The Chaplet of Divine Mercy

The Friday before John Paul II died, EWTN aired a documentary about Polish saints. For me, the most fascinating was St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

Her diary, at 700 pages, is the most powerful testimony of faith I have ever read. Those who do not understand the joy of su

ffering for God must read this work of pure faith. Before I picked up the text last month, I was familiar with the phrase “offer it up.” I say to my own kids all the time. But I never had a context for what that meant.

Now I do.

One of the blessing given us by Jesus Christ through St. Faustina is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It’s simple prayer.

Take a rosary. Begin with Our Father, then Hail Mary, then The Apostles' Creed. On the large beads, say “Eternal Father, I offer you the body and blood, soul and divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”

On the small beads, say “For the sake of his sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

After five decades, conclude with “Holy God, Holy Almighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world” three times.

What a great prayer to say in the car on the way to work or when running or walking. It fully explains the suffering we must offer to God for His Son’s death as the scapegoat for every sin from Adam and Eve to the Second Coming.