to prayer – yet another way to show our mercy.

Who will take care of us? Is giving money to a beggar an act of mercy? The experience of many people who chose to be merciful in Walking down a busy street in a big city, we often see peo- their lives shows that when we give ourselves to others, we ple asking us for money. How do we react? Some of us receive much more in return. Mercy makes us abandon the give them money knowing that we will not solve their rather sad notion of self-sufficiency and the fearful focus on problem. In fact, it will help them only for a while. ourselves. It transfers us into a fascinating world of inter- Therefore, it is more important to stop by a personal relationships. It is in this world that we experience person in need and start a conversation love and generosity. We see that when we give, we receive to come to know them better. Some- even more in return. times, a simple conversation is worth more than the money we It is more blessed to give could offer. It is also important than to receive. to pray for these people. Ac 20:35

106 107 When somebody is hungry, do not give them a fi sh, who did evil to us. In this way, we liberate ourselves from give them a fi shing rod and teach them to fi sh. the burden of our pain, and we give a person who hurt us a chance to change since only the experience of mercy can ARE THERE ANY GLASSES THAT ALLOw US TO SEE thoroughly transform a person. wHAT IS GOOD? When we read on the Internet about a man who killed some- We resemble God most body, we tend to think that he is a cruel person, a dangerous when we forgive our neighbors. criminal, possibly from a dysfunctional family. This might be Diary, 1148 true, but it is not the entire truth about him. It is extremely diffi cult to see his positive sides if we are confronted solely wHY DO I HAVE TO bE MERCIFUL? with the evil he has done. What we need is a pair of special Happy are those who can see how generous God has been “glasses” which would allow us to look at people the way towards them. Our lives, constant care, help in any situ- God does. He is able to fi nd what is good in us under many ation, forgiveness of any sin – we receive it all from God layers of evil. We can learn from Him to look at people this for free! Happy are those who experience God’s mercy and way. The merciful God does not pretend that He cannot see show mercy to their brethren. They are happy also because evil, but He focuses on what is good in us. In spite of our through being merciful they become similar to God. “Be sins, He looks at us with love and can notice beauty in us. merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36).

HOw TO bE MERCIFUL TOwARDS SOMEbODY wHO HAS HURT US? Whenever we say Our Father, we repeat the phrase “and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who tres- pass against us.” Jesus consciously asked us to repeat these words in the most basic Christian prayer – He wants to re- mind us every day that we need forgiveness. God is always generous with forgiveness and expects us to be equally mer- ciful towards other people. Mercy manifests itself best in our ability to forgive. And whether we forgive somebody is our conscious choice. We decide not to do evil to somebody

108 109 How can we pray for mercy? Whenever we praise God’s mercy, thank Him for His good- ness, apologize to Him for our sins, or ask Him for help, we show Him our trust. If we follow His will while taking every- CALLING day decisions, we give Him concrete proof of our trust. And FOR MERCY when we experience His mercy, a desire arises in our hearts to act in the same way towards other people. Trust and mer- Praying for mercy for us cy are two straight ways which lead us to God and open us and the whole world for His mercy.

WE ALL NEED GOD’S MERCY. HE LIFTS US UP WHEN WE FALL. HE GIVES US STRENGTH TO LEAD A GOOD LIFE. HE GIVES US HOPE FOR HEAVEN. WE NEED TO PRAY Sr. M. Gaudia Skass, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE PRAYER THAT WE CAN MEET Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza THE MERCIFUL GOD. THIS MEETING TRANSFORMS US. THANKS TO OUR PRAYER, GOD TRANSFORMS THE LIFE OF OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL. IT HAS AN INFLUENCE ON THE DESTINY OF THE WHOLE WORLD. WE KNOW ABOUT IT FROM ST. FAUSTINA’S DIARY. IT IS THROUGH HER THAT JESUS SHOWED US NEW WAYS OF MEETING HIM AND ASKING FOR MERCY.

110 111 DO YOU KNOW WHO WAS THE GREATEST ADVOCATE OF DIVINE MERCY?

CONNECT THE BLACK DOTS TO FIND OUT THE ANSWER DIVINE MERCY IMAGE “JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU”

114 115 1. 2. WHAT IS THE WHAT IS 7. THE STORY SYMBOLIC MEANING OF OF THIS IMAGE? 3. THE PAIN- The image of the Divine Mercy is the only portrait in the his- tory of Christianity that was commissioned by Jesus Himself. 6. TING? Christ appeared to St. Faustina on 22nd February 1931 during her stay in the Polish city of Płock. In her Diary, the nun re- corded everything she had seen, and her description served as a guide for the first image of Merciful Jesus, which was paint- ed in 1934 in Vilnius, where it can be found to date. However, 1. eyes the most renowned Divine Mercy image is displayed in the convent chapel of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady 4. 2. the right HAND, of Mercy at the Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łag- RAISED IN BLESSING iewniki. The miraculous image was painted by Polish painter Adolf Hyła. 3. the left HAND ON HIS HEART The image of Merciful Jesus is not His “photograph”. There- fore, we can find different versions of this painting around the 4. rays world. They all fulfill Christ’s desire, provided that they are painted in accordance with the description in the Diary. 5. feet

God bestows graces on those who pray before this image with 6. white garment trust and imitate Jesus by showing mercy to other people. Je- sus said to St. Faustina, “I promise that the soul that will 7. DARK venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory BACKGROUND over its enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory” (Dia- 5. 8. THE INSCRIPTION ry, 48). Jesus fulfills His promises and we see miracles happen “JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU” all over the world!

116 8. 117 2. THE RIGHT HAND RAISED IN BLESSING 1. EYES Upon a closer look, we notice a Any encounter begins with exchanging looks. Jesus said to Sis- nail wound on this hand. The One ter Faustina, “My gaze from this image is like My gaze from whom we condemned to death the cross” (Diary, 326). What is the look of somebody who is raising His hand not to take re- offered his life for us out of love? It is important to remember venge on us but to bless us. Jesus what happened on Golgotha. Anyone who looks at the paint- taught the same to Sister Faustina: ing and meets Christ’s gaze can experience the same feelings “If someone causes you trouble, as people back then on Golgotha: love, acceptance, forgive- think what good you can do for ness, infinite care and mercy, which bridges the great abyss the person who caused you to between the sinner and the Holy God. suffer” (Diary, 1760). Mercy is a love that we do not deserve. The experience of such love helps us get closer to God.

Dear young people, at the Shrine in Kraków dedicated to the merciful Jesus, where He is depicted Love your enemies, in the image venerated by the people of God, Jesus is waiting for you. (…) do good to those who hate you, Do not be afraid to look into His eyes, bless those who curse you, full of infinite love for you. pray for those who abuse you. Open yourselves to His merciful gaze, so ready to forgive all your sins. Lk 6:27-28 Pope Francis

118 119 The left hand touches the heart, which we cannot see in the painting. Yet, we can see two rays streaming out of it. Jesus told Sister Faustina that “the pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls” (Diary, 299). In short, the two rays denote water and blood, which streamed out of 3. THE LEFT HAND Christ’s pierced heart. “The Water which makes souls right- eous” is a symbol of the sacrament of baptism and confession, ON HIS HEART and of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whose biblical symbol is water as well. “The Blood which is the life of the souls” sym- This hand points at the most important element in the picture bolizes the Eucharist. Jesus Christ is present in the sacraments – the pierced heart of Jesus. It is in the heart that feelings, and it is through them that He shows us His greatest mercy: thoughts and decisions are born. It is there that the decision He forgives us our sins and gives Himself to us. about love is made. In His heart, Jesus made a decision to offer His life for us.

I DO NOT WANT TO PUNISH ACHING MANKIND, 5. FEET BUT I DESIRE TO HEAL IT, Christ’s feet also carry traces of His im- PRESSING IT TO MY MERCIFUL HEART. mense suffering. Though wounded by Diary, 1588 our sins, Jesus does not cease to look for us. He makes the first move towards us, like the loving father from the para- 4. RAyS ble of the prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32). He does not wait for us to become holy, perfect and converted. MY HEART OVERFLOWS WITH GREAT MERCY FOR He roams the world in search of the weak to help them come SOULS, AND ESPECIALLY FOR POOR SINNERS. IF to Him by themselves. ONLY THEY COULD UNDERSTAND THAT I AM THE BEST OF FATHERS TO THEM AND THAT IT IS FOR BUT WHILE HE WAS YET AT A DISTANCE, THEM THAT THE BLOOD AND WATER FLOWED FROM HIS FATHER SAW HIM AND HAD COMPASSION, MY HEART (…) AND RAN AND EMBRACED HIM AND KISSED HIM. Diary, 367 Lk 15:20

120 121 6. WHITE GARMENT 7. DARK Jesus is wearing a white garment, which symbolizes His resur- BACKGROUND rection. His body bears traces of suffering but the white robe illustrates His victory over death. These remarkable events The dark background behind the light figure of Jesus Christ is from Christ’s life are the ultimate manifestation of the Divine an accurate depiction of the circumstances in which Jesus ap- Mercy towards man. peared to Faustina in 1931 – she saw Him in the evening. How- ever, it also carries a symbolic meaning in that it illustrates the darkness of our sins. And into this darkness – the sphere of our life filled with pain and fear – comes the resurrected Jesus – the conqueror of death – to bring us hope for forgiveness.

I HAVE COME AS LIGHT INTO THE WORLD, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME MAY NOT REMAIN

CHRIST (…) HAS REVEALED IN HIS RESURRECTION IN DARKNESS. THE FULLNESS OF THE LOVE THAT THE FATHER HAS FOR HIM AND, IN HIM, FOR ALL PEOPLE. Jn 12:46 St. John Paul II

122 123 8. THE INSCRIPTION “JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU”

Jesus told St. Faustina that He wanted these words to be written on the painting. They open people’s hearts to the Divine Mercy. They are also an answer to His infinite love.

COME TO HIM AND DO NOT BE AFRAID! COME TO HIM AND SAY FROM THE DEPTHS OF YOUR HEARTS: “JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!”. LET YOURSELVES BE TOUCHED BY HIS BOUNDLESS MERCY, SO THAT IN TURN YOU MAY BECOME APOSTLES OF MERCY BY YOUR ACTIONS, WORDS AND PRAYERS IN OUR WORLD, WOUNDED BY SELFISHNESS, HATRED AND SO MUCH DESPAIR.

Pope Francis

Sr. M. Gaudia Skass, Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza

125 CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY

126 127 WHAT IS THE CHAPLET OF THE DIVINE MERCY? It is a special prayer dictated by Jesus Himself. He is the au- thor of the Chaplet. This prayer reminds us that Jesus loved PER LA SUA us so much that He offered His life to free us from slavery DOLOROSA to sin. It also makes us realize that we sorely need God’s PASSIONE... mercy. We need it and the whole world needs it. For the sake of His sorrowful How do we know about this prayer? Passion… St. Faustina recorded the words of the Chaplet in her Diary on 13th September 1935 in Vilnius. Two years later, the first pictures with the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy were printed Por Su dolorosa in Kraków. Shortly afterwards, Divine Mercy images spread all over the world. Pasión… What is most important in this prayer? It is trust. To trust is to agree to anything that God wants for us and the world and to believe that what He wants is DURCH SEIN Pela sua dolorosa best for us. To ask with trust also means to wait patiently SCHMERZHAFTES with the faith that God will answer our prayer at the best Paixão... LEIDEN... moment and in the best possible way.

In what circumstances did Jesus dictate the Par Sa douloureuse passion… Chaplet to St. Faustina? “In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw an Angel, the executor of divine wrath. He was clothed in a dazzling robe, his face gloriously bright, a cloud beneath his feet. From the cloud, bolts of thunder and flashes of lightning were These are only several of many languages in springing into his hands; and from his hand they were going which people throughout the world recite the forth, and only then were they striking the earth. When I Divine Mercy Chaplet, a special prayer given to saw this sign of divine wrath which was about to strike the us by Jesus Himself. And when we say this prayer earth (…) I began to implore the Angel to hold off for a few with trust, miracles happen. moments, and the world would do penance. But my plea

128 129 IT PLEASES ME TO GRANT E V ERYTHING THEY ASK

was a mere nothing in the face of the divine anger. (…) At Did Jesus make any special promises regard- that very moment I felt in my soul the power of Jesus’ grace, ing the Chaplet? which dwells in my soul. (…) I found myself pleading with Jesus promised that to those who say the Chaplet He would OF ME BY SAYING THE CHAPLET. God for the world with words heard interiorly” (Diary, 474). grant anything they ask for (that is anything in compliance with God’s will). He wants to give us everything we need, And these “words heard interiorly” were what we know to- everything we ask for! But the words of the Chaplet do day as the Chaplet. “As I was praying in this manner, I saw not work miracles the moment we utter them. In fact, they the Angel’s helplessness: he could not carry out the just prompt us to change our lives. What God expects from us punishment which was rightly due for sins. Never before is our trust and mercy shown to our neighbors. The Chaplet had I prayed with such inner power as I did then.” (Diary, can be likened to a double door through which we can enter 474). the treasury of God’s promises and receive everything!

Jesus also promised the grace of happy and peaceful death What time of the day should we say the Chap- (“happy” means in the state of the sanctifying grace and let? without anxiety and fear) to those who would recite the Many people associate the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy Chaplet throughout their lives. This promise is also given to with 3pm, the Hour of Mercy. However, Jesus has never said the dying by whose side somebody will recite this prayer. what time we should recite the prayer. He only asked Sister Faustina to say it frequently. As a matter of fact, we can say In Poland, you can receive a plenary indulgence (under the this prayer any time day or night! usual conditions) for reciting the Chaplet in a church or a chapel. Diary , 1541

When this chaplet is said by the bedside of a dying person, God’s anger is placated, unfathomable mercy envelops the soul (…).

Diary, 811

3pmTHE HOUR OF MERCY 131 wHAT DO wE ACTUALLY SAY IN THE CHAPLET? For the sake of His sorrowful Passion… These few words remind us how greatly Jesus suff ered for our sins. We stand before the Father and invoke ETERNAL FATHER… Christ’s redemptive off ering to ask God for mercy. The From the very beginning of the prayer, we address God sorrowful Passion of Christ is the ultimate manifesta- as our Father. And when we say to Him “Father! Dad!”, tion of God’s mercy. “For God so loved the world that we invoke His merciful love. In this way, we proclaim he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes that He is a good, loving Father, who waits for all his chil- in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). dren, even the lost ones. He waits for every one of us.

… Have mercy on us and on the whole world … I off er You the body and blood… We repeat this phrase many times because we know Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord that we all sorely need Lord’s mercy. We are aware of Jesus Christ… These words remind us of Jesus Christ’s our sins and weaknesses and therefore we are pleading real presence in the Eucharist. He off ers Himself to His for mercy. We are praying not only for forgiveness of Father for the salvation of the world. We can conscious- our sins but also for anything that would help us lead ly join His self-off ering. When we recite the words of the a better life. As we ask God for His mercy, we proclaim Chaplet, we refer to our role in the Eucharist, where we our faith in His tender love, goodness and care for every make a spiritual off ering while the priest celebrates the one of us. We pray for mercy not only for ourselves and sacrament at the altar. our families, but for the whole world. This prayer opens up our hearts – we stop concentrating on ourselves and begin to notice other people’s needs. In the Chaplet, we … In atonement for our sins, and those of pray for the whole world: for the living and the dead. the whole world Do we have anything that we could off er God to expiate our sins? Could we perform any good works to compen- sate for our evil deeds? Without Christ’s help, we are “For the wages of sin is death” not able to off er anything to God. (Rom 6:23). Yet, we do not die since Jesus took upon Himself our sins and our death. It was Sr. M. Gaudia Skass, Him that paid our debt. And this Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza prayer reminds us thereof.

132 133 THE HOUR OF MERCY There is more merit to 1 hour

of meditation on My sorrowful Passion than there is to a whole year of flagellation that draws blood.

Diary, 369

Ecce Homo, Adam Chmielowski (Brother Albert) Museum of the Sanctuary of St. Brother Albert in Kraków Each day there is a moment during the day that reminds us of Divine Mercy. It reminds us of the event which changed the course of history. It is the hour in which Jesus sacrifi ced His life for us showing us the greatest mer- cy. That is why 3 o’clock is called the Hour of Mercy. AT THREE O’CLOCK IMPLORE MY MERCY, ESPECIALLY FOR SINNERS, AND, IF ONLY FOR A bRIEF MOMENT, IMMERSE wHY SHOULD wE PRAY AT 3PM? YOURSELF IN MY PASSION, PARTICULARLY When we love someone, we want to be with them forever, IN MY AbANDONMENT AT THE MOMENT OF AGONY. especially if they suff er. At the Hour of Mercy we are with Diary, 1320 Jesus in His greatest suff ering: when he was suff ering and dying on the cross. He asks us through St. Sister Faustina to DO wE NEED TO PRAY THE CHAPLET OF DIVINE MER- meet Him in prayer every day at the time of his agony. CY AT 3PM? In St. Sister Faustina’s Diary it is not indicated that Jesus AS OFTEN AS YOU HEAR THE CLOCK STRIKE asks us to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at the Hour of THE THIRD HOUR Mercy. Of course we can say the Chaplet at 3pm, as we can IMMERSE YOURSELF COMPLETELY IN MY MERCY at any time of the day or night. If we pray the Chaplet at ADORING AND GLORIFYING IT; another time, then we do not have to make the prayer of INVOKE ITS OMNIPOTENCE FOR THE wHOLE wORLD, the Hour of Mercy. AND PARTICULARLY FOR POOR SINNERS. We can join those two prayers and aft er contemplating Diary, 1572 Jesus’s suff ering at 3pm, the Chaplet should be prayed. This is how we pray at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in DO wE NEED TO PRAY FOR THE wHOLE HOUR? Kraków-Łagiewniki and other places. A prayer at the Hour of Mercy is the prayer at the time of Je- sus’s dying and a brief prayer at 3pm exactly is suffi cient. Re- HOw TO PRAY AT THE HOUR OF MERCY? gardless of where we are, when we check the time and see At this special moment of meeting with Jesus, you can visu- it is 3pm, all that is required is a moment of contemplation, alize standing at the cross. You can thank Jesus for His great a few words to Jesus expressing trust in His great mercy. love, for His merciful comapssion of our weakness, and for

138 139 forgiving us our sins. We know that the sacrifi ce of His life DOES JESUS MAKE ANY SPECIAL PROMISES IN CON- has opened up for us the whole divine treasury. By calling NECTION wITH THE HOUR OF MERCY? on the merits of His suff ering, we can ask for anything be- On the cross Jesus gave us everything, he gave us Himself. lieving we are going to receive what is best. Likewise at each meeting at the Hour of Mercy He off ers us a great deal more. He promised that we can request any- thing for ourselves and others. He will grant this request for us if it is within God’s will for our lives.

IN THIS HOUR I wILL REFUSE NOTHING TO THE SOUL THAT MAKES A REQUEST OF ME IN VIRTUE OF MY PASSION. Diary, 1320

TRY YOUR bEST TO MAKE THE STATIONS OF THE ExAMPLES OF INSPIRATION FOR PRAYERS AT THE CROSS IN THIS HOUR (…); HOUR OF MERCY AND IF YOU ARE NOT AbLE TO MAKE THE STATIONS Picture yourself at Golgotha. You are standing by the Cross. You are looking at Jesus, who is dying out of love for you. OF THE CROSS, Your eyes meet. What do you wish to say to Him? In your THEN AT LEAST STEP INTO THE CHAPEL mind, you can stand by the cross with all your weakness, FOR A MOMENT with your sin, with your pain. You can tell Him about any- AND ADORE, IN THE bLESSED SACRAMENT, thing, because He is God who knows suff ering and can un- MY HEART, wHICH IS FULL OF MERCY; derstand your pain. Without accusation, without judgment, AND SHOULD YOU bE UNAbLE he reaches out with his pierced hand from the cross to help you rise. TO STEP INTO THE CHAPEL, Take the cross in your hand. Contemplate Jesus’s loneli- IMMERSE YOURSELF IN PRAYER THERE, wHERE YOU ness at the time He most needed someone’s presence, un- HAPPEN TO bE, IF ONLY FOR A bRIEF INSTANT. derstanding, and love. Contemplate His loneliness in many brothers and sisters suff ering, abandoned, and ridiculed. Diary, 1572 Talk to Him about your loneliness. Try to notice in the sea of suff ering His great Divine Mercy. Sr. M. Gaudia Skass, Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza

140 141 FEAST OF DIVINE MERCY

142 143 AND THAT IS THE GRACES TRUST OF MY MERCY Diary, 1578 ARE DRAwN bY MEANS OF

ONE VESSEL ONLY,

144 145 GOD IS ALWAYS MERCIFUL. EVERY DAY, NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE, HE SHOWS US HIS LOVE. HE WANTED, HOWEVER, A SPECIAL DAY

WHEN WE PRAISE HIS MERCY. When is this special day? The Feast of Divine Mercy is celebrated on the first Sunday A DAY IN WHICH after Easter, the last day of the Octave of Easter.

EVERY SINNER – I.E. EACH OF US – Whose idea was it? St. Sister Faustina wrote down in her Diary the words of HAS A CHANCE Jesus asking us to celebrate this feast 14 times. It was Jesus who stated the exact time and manner of celebrating Divine TO LEAVE THEIR PAST Mercy.

IN THE ARMS Who established this feast? St. John Paul II devoted his life to the continuation of the OF THE MERCIFUL GOD mission of St. Sister Faustina. On the day of her canoniza- tion, 30th April 2000, he announced the Feast of Divine AND START EVERYTHING ANEW. Mercy for the whole Church, fulfilling Jesus’s wish.

146 147 ON THAT DAY THE VERY DEPTHS Why does Jesus want this feast? OF MY TENDER MERCY ARE OPEN. The merciful God is present in our history. He can see our I POUR OUT A WHOLE OCEAN OF struggle and the sins that destroy us. He tries to rescue us in any possible way and that is why He has given us the Feast MY GRACES UPON THOSE SOULS of Mercy. WHO APPROACH THE FOUNT OF MY MERCY. THE SOUL THAT WILL GO TO I DESIRE THAT THE FEAST OF MERCY BE A CONFESSION AND RECEIVE HOLY REFUGE AND SHELTER FOR ALL SOULS, AND COMMUNION SHALL OBTAIN COM- ESPECIALLY FOR POOR SINNERS. PLETE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND Diary, 699 PUNISHMENT.

Are there any general promises made by Jesus Diary, 699 in connection with the Feast of Mercy? On the Feast of Mercy, God wants to give us anything we trustfully ask of Him. He also wants to give us things that are going to be good for us! He also promises a special grace: “the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment”, which means on that day our hearts can become pure, like on the day of our baptism. The only thing that one needs to do is to be in a state of divine grace (after confession and detached from the sin) and receive Jesus in Holy Communion. We can also expect in our daily life that if we try to trust in God and show mercy to others, we can expect Jesus’s promises to be fulfilled and our hearts will be open to receive great graces.

148 149 How to prepare to this feast? SOULS THAT SPREAD This special day is the day of God’s great generosity. To have one’s heart open and prepared to receive all graces THE HONOUR OF MY MERCY offered by Him, one needs to prepare well for it. Jesus himself suggested beginning a novena on Good Friday I SHIELD THROUGH THEIR which involves saying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for nine days. ENTIRE LIVES

BY THIS NOVENA, I WILL GRANT EVERY POSSIBLE AS A TENDER MOTHER GRACE TO SOULS. Diary, 796 HER INFANT,

How to extend this celebration? AND AT THE HOUR OF DEATH This day is a great undertaking for the whole Church. Seeing the merciful love of God makes us want to share I WILL NOT BE A JUDGE FOR THEM, the goodness of our Father in heaven with others. Jesus asks that we spread the message of mercy which BUT THE MERCIFUL SAVIOUR. He passed on to St. Faustina, not only on the Feast of Mercy, but also every day of our lives. Great graces are Diary, 1075 promised to those who undertake this task.

Sr. M. Gaudia Skass, Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza

150 THE SHRINE OF DIVINE MERCY

152 153 The merciful God is everywhere. We can pray to Why is this place so special? Him anywhere. Why is it then that every year The convent in the district of Łagiewniki in Kraków used to around 2 million pilgrims from over 90 coun- be one of many homes of the Congregation of the Sisters tries come to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in of Our Lady of Mercy. The sisters prayed here, worked, and Kraków? praised the Lord in their daily lives. At some point this daily life became a place where God’s special grace was at work Among them there are those who have been deeply touched – St. Faustina Kowalska joined the Congregation in Kraków. by St. Faustina’s Diary. Others were touched by a testament Ever since then, the convent in Łagiewniki has been a site of of someone who had received a special grace at this place numerous revelations that are important for us and for the and they wanted to come here too. Still others are brought whole world. It is from this place that the message of Divine to the Shrine in the hope of God’s miraculous intervention Mercy has spread over all continents. Jesus chose this place into their entangled lives. There are many reasons but be- so that here people can experience His presence and grace hind each of them there is desire for God. in a special way.

Where to go first? I HAVE COME TO The history of this place started with the convent chapel, ŁAGIEWNIKI (...). which is the heart of the Shrine. This is where St. Fausti- I AM CONVINCED THAT na prayed, this is where she saw Jesus and spoke to Him THIS IS THE SPECIAL on many occasions. The painting of Merciful Jesus by Adolf PLACE CHOSEN BY GOD Hyła has hung in the chapel since World War II. In the 1960’s, TO SOW THE GRACE Sister Faustina’s remains were moved here. Very soon the OF HIS MERCY. chapel became the site of many miracles. People come from St. John Paul II all over the world to pray here and receive many graces and experience God’s presence in a special way.

Why is the Shrine called the world centre for of Divine Mercy? In 1938, St. Faustina passed away in the convent in Kraków. People from all over the world make pilgrimages to her tomb. Thanks to her they learn the message of Divine Mer- cy, which changes their lives. Here they pray before the painting of the Merciful Jesus renowned for bestowing grac-

154 155 es; visitors to the Shrine have taken holy cards and copies in Kraków and, during his last pilgrimage, he consecrated of the painting to the most distant corners of the world. the Basilica and entrusted the whole world to Divine Mercy. Through these acts, they experience God’s merciful love; they join St. Faustina’s mission by spreading the message of What other important places are worth visit- Mercy to everyone. The greatest accomplishments of this ing at the Shrine? mission are owed to St. John Paul II. In the 1980’s, it was Near the convent chapel, there is the Basilica building with he who called the Shrine “the capital of Divine Mercy.” He its tower visible from many spots in Kraków and nearby ar- was aware of how special this place was. He used to go to eas. Confession is held at the Basilica daily from morning Łagiewniki during World War II, when he worked at a nearby until evening and many people take this opportunity to go quarry. Later on, he often prayed here as a priest and then as to confession. In the lower part of the Basilica, people come the bishop of Kraków. As Pope, he beatified and canonized to pray at the chapels, which have interior décor that has Sister Faustina and established the Feast of Divine Mercy been developed by artists from several countries. The Ital- (on the second Sunday of Easter) for the whole Church. Lat- ian, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Slovak and German chapels show er, he made two pilgrimages to the Shrine of Divine Mercy that, through St. Sister Faustina, Jesus passed His message of mercy to the whole world. Next to the Basilica, there is the Chapel of Perpetual Adoration where the prayer for mercy for the world and each human being has been in con- tinuous progress since 2005.

GOD, MERCIFUL FATHER (...) BEND DOWN TO US SIN- Sr. M. Gaudia Skass, NERS, HEAL OUR WEAK- Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza NESS, CONQUER ALL EVIL, AND GRANT THAT ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH MAY Sr. M. Gaudia Skass – sister from the Congregation of the Sisters of EXPERIENCE YOUR MERCY. Our Lady of Mercy, graduate of the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts IN YOU, THE TRIUNE GOD, (department of painting), proclaims Divine Mercy in many different MAY THEY EVER FIND THE ways, some examples can be found on the Internet, including on the SOURCE OF HOPE. YouTube channel Faustyna 2016. St. John Paul II Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza – sister from the Congregation of the Sis- ters of Our Lady of Mercy, trained musician and teacher, has been serving the Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Kraków for a few years. 156 157 THE WAY OF MERCY MEDITATION

158 159

WHAT MAN OF YOU, HAVING A HUNDRED SHEEP, IF HE HAS LOST

OF1 THEM,

? DOES NOT LEAVEIN THE THE WILDERNESS, NINETY-NINE AND GO AFTER THE ONE WHICH IS LOST, UNTIL HE FINDSLk IT? 15:4

160 161 The spread of the devotion of the Divine Mercy has re- MEDITATION 1 sulted in new forms of worship. One of them is “The Merciful Jesus Comes To Do the Will of the Father Way of Mercy”, in which we meditate on the life of Je- Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, sus, discovering the truth that Jesus manifests God’s “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body mercy from the moment of His incarnation up to His have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offer- ascension into Heaven and offering us the opportunity ings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have of eternal life. Below you will find one of the forms in come to do your will, O God,’ as it is written of me in the roll which “The Way of Mercy” can be celebrated. of the book.” (Heb 10:5-7)

Merciful Jesus, I adore God’s mercy in the mystery of Your Opening Prayer incarnation, when You became man in Mary’s womb. You were obedient to the Father and came to earth to bring salvation to Merciful Jesus, we are about to walk a unique way, the Way of everyone. St. Faustina wanted to fulfil God’s will in her life. She Mercy. We want to follow Your steps and contemplate Your said, “I want to live in the spirit of faith. I accept everything words: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” that comes my way as given me by the loving will of God, We are going to reflect on the events recorded in the Gospel who sincerely desires my happiness” (Diary, 1549). which demonstrate how merciful You are. We want to become like You, Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus, thank You for becoming man and showing me how On this Way of Mercy, we are accompanied by Mary and the I can entrust myself to God and accept His will. Please help Apostles of the Divine Mercy: St. Faustina and St. John Paul II. me recognize what God wants from me in my everyday life. Lord Jesus Christ, we are following Your footprints that You HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. left when You proclaimed Father’s love, healed the sick, cast out demons, forgave sins, raised the dead to life and when You MEDITATION 2 offered Your life for our salvation. Merciful Jesus Becomes Close To Humanity Fill us with Your Spirit for the time of this prayer. May Your And while they were there, the time came for her to be deliv- Spirit reveal to us the beauty of Your merciful love: starting ered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped from the moment of Your conception in the womb of the Vir- him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because gin Mary, through your youthful years and adulthood, when there was no place for them in the inn. And in that region you set off from Nazareth with the mission of mercy, ending there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over with Golgotha and the joyful day of Your resurrection. their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Be

162 163 not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy MEDITATION 3 which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day Jesus Proclaims the Mission of Mercy in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in and he went to the synagogue, as was his custom, on the swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Lk 2:6-12) Sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book Merciful Jesus, by Your birth in poverty You became closer and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the to us. Sister Faustina wrote in her Diary: „When I arrived at Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good Midnight Mass, from the very beginning I steeped myself news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the in deep recollection, during which time I saw the stable of captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty Bethlehem filled with great radiance. (…) after a while, I those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of was left alone with the Infant Jesus who stretched out His the Lord.” And he closed the book, and gave it back to the at- little hands to me, and I understood that I was to take Him tendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue in my arms. Jesus pressed His head against my heart and were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this gave me to know, by His profound gaze, how good He found Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke it to be next to my heart” (Diary, 1442). well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which pro- ceeded out of his mouth; and they said, “Is not this Joseph’s Lord Jesus, thank You for Your birth in Bethlehem. Help me son?” (Lk 4:16-22) experience Your presence and love. May Your care and love be felt by those who are deprived of family home, warmth, Merciful Jesus, in the synagogue in Nazareth, You read the presence of another person, safety or peace. Please come to words from the book of the prophet Isaiah, who anticipated my heart as You came to earth in Bethlehem. Your mission of mercy among people. You came to tell us that HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. God is good and merciful. Sister Faustina wrote down Your words: “I desire that the whole world know My infinite mer- cy” (Diary, 687). “My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of my goodness?” (Diary, 1485).

Lord Jesus, thank You for healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, breaking the fetters of evil, restoring freedom to the enslaved, bringing hope to the sorrowful. Help me give testimony to Your love. I want to proclaim Your mercy to the

164 165 world through my good deeds and prayer so that I can make your troubles and griefs. I shall heap upon you the treas- the doubtful believe, the resigned regain their hope, and the ures of My grace” (Diary, 1485). lonely and rejected receive love. HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. Lord Jesus, thank You for letting me give all my sins and weak- nesses to You. Take me into Your arms like a lost sheep and hug me. Help me trust in You. MEDITATION 4 HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. Jesus Looks For Sinners on the Peripheries of Life Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, MEDITATION 5 saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus Shows His Compassion to the Hungry he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hun- Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have com- dred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the passion on the crowd, because they have been with me now ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is three days, and have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” And the his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls disciples said to him, “Where are we to get bread enough in together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, the desert to feed so great a crowd?” And Jesus said to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy small fish.” And commanding the crowd to sit down on the in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having ninety-nine righteous persons who need no re- given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, pentance.” (Lk 15:1-7) and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied; and they took up seven baskets full of Merciful Jesus, You are a friend to every one the broken pieces left over. Those who ate were four thou- of us, and You unceasingly look for those who sand men, besides women and children. (Mt 15:32-39) have gone astray in their lives. Sister Faustina re- minds us about Your words: “(…) be willing to talk Merciful Jesus, You give me everything I need. You know all openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak my needs, even the simplest ones in everyday life, but You words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear also wait for my deeds of mercy. Sister Faustina recorded in your soul is to Me! (…) I never reject a contrite heart. her Diary: “Jesus came to the main entrance today, under Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My mercy. the guise of a poor young man. This young man, emaciated, (…) You will give me pleasure if you hand over to me all barefoot and bareheaded, and with his clothes in tatters,

166 167 was frozen because the day was cold and rainy. He asked Merciful Jesus, You show compassion towards the suffering. In for something hot to eat. (…) As I was taking the bowl from the Gospel, we can find many stories about Your encounters him, he gave me to know that He was the Lord of heaven with the physically and spiritually sick, the blind, the deaf, the and earth. (…) I heard these words in my soul: My daughter, paralyzed and those possessed by demon. Sister Faustina re- the blessings of the poor who bless me as they leave this corded Your words directed at a suffering soul: „I see that you gate have reached My ears. (…) and this is why I came down suffer much and that you do not have even the strength to from My throne – to taste the fruits of your mercy” (Diary, converse with me. So I will speak to you. Even though your 1312). “From that moment on, there was stirred up in my sufferings were very great, do not lose heart or give in to heart an even purer love toward the poor and the needy” despondency. (…) Tell me about everything, be sincere in (Diary, 1313). dealing with Me, reveal all the wounds of your heart. I will heal them, and your suffering will become a source of your Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to me in every person I meet. sanctification” (Diary, 1487). Teach me not to be indifferent towards the needy. Help me understand that the things I can offer them are not as impor- Lord Jesus, thank You for Your compassion. Please help me re- tant as me spending time and sharing Your love with them. member these words when I feel depressed. Help me discover Lord Jesus, whatever I do for another person, I do for You. Your presence when I am struck by an unexpected illness or HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. when I experience painful events or rejection. Teach me how to be compassionate and stand by those who suffer. HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. MEDITATION 6 Jesus Show His Mercy To The Suffering While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full MEDITATION 7 of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and Jesus Forgives Sins By The Power Of His Mercy begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you he stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I will; see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no wa- be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. And he ter for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and charged him to tell no one; but “go and show yourself to wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Mo- time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not ses commanded, for a proof to the people.” But so much the anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with more the report went abroad concerning him; and great mul- ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are titudes gathered to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, But he withdrew to the wilderness and prayed. (Lk 5:12-16) loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

168 169 Then those who were at table with him began to say among MEDITATION 8 themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he Jesus Reveals God’s Tenderness and Patience said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, (Lk 7:44-50) I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired Merciful Jesus, I am dear and precious in Your eyes. Whenever servants.” And he arose and came to his father. But while he I fall, I can always count on Your forgiveness. Sister Faustina was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compas- wrote down Your words in her Diary: “I perform works of sion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son mercy in every soul. The greater the sinner, the greater the said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before right he has to My mercy” (Diary, 723). “Know that as of- you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the ten as you come to Me, humbling yourself and asking My father said to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and forgiveness, I pour out a superabundance of graces on your put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his soul, and your imperfection vanishes before My eyes, and feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and I see only your love and your humility. You lose nothing but make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he gain much…” (Diary, 1293). was lost, and is found.” And they began to make merry. (Lk 15:18-24) Jesus, thank You for not allowing my wrongdoings close the path to You. Help me cherish Your mercy, which forgives my Merciful Jesus, thank You for telling me about the Father. I re- sins. Help me to never doubt Your love and Your readiness to ally need to know that God is my Father, that He is a father forgive my sins. Please strengthen my faith that it is You who who loves me and always waits for me. Sister Faustina wrote waits for me in the confessional to forgive my sins and hug me down Your words: “My Heart overflows with great mercy for lovingly to Your Heart. souls, and especially for poor sinners. If only they could un- HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. derstand that I am the best of Fathers to them (…)” (Diary, 367). “With My mercy, I pursue sinners along all their paths, and My Heart rejoices when they return to Me. I forget the bitterness with which they fed My Heart and rejoice at their return” (Diary, 1728).

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your open arms, in which I can feel safe and loved. Please help me never doubt that God is tender and merciful, that He always waits for my return. I have the

170 171 best Father in the world, whose Heart is always open for me. Merciful Jesus, You have the power to bring the dead to life. In His eyes, I am precious and unique. I am His beloved child. Not only do You bring those who have suffered a physical HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. death to life, but You also bring those who suffer a spiritual death from their sins back to life. You said to St. Faustina that the greatest miracles take place in the Sacrament of Recon- MEDITATION 9 ciliation. You told her, “To avail oneself of this miracle, it is Jesus Raises the Dead to Life not necessary to go on a great pilgrimage (…) it suffices Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was and saw him, to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, reveal to him one’s misery, and the miracle of Divine Mer- my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her cy will be fully demonstrated. Were a soul like a decaying weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, corpse so that from a human standpoint, there would be no he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled; and he said, [hope of] restoration and everything would already be lost, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved that soul in full” (Diary, 1448). him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Then Lord Jesus, thank You for Your mercy, which gives me a new Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb; it was a cave, life. Please help me see Your presence in everyday situations, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” especially where there is no solution from a human stand- Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by point. Please teach me to trust in Your mercy, which helps me this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four and which gives me hope in the situations that are hopeless days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you would to a human mind. Give me a strong faith so that I may believe believe you would see the glory of God?” So they took away that, for You, everything is possible. the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this on account of the people stand- ing by, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he MEDITATION 10 had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Laz’arus, come Jesus leaves His disciples the Testament of Mercy out.” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound This is my commandment, that you love one another as with bandages, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (Jn 11:32-44) a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if

172 173 you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, change my everyday life so that I can become more merciful for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but and more like You. I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and MEDITATION 11 bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever Jesus Reveals the Difficult Beauty of Mercy you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. This I Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and clothed know that it has hated me before it hated you. (Jn 15:12-18) him in a purple robe; they came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went Merciful Jesus, You are always present among us in the Eucha- out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing him out rist. You remind us that we should love one another as You to you, that you may know that I find no crime in him.” So have loved us. Sister Faustina was with You in the Cenacle, Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple the room where the Last Supper took place, during one of robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” When the chief her prayers. She wrote, “During this hour of prayer, Jesus priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify allowed me to enter the Cenacle (…). I was most deep- him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves ly moved when, before the Consecration, Jesus raised His and crucify him, for I find no crime in him.”(Jn 19:1-6) eyes to heaven and entered into a mysterious conversation with His Father. It is only in eternity that we shall really Merciful Jesus, Your suffering shows me how much You love understand that moment. His eyes were like two flames; me. You want me to love other people in the same way. St. His face was radiant, white as snow; His whole personage Faustina recorded Your words: “Have great love for those full of majesty, His soul full of longing. At the moment of who cause you suffering. Do good to those who hate you. Consecration, love rested satiated – the sacrifice fully con- (…) It is not always within your power to control your feel- summated. Now only the external ceremony of death will ings. You will recognize that you have love if, after having be carried out – external destruction; the essence (of it) is experienced annoyance and contradiction, you do not lose in the Cenacle” (Diary, 684). your peace, but pray for those who have made you suffer and wish them well” (Diary, 1628). Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to me in every Eucharist and strengthening me with Your presence. I am not able to offer Lord Jesus, thank You for suffering for me. Please teach me to my life for my friends yet, but I can learn from You how to give love those who I struggle to love. Help me understand true others my prayers, presence, and service. May every Eucharist forgiveness and give me courage to forgive. Teach me how to

174 175 pray for those who have hurt me and those whom I have ever MEDITATION 13 hurt in my life. Jesus Opens the Fountain of Mercy to Us HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath (for that MEDITATION 12 Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their Jesus Gives Us Mary as the Mother of Mercy legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of the other who had been crucified with him; but when they Clopas, and Mary Mag’dalene. When Jesus saw his mother, came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the dis- He who saw it has borne witness – his testimony is true, and ciple took her to his own home. (Jn 19:25-27) he knows that he tells the truth – that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be ful- Merciful Jesus, thank You for giving me Your Mother, who filled, “Not a bone of him shall be broken.” (Jn 19:31-36) always takes care of me. St. Faustina received the grace of seeing Mary and talking to Her. She wrote, “Then I saw the Merciful Jesus, You offered Your life on the cross out of love Blessed Virgin, unspeakably beautiful. She came down for me. You often told St. Faustina about Your great love: from the altar to my kneeler, held me close to herself “I have opened My Heart as a living fountain of mercy. Let all and said to me, I am Mother to you all, thanks to the souls draw life from it. Let them approach this sea of mercy unfathomable mercy of God. Most pleasing to Me is with great trust” (Diary, 1520). “For you I descended from that soul which faithfully carries out the will of God” heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to the (Diary, 449). cross; for you I let my be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come, then, Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me Your Mother, Mary. Please with trust to draw graces from this fountain” (Diary, 1485). help me grow closer to her and love her. She knows the mys- tery of the Divine Mercy best since she knows Your Heart. Lord Jesus, thank You for Your cross. Please let me never for- I can learn from her how to be merciful, how to trust God, and get the way to Golgotha. It is there that the fountain of mercy how to fulfil His will. springs up. You are mercy, Jesus. Hide me and my loved ones HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. in Your pierced Heart. Teach me to always defend the sign of the Cross as the sign that shows us how much You love us. HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo.

176 177 MEDITATION 14 pour into my heart. Although I cannot see You with my eyes, Jesus Brings Mercy in His Holy Wounds I believe in Your presence and that You wait for me in any Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not person in need. with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, HYMN: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will MEDITATION 15 not believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were again in the Jesus Will Come To Reward the Merciful house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Then the King will say to those at his right hand, “Come, Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered him, “My I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “You have believed be- clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison cause you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not and you came to me.” Then the righteous will answer him, seen and yet believe.” (Jn 20:24-29) “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and Merciful Jesus, You rose from the dead and brought peace welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we to us all. This truth is illustrated in the image that You asked see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will St. Faustina to paint. You showed me your wounds, which answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the are a cure for my soul and spoke to me through St. Faustina least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” (Mt 25:34-40) by saying, “From all My wounds, like from streams, mercy flows for souls, but the wound in My Heart is the fountain Pope Francis reminds us that the love Jesus teaches us is based of unfathomable mercy. From this fountain spring all graces on deeds. There is no Christianity without merciful deeds. for souls” (Diary, 1190). “Listen, My child, to what I desire Theoretical lessons about mercy, or new philosophies are to tell you. Come close to My wounds and draw from the not nearly as important as concrete gestures of love. “Dear Fountain of Life whatever your heart desires” (Diary, 1485). brothers and sisters, this is how the Church is Mother, by teaching her children works of mercy. She learned this man- Lord Jesus, thank You for Your resurrection. Grant me a strong ner from Jesus, she learned that this is what’s essential for faith in Your victory over death and in Your resurrection. I wor- salvation. It’s not enough to love those who love us. Jesus ship Your holy wounds, which are the signs of Your merciful says that pagans do this. It’s not enough to do good to those love for me. Help me share with others the love which You who do good to us. To change the world for the better it is

178 179 necessary to do good to those who are not able to return Closing prayer the favour, as the Father has done with us, by giving us Je- sus. How much have we paid for our redemption? Nothing, Lord Jesus, thank You for the time we have spent together totally free! Doing good without expecting anything in re- walking the Way of Mercy. We believe that there is only turn. This is what the Father did with us and we must do one aim of this journey, that is to fix our gaze on You, Mer- the same. Do good and carry on! How beautiful it is to live ciful Jesus, so that we can become like You. We want our in the Church, in our Mother Church who teaches us these hands, feet, hearts, thoughts and desires to be merciful like things which Jesus taught us. Let us thank the Lord, who has Yours. May it happen, Lord. Amen. given us the grace of having the Church as Mother, she who teaches us the way of mercy, which is the way of life. Let us thank the Lord.” (Pope Francis, General Audience, 10th Sep- Sr. M. Salwatricze Musiał, tember 2014) Fr. Marek Hajdyła

Sr. M. Salwatricze Musiał – sister from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy; born in Kraków; utilized her educa- tion in theological-pedagogical studies in her work with girls at the House of Mercy and with pilgrims arriving in Łagiewniki; involved in the formation of the international “Faustinum” Association and the Apostolic Movement of the Divine Mercy; in her missionary service in America, Africa and the Middle East, she led catechesis for children and young people, ministered to the sick, soldiers, and prisoners; she is currently working at the Divine Mercy Spirituality Center in Rome.

Fr. Marek Hajdyła – director of the Central Events Department of the Organizational Committee of the World Youth Day 2016, the pa- rish priest of the Church of St. Jadwiga the Queen in Kraków.

180 181 Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it with peace. Tell [all people] My daughter that I am Love and Mercy itself.

Diary, 1074 CONFESSION THE SACRAMENT OF MERCY

184 PRESCRIPTION Word of the Lord Bible THOSE Provider wHO ARE wELL wYD HAVE NO NEED 2016 KRAKÓw OF A PHYSICIAN, Patient bUT THOSE wHO ARE SICK Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest

Mt 11:28

Mt 9:12

signature One of the liturgical prayers says that God’s almighty power expresses itself best in His forgiveness and pity for us, that is, His power is best expressed in His mercy. The whole Bible tells us about God’s mercy, which can be characterized as a true, beautiful, perfect, tender and self-denying love of the Father to His children. This is the fatherly love towards the child who has gone away from the father’s home and, as noted by Pope Francis, “has squandered his freedom on false idols, illusions of happiness, and has lost everything.” But, as the Pope adds, “God does not forget us, the Father never abandons us. He is a patient father, always waiting for us! He respects our freedom, but he remains faithful forever. And when we come back to Him, he welcomes us like children into His house, for He never ceases, not for one instant, to wait for us with love. And His heart rejoices over every child who returns. He is celebrating because there is joy. God has this joy when one of us sinners goes to Him and asks The whole Bible His forgiveness.”

tells us about OUR ReTURN God’s mercy, TO THe lOVING FATHeR which can be characteri- TAKeS PlAce IN THe SAcRAmeNT zed OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION. as a true, Before we discuss the sacrament of confession, we need to ask ourselves the question “What is sin?” and realize that it is beautiful, the biggest tragedy that can ever happen in our lives. However, perfect, to fully understand the tragedy of sin and God’s forgiveness tender as the only way to return to Him, we need to realize fi rst who God is, how much He loves us and how beautiful life is if God is and self-denying in it and we are obedient to Him, our Father. This truth is best love of the Father illustrated in the biblical story of Eden and the fall of Adam to His children. and Eve. Undoubtedly, we can all identify ourselves with them. 188 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and “You are not my Father that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be anymore, and I am not desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she Your child” also gave some to her husband, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. Now the serpent was more subtle And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the gar- than any other wild creature that the den in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid them- Lord God had made. selves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

But the Lord God called to the man, and said to He said to the woman, him, Where are you? Did God say, “You shall not eat of any { } { tree of the garden”? } And he said, I heard the sound of you in the garden, And the woman said to the serpent, and I was afraid, because I was naked; { and I hid myself. } We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but God said, “You shall not He said, eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you Who told you that you were naked? touch it, lest you die.” Have you eaten of the tree of which { { { I commanded you not to eat? } But the serpent said to the woman, The man said, You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be The woman whom you gave to be with opened, and you will be like God, know- me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and { ing good and evil. } { I ate. } 190 191 tHen tHe Lord God said to tHe woman, To be in somebody’s likeness and aft er somebody’s image means to be somebody’s son. By saying that What is this that you have done? { } MAN tHe woman said, wAS CREATED { The serpent beguiled me, and I ate. } tHe Lord God said to tHe serpent,

Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you shall go, and { dust you shall eat all the days of your life. } (Gen 3:1-14) IN The book of Genesis says that Adam was created in the GOD’S image of God and aft er God’s likeness. It means that man LIKENESS resembles God; consequently, he will only be happy if he gives himself to others by loving others. Man will feel fulfi lled if he AND AFTER HIS IMAGE, builds strong relationships with other people as the three per- sons of God commune with one another: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Man also resembles God in his freedom and intellect. The truth about man being a refl ection of God is amply illustrated in another passage from the Book of Gene- sis, where Adam becomes the father of Seth, a son in his own likeness, aft er his image (cf. Gen 5:3). The passage features the same expressions as the ones used to indicate the resemblance between God and His creation, Adam.

THE bOOK OF GENESIS TELLS US THAT MAN IS THE CHILD OF GOD, AND GOD IS HIS FATHER.

192 193 SABBATH

In the story of Creation, God rested on the seventh th day. This day is called by Jews “Sabbath”. On this day, we celebrate the fact that God entered a cov- enant with man, making him His child and part of His family. When God made the covenant with Adam, He had to set some conditions since a covenant is a type of contract in which two parties commit themselves to observing specific rules. God promised Adam abso- lute happiness, eternal life filled with love because He loved him. day AND TO SAY “I LOVE YOU” MEANS TO EXPRESS THE WISH “I WANT YOU TO LIVE ETERNALLY.”

From man, God demanded obedience. Not because He was a tyrant or a totalitarian ruler but because the obedience guar- anteed man’s happiness. Therefore, God gave man a garden This strong father-child relationship is emphasized many and some tasks related to it. Adam was supposed to till (He- times in the Bible by means of covenants that God makes brew ‘abodah’) and keep it (Hebrew ‘shamar’). It is important between Himself and man. In the old times, when somebody to point out that back in the ancient times these tasks were entered a covenant with another person, it meant that he made assigned to the firstborn son. He was supposed to cultivate his this person a part of his family. To make a covenant means to father’s land and keep the livestock. God entrusted man with say “You belong to my family, we are of one blood.” what a father would entrust his firstborn son. He was only for-

194 195 bidden from doing one thing. He was not allowed to eat fruit dramatic death would be referred to as “death-death” of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Observing these or with the phrase “you will die-die”. conditions guaranteed continuity of the covenant and being a In their comments on this fragment of the Bible, Jew- member of God’s family. However, Adam broke the covenant ish rabbis explain that God wanted to make man aware and committed sin. of the two kinds of death: physical death, i.e. death Why did Adam succumb to Satan’s temptation and commit of the body, sin if he had everything he needed and was absolutely happy? After all, God gave him everything in the garden and made him AND THE SPIRITUAL DEATH, His son. Why did Adam break the covenant with God despite I.E. A MUCH WORSE ONE, WHICH SEPARATES MAN all the gifts he received from Him? There are different possible FROM THE FATHER, ALIENATES HIM FROM GOD, answers. Maybe he was selfish and wanted to have more for THE SOURCE OF LIFE. himself. Satan said, “There is one thing that you did not receive from God and I will give it to you: you will come to know good and evil. There is a tree that God left only for Himself, He does When man decided to pick fruit from the tree of knowl- not want to give it to you, but you will get it from me.” Maybe edge of good and evil, he suffered the worst death, the this explains the sin of the first man? And maybe the answer spiritual one. can be found in the subtlety of the Hebrew words used to Satan enters the stage with a show of lies and illusions. From recount the story of Creation and the original sin? the very beginning, there is no truth in what he says since he Important linguistic subtleties can be found in God’s warning starts the conversation by asking, “Did God say, ‘You shall not against the consequences of eating fruit from the tree of the eat of any tree of the garden’?” (Gen 3:1). After a while he lies knowledge of good and evil. God said to Adam that he would again, “If you eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good die if he tried this fruit. However, it is extremely difficult to and evil, you will not die” (cf. Gen 3:4). And God said, “You will translate the Hebrew expression used at this point in the Bible die.” Then Satan tells another lie, “For God knows that when without a lengthy footnote. What the Hebrew version literally you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, says is that Adam will “die-die” if he picks fruit of that tree. knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:5). Herein lies the essence of Another literal translation would be “you will die of death”. any sin: man decides to take God’s place. Committing sin is What does it mean, then? In Hebrew, it is possible to form like telling God, “You are not my God anymore, I am the god comparatives of adjectives and nouns to emphasize that some- now.” And the problem is that the place we have robbed God thing is the best or most remarkable. For example, there is a of belongs only to Him and we do not know how to act once book in the Bible the name of which is literally translated into we are there. Whenever we try playing God, it ends in a disas- English as “the Song of Songs”, i.e. the most beautiful and ex- ter for us. traordinary song, better than any other. Similarly, a particularly

196 197 Com- The moment Eve tries to take God’s place, will be a moral degenerate.” He does the look in her eyes changes and – as we not say anything like that! What he is read in the Book of Genesis – she begins to trying to say is, “Generally, be good but mitting notice that “the tree was good for food, and allow some evil in your life from time that it was a delight to the eyes” (Gen 3:6). to time. Do something bad sometimes. In- sin is Before the meeting with the serpent, Adam troduce evil into your life and mix it with good.” He and Eve did not see anything special or at- knows perfectly well that hardly anybody would succumb to tractive in that tree. But after the conver- such a temptation. Therefore, he expects us to do both good like sation with Satan, their eyes open and they and evil in our life. see that the fruit of that tree is good for To confuse man even more, Satan starts to present Adam telling food and delicious and it will bring them the and Eve anything that is evil as good. He is well aware that knowledge promised by the serpent. That is no sane person would choose evil, which debases and de- God, why they choose to eat it. stroys us. Nobody consciously chooses something that is bad Of course, we could ask, “What is wrong for them. We choose evil because it seems good, because we about it? After all, it might be a good thing think we can benefit from it. The devilish temptation presents “You to know good and evil! If we know good evil as something pleasant, as delicious fruit. Evil seems very and evil, we can distinguish between them, innocent, then. Satan says to Eve that their eyes will be open. are not choose good and resist evil. So what is dev- Yet what happens is quite the opposite. Adam becomes com- ilish about it?” The answer is that God did pletely blind because he stops seeing what he saw before, he not want any evil to exist in the world. Sa- stops seeing that God loves him boundlessly, that God wants my God tan tries to make Adam and Eve believe that the best for him, that God is thinking all the time what to do God does not want them to taste fruit of to make Adam happy. any- that tree because He wants to leave it only We also need to look from a different angle at the con- for Himself. This is not true. God does not versation between the serpent and Eve. Actually, we need to more, want man to come to know evil since He note that there was no conversation between the serpent and only wants us to experience good things. Adam. Adam does not even exchange a word with Satan. It Evil is not a creation of God, it was not is only Eve that talks to him. Adam is silent, he doesn’t say a I am meant for man. But Satan is cunning and word although it is his duty to guard the garden from undesir- tries to tell man, “You will know both good able guests, one of whom is undoubtedly Satan. the god and evil.” He does not say, “You will be com- What made Adam stop protecting the garden? The Hebrew pletely evil, you will only commit sins. You word nahash, which is translated in this fragment of the Bible now. will stumble through the swamp of sin. You as “the serpent”, occurs later in the Bible as well. However, in 198 199 other instances, the word is translated in some English ver- he breaks the covenant and enters death-death. To break the sions as “dragon” or “sea monster”. So, in fact, Adam meets covenant with God means to break the close bond with the face to face with a dragon, which might sound more serious Father. When we commit sin, we are telling God, “You are not than a meeting with “a serpent”. It is possible, then, to imagine my Father anymore, and I am not Your son.” We are telling the Adam standing there petrifi ed at the serpent which makes him Father who created us and gave us His world to live in that we think of a dragon, or even a sea monster. do not want to live here anymore, that we want to follow our own rules. The last word of the sinner is always “I am god.” ADAm meeTS FAce TO FAce We say, “I am taking your place now”, to God, the highest of all authorities, who deserves worship, primacy, respect, obedience wITH A DRAGON and love. This is the actual evil behind any sin – the dethrone- ment of God, telling Him that we do not desire His love any- more, that we do not want Him to be our Father. What does Adam actu- ally do in this situation? He stops loving. In other words, he prefers submitting himself to the serpent and following Satan’s di- rections to obeying the covenant that God made with him, to protecting Eve and the garden from undesirable guests. He is concentrated on himself, on his safety, desires and stops thinking about anything else. breaking the covenant with God results in the loss of the godly life and the death- death, i.e. the life which is not a life anymore. Adam loses sight of the Creator and Eve and, in this way,

200 201 Mercy – the tender love of God Luckily, sin does not have the last word. The last word belongs to God. When we say to God, “You are not my Fa- ther”, He shows us His fatherly love through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour. His love is illustrated by an- other biblical story – the parable of the Good Samaritan. The parable proves that God is not indifferent to us. In fact, He is genuinely interested in us. His mercy does not allow Him to pass by our lives, our suffering and the greatest trag- edy of our life – our sins. He will do everything to heal our wounds, raise us when we fall and bring joy back to our lives. He will do everything to let us experience His mercy through Jesus Christ.

Jesus replied, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and „ departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and LOADING... when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.” (Lk 10:30-35)

202 203 © DAYENU JERUSALEM 743 m.a.s.l. All too often, we find it difficult to understand the parable The parable shows us what happens to a man who has of the Good Samaritan because we tend to compare our- committed a sin, which plunges him further and further into selves to the Good Samaritan and ask ourselves, “Am I like an abyss. The sin strips him of his dignity so that now he is him?” We ask ourselves how we would react if we passed lying completely naked by the road. In the long run, sin robs by a wounded man. Would we stop? Would we bandage his us of our freedom and enslaves us. In the ancient times, wounds? Undoubtedly, these are very important questions. a naked man must have been a slave because free people After all, Jesus encourages the lawyer whom he told the wore clothes. We become slaves because we are not able to parable, and us all, to go and act like the Good Samaritan. resign from our sin anymore. Even when we do not want to But who is actually the Samaritan from Christ’s parable? sin again, we fall again and again. The Greek Fathers of the Church explain that we should not A priest and a Levite – the people who are theoretically identify ourselves with the Good Samaritan. In fact, we are devoted to God – pass by the man. But if they really knew epitomized by the man who has been robbed, beaten and God, they would know that He was merciful and they would left half dead by the road. We need to identify ourselves show their mercy to the naked man. Eventually, a Samaritan with him and see Jesus as the Good Samaritan. We are checks whether the man is alive. He is travelling so he must lying by the road as a result of our sins. be in a hurry but he stops by the beaten man. He could check The parable says that the man was going down from Jeru- if he was alive and leave him with the hope that somebody salem to Jericho. As noted by the Fathers of the Church, the else would take care of him. He could think about his own JERICHO fact that the man was travelling between these two towns safety – “If this man was beaten here, those who attacked has a deeply symbolic meaning. Jerusalem was the religious him must be still somewhere around and can assault me center of Israel, the holy city, the place of the presence of as well.” But the Samaritan does not look for excuses. He God. The fact that the man was going down from Jerusalem decides to help the man. He binds up his wounds, disinfects means that he was going away from God’s presence and he them with wine and soothes them with oil. He could leave began to plunge into sin. He was on his way to Jericho. The him at this point if he wanted. But he sets the man on his way leading from Jerusalem to Jericho is very steep. The animal, which means that, from now on, he himself needs to man is going down, he is plunging further and further walk and takes him to an inn. Now, he could say, “I have done into the abyss of his sins. Finally, he arrives in Jericho, my bit, take care of him now, I am leaving.” But he chooses one of the lowest cities in the world (270 meters below to stay with him all night to take care of him, and in the sea level). morning, he gives money to the innkeeper and says, “Take

270 m.b.s.l. care of him, I will pay for everything.” In this way, he shows ­slavery. Then, He takes you in His arms, brings you to an inn the stranger his great tenderness and mercy. to feed you with His Body and Blood. The most difficult thing to understand in this parable is that the Good Samaritan shows his mercy to a Jew. Samar- Finally, He tells you, itans and Jews hated each other. The hatred between them was so intense that when a Samaritan drank water from a cup, a Jew could not even touch this cup because he consid- “I LOVE YOU. ered it unclean. I DO NOT REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID ANYMORE. And who is that man lying by the road? It is you, I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU. wounded by your sin. You are this enemy of God. You are ENJOY YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST!” an enemy of Jesus, for whom He shows so much love and tenderness. Now you might be thinking to yourself, “How is it possible? I am His friend.” But are you sure? This is God’s mercy, which manifests itself in Jesus Christ, Do you know that it is because of your and my sins epitomized by the Good Samaritan. that Jesus died? I killed Jesus with my sin! It is my fault. When I come to a confessional and confess all my sins, I ac- knowledge that with them I killed the Son of God. This is my The Sacrament of Mercy responsibility. But God forgives us for killing His beloved The parable of the Good Samaritan reflects what hap- Son. We are all equal in this respect. There are no light or pens in the sacrament of mercy. It is through confession unimportant sins. If you know that Jesus died for your sins, that we turn from God’s enemy to God’s beloved child. how can you say that you do not sin, that you do not have Through our sins, whether they were actions or words, anything to confess? Is somebody who is guilty of another we show God that He is not our God anymore. He is not person’s death their friend or enemy? When you face God our Father and we do not want to be his children anymore. knowing that His beloved Son died for your sins, are you not Now, in the sacrament of mercy, we become again God’s His enemy? And what is His attitude towards you, the one dear children. He forgives our trespasses, hugs us to His who is guilty of His Son’s death? He shows you tenderness, heart, and gives us a new lease of life. In the sacrament of love and care. When you come to confession, God binds up confession, God also grants us eternal life so that we can your wounds because He knows that you have been defeat- stay close to Him forever. Pope Francis wrote about it as ed by sin. He soothes your pain with oil and disinfects your follows: “It is so wonderful to feel the merciful embrace wounds with wine. He grants you anew His grace restor- of the Father in the sacrament of Reconciliation, to dis- ing your dignity as the child of God and freeing you from cover that the confessional is a place of mercy, and to

206 207 allow ourselves to be touched by the merciful love of private thing. We are all mysteriously the Lord who always forgives us!” interconnected. Therefore, in the sacra- ment of confession, we reconcile our- selves with both God and the whole Why do I need confession? community of the Church. Why do I need to go to confession to receive God’s forgive- ness? Why do I have to come to a priest and tell him about the bad things that I have done? Is it not enough to kneel Why is the Sacrament of Recon- down in the church and talk to God in my heart with a deep ciliation a Ritual? sense of regret? No, it is not enough because God’s usual When we come to confession, we fol- way of acting in the Church, in which our sins are justified low a special ritual. Though it might and forgiven, is the sacrament of penance and reconcilia- look artificial at first sight, this process tion. Two thousand years ago, Jesus was healing people, of confession proves very helpful. For touching them, raising them up and telling them, “I forgive the confessor, it is important that the you your sins.” As stated by St. Leo the Great, a pope from penitent starts by saying a couple of the 5th century, “What was visible in our Redeemer has now words about themselves, his/her age passed into His Mysteries” (Sermones, 74, 2: PL 54, 398A). It and his/her status in life (whether he/ means that two thousand years ago Jesus was healing and she is a layperson, a priest, a or forgiving people in person, and nowadays He heals us and a sister, whether he/she is married or forgives us by means of the sacraments. single etc.). It is also essential to men- tion the time of his/her last confession and whether he/she received the abso- Where should we confess our sins? lution. With small variations between The best place for confession is the sacred space of the individual cultures, the confession of church and the confessional. Of course, it can happen that sins ends with the special formula with we confess our sins in a different place, e.g. in a parish which the penitent expresses sorrow house or in a different place devoted to God. This way the for his/her sins and resolves to amend sacrament of reconciliation takes place within the commu- his/her life. We ask God to forgive us nity of the Church. It means that when we kneel down in our sins through the ministry of the front of God, we ask our brothers and sisters to pray for priest who hears our confession and us and seek reconciliation with them as well because, with grants us absolution. By means of this our sins, we have hurt the whole Church. My sin is not my short process, we declare to God that

208 209 we have fulfilled all the necessary conditions for a valid Examination of conscience – recognize the confession, which are traditionally referred to as the five truth about yourself things necessary (steps) for a good confession. The first step to a good confession is the examination of conscience. A well-conducted examination of conscience is already half of the success. What is the examination of How to confess our sins? conscience? I like imagining a mirror where I can com- During the sacrament of reconciliation, we have to con- pare myself to Jesus Christ. It is a mirror which shows fess all mortal sins. Mortal sins are sins of grave matter me the whole truth about myself. It clearly shows what committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent. is evil in myself, what I need to reject and what I need to We commit a mortal sin when we know that a given act change in my life. However, this mirror also reflects my is a sin and we make a free choice to commit it. When all beauty and good qualities. It reflects how I im- these factors are fulfilled, we speak of a mortal sin. While itate Jesus in my life. The examination of confessing mortal sins, the penitent needs to be precise so conscience does not consist in focusing that the priest can understand what sin we refer to. The solely on your sins and weaknesses. penitent needs to indicate how many times, how often, and Its goal is to recognize the truth in what circumstances he/she committed a sin. Of course, about yourself, which makes EXAMINATION OF we do not need to give an exact number of the sins which this step of preparing for con- CONSCIENCE we commit regularly. It suffices to state the frequency the fession a truly liberating expe- IS RECOGNIZING sin has been committed since your last reconciliation. How- rience. THE LIBERATING ever, you need to be more precise in the case of grave sins. The examination of conscience TRUTH. Also, we should describe what the sin consisted of (which is a form of judgment that we does not mean, however, that we have to recount in detail pronounce on ourselves. It is our the very act of committing the sin). conscience and mind that pass this judgment. It is important to under- stand what is meant by “judgment” in this sense. St. John of the Cross said, “As we prepare to leave this life, we will be judged in love” (Words of Light and Love, 57). During the examination of conscience, we judge ourselves in love of God. Therefore, we examine our conscience with the power from the Holy Spirit, which turns this step of the preparation for the con- fession into a prayer.

210 211 To examine your conscience, you can use an examination I am sorry that I have taken God’s place of conscience that is found in a prayer book or in other ma- During confession, we express contrition, or sorrow, for terials. These reflections are meant to help you see where our sins. It is the second step of a good confession. We you have loved God and others well and where you have often have a problem here as we tend to treat this act of failed to love God and love your neighbour since your last contrition on an emotional level. However, contrition is not confession (you will find such help in this booklet as well). an emotion that we experience, but has more to do with Do not put off the examination of conscience until the time our will and reason, because we can consciously make dif- of confession. Give yourself time to reflect on your ac- ferent choices than those dictated by emotions. We tend tions. One thing that you can do is make an examination to associate contrition with the sphere of feelings because of conscience a part of your daily prayers. For example, you of expressions like “feel sorrow.” But in this case, it is not can do an examination of conscience during your evening important if we feel sorrow; it is essential that we express prayers. This allows you to reflect on how many good things our contrition. There is a big difference between feeling and you have managed to do and in what circumstances you expressing this sorrow, this contrition. have sinned during your day. We distinguish between perfect and imperfect contrition. , one of the greatest experts on ex- Perfect contrition is a repentance for sin that is motivat- aminations of consciences in the history of the Church, ed by my love for God or, to be more precise, by God’s believed that the examination of conscience should be- love for me. I regret that I have offended God with my sin. gin with thanksgiving. We need to discover the presence I know that with my sin I have taken the place of God in my of God in our lives and realize how God’s grace has as- life, I “eclipsed” Him, I robbed Him of His glory and position sisted us. St. Ignatius said that we should not move to ana- which He deserves, I have hurt Him and broken the bond be- lyzing our sins without giving thanks first. The examination tween us. I regret because I have hurt Him who loves me so of conscience is not meant to help us see our sins! No, I am much. This is the perfect contrition. By contrast, the imper- not mistaken. The examination helps us see the truth about fect contrition is the sorrow that I feel because of the conse- ourselves. Our sins constitute only part of the truth about quences of my sin or because I am afraid of the punishment us. Nobody in the world is totally evil. We need to be able for my sin and that I can miss my eternal prize, Heaven. The to see both good and evil in ourselves. It is only in the light imperfect contrition is sufficient to be granted absolution. of God’s presence and His love that you can see how sin separates you from God and how much you hurt Him with your trespasses. Do your best to amend your life During the sacrament of confession, we also resolve to change our lives. However, it is not enough to make a res- olution in the confessional. God expects us to do our best

212 213 to improve our lives. To do that, we need to realize that we even though you wanted to declare your sin and the have done evil and know why it happened (the examina- fact that you had concealed it, you were even more tion of conscience). Only then can we consider what to do ashamed. Now, you are ashamed of the sin itself and in order to eliminate this sin from our lives. For example, the fact that you have concealed it. You think, “What if we see that we do not devote any time to God, we need will the priest think of me?”, “What is my confession to allocate ourselves a set time each day to pray. Other- going to look like now?” You put off your confession wise, the promise we make at the confessional is empty. and the years pass by. You try to erase the mem- If we do not know what to change in our lives, it means ory that you concealed your sin but your spiritual that we have not given it enough thought and, in fact, we paralysis is still there. You are paralyzed regardless have not resolved to change. The promise to amend our of whether you think about your sin or not. It keeps lives requires actions, not words. coming back to your mind and heart, bringing along even more evil. Unfortunately, you can also be paralyzed by sin if Spiritual paralysis you were treated unfairly by your confessor. Your You might forget some of your sins during confession. Do paralysis was born out of the sin of your confessor, not worry about it. God knows your heart and your sor- who, instead of bringing you God’s mercy with his row. He also forgives you the sins that have escaped your service, inflicted wounds on your heart which have memory during confession or the examination of your con- stayed with you for years. Maybe you felt complete- science. If you forgot to mention a grave sin, declare it at ly ignored, maybe he did not show you any kindness, the next confession. Of course, there is a fundamental dif- maybe he only raised his voice and was shouting at ference between “I don’t remember” and “I didn’t say”. A you or even insulting you. Maybe he tackled some conscious concealment of sins makes the confession invalid difficult issues without tact and Christ’s tenderness. and despite the formal absolution your sins are not forgiv- Such an attitude, whether it was intentional or not, en because you have not declared all of them. There is still may have paralyzed you for years and stopped you a sin which separates you from God. A conscious conceal- from going to confession because you were not ment of sins can paralyze your soul for a long time. ready or willing to talk to a priest about your sins. This paralysis may result from the fact that you are afraid Remember that you can tell God the whole truth to uncover the truth about yourself and acknowledge your about yourself. You do not need to fear, His mercy is sins. Maybe at some point in your life, you were so ashamed incomparably bigger than your greatest sin. God will of certain sins that you have not confessed them at the con- always welcome you and forgive you anything if you fessional. Today you are spiritually paralyzed. Was it in your choose to come to Him. childhood? Or in your youth? Or maybe recently? Later,

214 Penance is not a punishment for sins Absolution After a thorough examination of conscience and a Finally comes the most important element of the sacra- sincere confession, you need to find a new direc- ment: the formula of absolution. tion to follow in your life. First, you have to make amends for your sins before God and your neigh- God, the Father of mercies, through the death and res- bours by completing your penance. Therefore, you urrection of his Son has reconciled the world to Himself should do your best to compensate for the harm and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of that your sin caused to another person. For example, sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you should give back the things that you stole or you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins restore the good name of the person you defamed. in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy More often than not, the will to make amends for Spirit. our sins arises spontaneously in our hearts. You will also be given penance by your confessor. It is meant It is important to remember who forgives our sins in the to bring you closer to Jesus, who died for all our sacrament of reconciliation. It is God, our Father, and not the sins. Penance may take the form of prayer, offering, priest in the confessional. It is God, against whom we sinned, works of mercy, fasting, voluntary self-denial, sac- that grants us absolution. In this sense, it is important that rifices, service of neighbour or any concrete form He is our Father. Who is father? The father is somebody meant to restore what your sin destroyed. Penance who not only loves the child, takes care of it and supports gives you a chance to make amends for your sins, it, but, first and foremost, gives life to the child. The abso- grow in grace and regain your spiritual health. The lution of sins is the moment when God gives birth to us, in confessor imposes it on you to make you look at other words He bestows upon us His own life as if He was yourself and the consequences of your sins togeth- saying, “Live My life, I want you to live like Me, follow My er with God. Try to restore what your sin destroyed ideas for your happiness, participate in My nature and in My and, at the same time, believe that God will help life.” How does this birth take place? It happens through the you because you alone are not able to go back to Son of God, who died for us. He gave His life for us. At the all the people you hurt and all the places where you confessional, we are kneeling in front of Jesus Christ, who committed your sins. says to us: “Live, and I will die, I will offer My life for you, so that you can live it.” We are forgiven by the power of the Holy Spirit, who first revealed the truth about ourselves, showed us our sin and inspired repentance and sorrow in us. The Holy Spirit infused my heart with the grace of forgiveness that flows from the

217 death and Christ. It is illustrated by the Confession is not psychotherapy gesture the priest makes when he pronounces the words of God loves us. Therefore, He forgives us and bestows peace absolution. In this gesture, the priest raises his open hand upon us. However, here, the word “peace” does not denote over the penitent to invoke the power of the Holy Spirit an emotional state when we feel well because the load is (Greek epiclesis). Interestingly enough, the same gesture off our mind. Of course, we can feel like that, but this sort is made by the priest during every Mass, when bread and of peace is not the most important consequence of a valid wine change into the actual Body and . The and good confession. In fact, the sacrament of reconciliation priest raises his hands over bread and wine asking God to brings us a sort of peace which can be described with the send down the Holy Spirit upon the gifts to change them. Hebrew word shalom, or the inner harmony, completeness. The presence of this gesture in both the confession and the We achieve this harmony because we experience God’s for- Eucharist demonstrates a link between the two sacraments. giveness and know that we cannot be accused before God In fact, the sacrament of reconciliation serves as the gate- for our sins and that we will be saved. Now, we can stand in way to the Eucharist, or the Holy Communion with God. The front of God as His servants, human beings created by the raised hand also symbolizes a father who puts his hand on Father. He is our God, we are His humble servants with our the head of his little child to make him or her feel saved and hearts full of gratitude for everything that He did for us. loved. This gesture also illustrates the truth about the rela- Confession is not a form of psychotherapy, although this tionship between the Father and the Son, who are united by sacrament does help and heal us on the psychological level mutual Love – the Holy Spirit. This love of the Father for His as well. The primary goal of reconciliation is not for us to Son is bestowed upon us, “adoptive” children of God, who, feel better, remove the burden of our sins, or “spring-clean” through penance, become reunited with God. We can also our conscience. All this takes place secondary to the fact say that during the confession God embraces us with the that reconciliation makes us realize anew that God is our power of the Holy Spirit. Imagine, God hugs you and tells Father, and we are His children, who are reborn to life – to you, “You are my child.” the life that we lost through our sins. In other words, the sacrament of confession raises us from death caused by our sins back to life. Do not put off your confession until you are perfectly pre- pared. Despite your fear, doubts, and shame, let yourself be embraced by God’s love.

218 219 STAND UP AND COME TO THE FATHER, WHO WAITS FOR YOU IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE

AIT! WITH HIS ARMS OUTSTRETCHED TO EMBRACE YOU, FORGIVE YOU, GRANT YOU A NEW LIFE AND TELL YOU, “I LOVE YOU! REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENED, YOU ARE MY CHILD AND I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.” Fr. Krzysztof Porosło

Fr. Krzysztof Porosło – a priest in the Archdiocese of Kraków, student of dogmatic theology at the Theological Fac- ulty of the University of Navarra in Pamplona (Spain), author and editor of several books on liturgy and the Bible; record- DON’T W i died ings of his sermons and spiritual exercises are available on the SO YOU CAN LIVE website www.baptysterium.pl. 221 paid © DAYENU BUT THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE SON OF MAN HAS AUTHORITY ON EARTH

HE THEN SAID TO THE PARALYTIC TO FORGIVE SINS – “RISE, TAKE UP YOUR BED AND GO HOME.” AND HE ROSE AND WENT HOME. Mt 9:6-7

225 Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me. (Mt 25:40)

(Diary, 723) This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (Jn 15:12) THE GREATER For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you. THE SINNER, (Mt 6:14)

He who knows how to forgive prepares for THE GREATER himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross, so often will I forgive THE RIGHT with all my heart. (Diary, 390) He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be shattered at HE HAS the base of My footstool. (Diary, 723)

The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortu- nate, because I Myself take care of it. TO MY MERCY (Diary, 1273)

TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE I desire that the whole world know My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy. (Diary, 687) HOW DO I CONFESS?

228 229 COME NOW, LET US REASON TOGETHER,

SAYS THE LORD: THOUGH YOUR SINS ARE LIKE SCARLET, THEY SHALL BE AS WHITE AS SNOW; THOUGH THEY ARE RED LIKE CRIMSON, THEY SHALL BECOME LIKE WOOL. Is 1:18

COLOUR A PICTURE OF YOUR SOUL. LET AREAS WITH SNOWFLAKES BE WHITE. EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE: CONDITIONS RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH ABOUT FOR A GOOD 1. YOURSELF.

CONFESSION CONTRITION: EXPRESS SORROW FOR REJECTING THE GREATEST LOVE 2. IN THE WORLD.

STRONG RESOLUTION: DO YOUR 5 3. BEST TO STAY AWAY FROM SIN.

SINCERE CONFESSION: CONFESS ALL 4. YOUR SINS.

SATISFACTION: TRY TO REPAIR INJU- 5. RIES CAUSED BY YOUR SIN.

233 EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE • Am I patient with someone who has limited knowledge or intelligence? • Am I able to explain, describe, or teach something patiently? BASED ON THE SPIRITUAL • Am I patient with myself if I do not succeed in something or if something humiliates me? WORKS OF MERCY • Can I be happy for someone who knows more, is more talented or is more mature than me? 1. To Admonish Sinners For me to chastise someone else for their sins, I need to know 3. To Counsel The Doubtful that I am a sinner myself. • How do I behave when I have doubts about my faith? • Do I readily leave God behind or do I seek Him even more? • Am I aware of it? • Do I pray for faith? • Can I reprimand myself? • Do I only trust in God or do I trust in superstitions, fortune telling, magic, • Am I humble? horoscopes, or non-Christian spiritualism? • Is salvation my biggest goal? • Do I excessively seek more money, power, connections or human gratifi- • Do I want my friends to go to heaven? cation? • Is God the one who connects us? • Do I use profanities or swear words? • Am I able to maintain a dignified attitude if someone does something bad, • Am I rude to others? does not respect values, or dismisses God? • Am I concerned about people who have difficulties with faith? • Am I able to speak out? • Do I share my faith and desire of God with them? • Am I courageous in defending my beliefs and morals? • Do I pray for them or offer advice to them through the grace that God • Am I able to rebuke in a calm way, without pride? gives me to spread His Gospel? • Does evil influence my desires to fit in with others? • Do I treat my own and others’ faith seriously? • Do I spread beauty? • Does faith empower my life or is it just an addition to it? • Do I believe with all my strength that love, faith and hope will triumph? 4. To Comfort The Afflicted 2. To Instruct The Ignorant • When I experience sadness, does the truth about Christ, who also suffers To teach the ignorant I myself need formation in faith and out of love for the Father and for mankind, console me? religious knowledge. • Am I full of hope when I have difficulties, or do I quickly resort to com- plaining and whining? • Do I endure difficulties patiently? • Do I care about my formation? • Am I able to bear difficulties with love or do I run away from the issue • Do I frequently read the Bible, catechism, religious books and religious and respond to it with despair? news? • When I am upset, do I become unbearable, unsociable, miserable, or • Do I invite others to reflect with me on these values? angry with everything? • Am I patient when someone is less talented than myself? • Do I bear difficult moments with trust?

234 235 • Do I kindly and patiently explain to the saddened and distraught the • Do I consider how my sin against God is greater than someone else’s sin point of their difficulties? against me? • Am I able to be with people who need someone’s presence? • Do I avoid proclaiming any harm done to me? • Am I able to be helpless like Mary standing by the cross of Jesus, but still • Am I aware that some harm may have been done involuntarily? remain with someone? • Am I able to notice that someone is suffering because they have done • Am I sensitive to suffering, tears, pain, tragedy, and mourning? something they did not mean to do? • Do I believe in the good intentions of others? • Do I cause harm to myself by not believing in others’ good intentions? 5. To Bear Wrongs Patiently • Do I recognize that others may be experiencing frustration, disappoint- • Am I aware that I can be hurt just as Jesus was wounded so many times? ment, or other emotions that result in them having a bad day? • Am I patient with myself? • Do I seek reparation by resorting to insult? • Am I able to bear my failures and trials calmly? • Do I avoid defaming other people? • Do I keep an appropriate distance from problems? • When I deal with problems, do I avoid being too hot-blooded, emotional, To Pray For The Living And The Dead argumentative, malicious, or ironic? 7. • A prayer is the most intimate expression of spiritual love. Do I pray • Do I avoid mud-slinging and gossiping? enough? • Do I resist the desire in my heart to seek revenge? • Do I set aside time for God every day? • Am I able to use good over evil? • Do I treasure my prayer or do I say it in a hurry just to appease my con- • Do I protect myself and others against being hurt by those who treat us science? injustly? • Am I faithful to the Eucharist every Sunday and in my daily prayer? • If possible, do I discipline those who treat me unjustly and in this way • Do I respect my prayer to God, i.e. praying in a position that expresses re- teach him/her to take responsibility? spect, dressing appropriately for church, maintaining silence once I’m there, • Do I discipline him/her in a humane, composed and merciful manner? kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament, etc.? • Do I pray for those who treat me unjustly so that they might come to • Do I remember in my prayers the Church, people close to me, family, and know the love that God has for them better? friends? • Do I hurt others through words or actions? • Do I remember those in need? • Do I humiliate others, causing them to suffer or die? • Do I pray for the deceased? • Do I hurt myself and others with suicidal thoughts or attempts to take my • Do I help them by gaining and offering to them made available own life? through the Church? • Do I know how to of obtain indulgences for the deceased? • Do I offer masses for the dead? 6. To Forgive Offences Willingly • Am I a person of peace? • Do I forgive wholeheartedly? • Do I think about how much Christ has forgiven me? • Do I think that God is willing to forgive and does not get tired of doing so?

236 237 SAY SOMETHING NICE TODAY to the first 5 people you meet

Don’t just stand there like a sheep 238 239 EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE 3. To Clothe The Naked BASED ON THE CORPORAL In today’s world, nakedness is very visible through pornography and eroticism. WORKS OF MERCY • Do I use such materials? • Can I be trusted with the protection of someone’s purity? 1. To Feed The Hungry • Do I respect the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit? • Do I remember that food is God’s gift? • Do I succumb, willingly and without a fight, to impure thoughts about my • Do I have an appropriate diet? own body (contempt, hatred, excessive cult of the body, masturbation) • Do I eat in moderation (not too much / too little)? or someone else’s body (sexual relationships before or outside marriage, • Do I avoid wasting food? mutual fondling, rape, prostitution, licentiousness)? • Do I fast? • Am I merciful towards myself in the genuine struggle with my weaknesses • Am I able to deny myself things during Lent? in respect of purity? • Do I observe the spirit of fasting during fast days (in particular on • Do I continue to trust while facing temptations and trials regarding Fridays)? purity? • Do I give alms? • Do I realize that Jesus is my greatest purity? • Do I support charitable institutions? • Do I respect virginity? • Do I directly support poor people I know? • Do I respect celibacy, the single state for the sake of the Heavenly King- • Do I live in sumptuousness, possessing goods excessively? dom? • Do I feed those hungry for love with a good word, attention, respect, or • Do I desire to have a pure heart? time given to them? • Do I realize that sexuality is a delicate gift of God? • Do I respect my own sexuality? • Do I shape it? 2. To Give Drink To The Thirsty • Am I sensitive towards my own and others’ sexuality? • Do I have respect for water as a resource belonging to all people? • Do I dress appropriately? • Do I avoid wasting it? • Do dress suggestively? • Do I mindlessly contaminate water/the environment? • Do I respect my own health and life? • Do I abuse alcohol? • Do I care about those in need by donating wearable clothes and shoes to • Do I encourage others to abuse alcohol? them? • Do I respect it if someone refuses to have another drink? • Do I respect those who do not drink at all? • Do I notice those who thirst not only for water but also for peace, good- ness, or a smile?

240 241 CLOTHE the prodigal son © DAYENU • Do I treat the elderly and vulnerable well? 4. To Shelter The Homeless • Am I happy to give up my seat for people who are unwell? • Do I take care of my home by its cleanliness and appropriate décor? • Do I remember that those suffering embody Jesus for me? • Am I always open to receive people close to me by being tidy at home? • Do I remember that in the sick and suffering I can touch Jesus’s wounds? • Do I receive pilgrims? • Do I frequently touch them? • Do I respect the sharing of meals with people close to me? • Do I consider the elderly and the sick useless? • Am I ashamed to talk to someone who is homeless, destitute, or dirty? • Do I see how suffering could be redemptive? • Do I take care of the home of my heart? • Do I reject euthanasia? • Am I considerate, kind, and helpful? • How do I speak to people? • Do I humiliate people by my own certain style, perfectionism, or exces- 7. To Bury The Dead sive attention to detail? • Do I think about my death? • Am I open to life which needs the home of love? • Am I always prepared for it? • Do I respect life from the time of conception to natural death? • Do I always strive to be in a state of holy grace? • Do I frequent the sacrament of reconciliation soon after committing To Visit The Prisoner a sin? 5. • Do I realize that continuing to live in sin is what hurts Jesus the most? • Am I enslaved by an addiction through my own choice? • Am I prepared every day for my life to come to an end? • Am I a free person? • Do I offer a last service to the deceased by arranging their funeral and • Am I independent of someone else’s bad behaviour and style? burial place out of love? • Am free from other dependencies? • Do I treat human remains with respect? • Am I entangled in problems of violence, alcohol abuse, or tobacco use? • Do I use drugs? • Do I take care of the graves of people close to me? • Do I empathize with those who are unable to overcome addictions? • Do I visit them frequently? • Do I console them with merciful love? • Do I realize that a cemetery is a place of remembrance and reflection? • Do I overwhelm them with my “flawlessness”? • Do I believe in the communion of saints, resurrection of the body, and • Do I hold prisoners in hatred in my own mind? life everlasting? • Do I treat them as losers? • Do I console them, lift their spirit? • Do I pray for them? • Do I visit them in prison?

6. To Visit The Sick • When was the last time I went to visit someone ill, lonely, or elderly in hospital or in a care home? • Do I forget about these people?

244 245

I wANT TO bECOME A SAINT, I AM GIVING YOU 0 and I trust that God’s mercy can make a saint even out of such misery as I am. 3 wAYS (Diary, 1333) of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: 1. by deed 2. by word 3. by prayer (Diary, 742) # HOLY

I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your This is your halo – neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it. which you can cut out and proudly display. (Diary, 742) 246 247 bE YOU THEREFORE PERFECT, IT bEGAN wITH RECONCILIATION, AND wITH bACON Dear Friends, AS ALSO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER We must be perfect. Is that hard, or easy? It becomes easier IS PERFECT. when we understand that perfection, holiness, consists in mercy. The fi rst step is to allow ourselves to be looked at, forgiven, and Mt 5:48 loved by Jesus. Then we can take this merciful love to others. Then we can even become capable of loving our enemies. For divine Love knows no limits. The pontifi cal foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) be- gan with reconciliation, and with bacon. It was an act of heroic and merciful love, aft er World War II, when people forgave their for- mer enemies and saved countless, uprooted refugees from star- vation with gift s of bacon. The strength to do so came from God. Today ACN helps those in need with around 6,000 projects annually, in 140 diff erent countries. Through the priests, religious, catechists and enthusiastic youth volunteers of the Church ACN seeks to bring the Merciful Love of God to every corner of our earth. “Deed, Word and Prayer“ – this is the guiding motto of ACN. The world needs our holiness, which is made visible through mercy. There is so much need and poverty in the world. Billions of people still do not know the love of God. At the same time, hundreds of thousands are persecuted and killed for their faith

Father Werenfried with pig Werenfried Father in Jesus. They all need our help, our voices and our prayers. “For even the strongest faith is of no avail without deeds” (Diary, 742). Like the Apostles, we are all called to go out into the whole world and become fi shers of men. To catch fi sh, we need bait. Jesus off ered his own Heart as the bait on the hook. What can we off er?

PEOPLE ARE MUCH BETTER THAN WE THINK. THEY ARE ONLY AWAITING THE BURNING WORD AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED THAT SETS THEIR HEARTS ON FIRE. WWW.ACN-INTL.ORG Fr. werenfried van Straaten, founder of AcN WWW.CHANNELSOFMERCY.ORG

248 249 Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes Original Title: Jezus ufa tobie. Inna książka o Bożym Miłosierdziu

© Copyright by Archdiocese of Kraków & Wydawnictwo św. Stanisław BM Publishing Co., Kraków 2016, all rights reserved

© Copyright for the English translation by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, 2016

Imprimatur of the original (Polish): Kraków Metropolitan Curia, no: 832/2016

Licensing: Fr. dr Stanisław Szczepaniec

Consultations: Paul Edward Jarzembowski, Betsy Joan Palmer, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Grafic Design: Dorota Paciorek DAYENU

Illustrations and Cover Design: Monika Szybiak

Layout: Kinga Kostka

Typesetting: Agnieszka Kluzik

Technical Editing: Agnieszka Lipińska

Proofreading: ExLibro Translations Agency

Photos: www.istockphoto.com/pl, Marcin Mazur, Piotr Drabik, Zygmunt Put

Images used in the book: Adam Chmielowski – Ecce Homo, Rembrandt – The Return of the Prodigal Son, Pompeo Batoni – The Return of the Prodigal Son, Caravaggio – The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, Mateo Cerezo – Ecce Homo, Giuseppe Molteni – Confession, Joos van Cleve – The Virgin and Child with Angels, Christ Pantocrator, Pan Jezus Pięciorański (Five Holy Wounds) Adolf Hyła, The Miracle-Famous Image of Merciful Jesus, The Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków Łagiewniki © Copyright by The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy

Message for the XXXI WYD and fragments of writings of Pope Francis and fragments of writings of St. John Paul II © Copyright Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Quotes from the Diary of St. Sister M. Faustina Kowalska used with permission ofthe Marian Fathers of the of the B.V.M. Stockbridge, MA USA

Holy Bible quoted according to: The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition (2006) & The New American Bible, Revised Edition

ISBN: 978-83-7422-754-4

Issue: 90,000 copies

Printing: Drukarnia Bałtycka Sp. z o.o. Printed in Poland. Kraków 2016