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