Abbey-Roads2

This is the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave.  - Exsultet

Editor’s note: Easter recess…A blessed Easter to all! 

Go to the font of Mercy - let no one hinder you.

When John Paul II proclaimed the Second Sunday of Easter as the feast of Divine Mercy, a priest friend of mine complained that he felt the devotion was inappropriate to the Easter season.  He never felt attracted to the devotion, and thought it was contrary to the spirit of Easter to focus upon the Passion.  “After all, we just finished Lent and the observance of Holy Week.”  I’ve known a few priests who are not attracted to the devotion, believing it a novelty, or an ‘add-on’ to the richness of the Paschal liturgy.  That doesn’t make these priests less than devout of course.

I am surprised that there are some people who think Easter morning should somehow erase the memory of the Passion, forgetting the Mass itself is a perpetuation of the Sacrifice of Calvary.  When we meditate the Easter Gospels, we witness Our Lord explaining to the disciples why it was necessary that he suffered and died, opening their minds to the scriptures.  He had Thomas probe his wounds, while he showed the disciples his wounds when he appeared to them.  Our Lord did not intend us to put his suffering and death behind us and simply distract ourselves with the joy of the Resurrection.

I recall being surprised to see the retired Abbot of my monastery making the Way of the Cross on Easter Sunday, after morning Mass.  At first it did indeed strike me as incongruous with the celebration of Our Lord’s Resurrection, yet upon deeper reflection, I understood that it remains an essential consideration to fully understand the power flowing from the Resurrection of Christ.

The Novena

The novena begins on Good Friday and culminates in the celebration of the feast of Divine Mercy.  Many people use the prayer formula dictated by Our Lord to St. Faustina.  That is a good practice, however, one is not bound to these prayers, since they were given specifically to St. Faustina for her use.  St. Faustina recomended the novena of chaplets to the Divine Mercy, since this prayer is so efficacious and accompanied by many promises from Our Lord.  Nevertheless, any prayer may be used, and it is good to imitate the pattern of Faustina’s novena, and bring a group of souls to Our Lord each day.

However, the novena is not a prerequisite to receive the graces of the feast of Divine Mercy.  To receive the pardon Our Lord wishes to grant that day, it is only necessary to come to him, to venerate his mercy, and to ask for his mercy.  In addition he requested certain conditions be met, to confess our sins to a priest, and to receive him in Holy Communion that day, venerating his merciful love.  To spend some time in adoration of the Divine Mercy that day would also be an appropriate act.

“On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” - Diary of St. Faustina

When the Holy Father proclaimed the feast, the conditions for a plenary indulgence were thereby set and given for those who participate in the Celebration of that day.  These conditions include, Confession and Communion 8 days before or after the feast, with prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father, along with the prayers of the Creed and an Our Father, including an appropriate prayer to the Divine Mercy, even as simple as, “Jesus I trust in you!”   These acts should be performed before the Blessed Sacrament, exposed or in the tabernacle.  Many Churches have a special celebration in honor of the Divine Mercy on this day, in order to help the faithful meet the requirements for these things.  (EWTN has a more informative site concerning the devotion to the Divine Mercy, go here for more details.) 

Ray at Stella Borealis is also publishing Colleen Perfect’s (Catholic Parents Online) transmission of the Novena prayers of St. Faustina.  I’m certain he will be posting local churches that will be holding special devotions that day. 

Lectio

“I sought him but I did not find him; I called to him but he did not answer me…I adjure you daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my love - what shall you tell him? - that I am faint with love.” - Songs 5: 7,9

“Where has your love gone, O most beautiful among women?  Where has your love gone that we may seek him with you?

My love has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spice, to browse in the garden, to gather lilies.  My love belongs to me and I to him; yet he browses among the lilies…”  - Songs 6: 1-3

Meditatio

For centuries the Church has waited quietly, silently, keeping prayerful vigil on Holy Saturday, just as the Mother of the Church kept watch after her Son was laid in the tomb.  Not only is the Blessed Virgin venerated as the Mother of Sorrows, she is called Our Lady of Solitude, a favored title amongst Spanish Catholics.

Who can understand this sorrow?  This solitude?  If we keep her company we might hear the prayer of Esther echoing in her heart?  “My Lord, our King, you alone are God.  Help me, who am alone and afflicted and have no help but you.”  - Esther 4: 14

Can we hear the lamentation of the Queen of Prophets?  “Come, all you who pass by the way, look and see whether there is any suffering like my suffering, which has been dealt me when the Lord afflicted me…”  - Lamentations 1: 12 

Could the most sorrowful Mother have pondered in her heart a longing for death to end her martyrdom, and to follow her Son into the depths of the earth?  “Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God!  Forever blessed and honored is your holy name: may all your works forever bless you.  And now, O Lord, to you I turn my face and raise my eyes.  Bid me to depart from this earth never again to hear such insults,” such violence.  - Tobit 3: 11-13

Yet, in the anguish of her heart, the Blessed Virgin believed in the Resurrection, and understood the will of God, fully cooperating in the plan of salvation, accepting the necessity for her Son to be rejected, brutalized and put to death.  Despite her sorrow, her suffering, she confidently awaited the triumph of her Son.  Despair was not possible to her, thus she “sat alone and in silence” knowing “the Lord’s rejection does not last forever; though he punishes, he takes pity, in the abundance of his mercies.” - Lamentations 3: 28,32 

Oratio

O Mother of Sorrows, your most sorrowful and Immaculate Heart knows the human heart through and through, accept my childish desire and effort to comfort you in your solitary pain and anguish of heart.  Your Mother’s love understands the sorrowful heart, embrace mine, encompass it with your most pure heart, and grant me the grace of repentance.  Make me worthy of the promises of Christ.  Amen. 

Contemplatio

“The Lord has created a new thing upon the earth:  the heart of the woman must encompass the man with devotion.” - Jeremiah 31: 22