Excerpt from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, submitted by Donna Winchell
Sister Faustina who died of tuberculosis at age 33 suffering greatly in her final years, was a young, uneducated nun in a convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland during the 1930s. She received extraordinary revelations — or messages — from our Lord Jesus. Jesus asked Sr. Faustina to record these experiences, which she compiled into notebooks. These notebooks are known today as the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, and the words contained within are God's loving message of Divine Mercy………..
At 3 O’Clock on Good Friday, Jesus died in incomprehensible agony on the wooden Cross which the Roman soldiers had nailed Him to. The soldier appointed to watch the bodies checked if the three whom they had crucified were still alive, but when he examined Jesus, he discovered Jesus had already died. So he did not break His legs, which was a Roman custom, thereby fulfilling the prophecy "Not one of his bones will be broken" (Psalm 34). Instead, he took a spear and pierced His sacred body, driving the iron blade into His Merciful Heart. As he withdrew the spear, there followed a gush of blood and water. The soldier was shocked and gave witness to St. John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, of this event. It is this moment which changed the world forever, and it is this prayer that commemorates that extraordinary moment.
The red and pale white rays emanating from the Heart of Jesus in the Image of Divine Mercy represent the blood and water which gushed forth from His pierced Heart on Good Friday. Jesus asked that all who venerate His mercy honour His Passion by remembering Him with this prayer at 3 O’Clock in the afternoon.
He asks us, “If only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony”. (Diary 1320) At this moment, He asks us to implore His Mercy, especially for sinners. He told St. Faustina, "as often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment, mercy was opened wide for every soul". (Diary 1572)
The short prayer which Jesus taught St. Faustina for the veneration of His Mercy at 3 O’Clock is, “O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You”.
This is also known as the Conversion Prayer. Jesus told St. Faustina, "I desire that you know more profoundly the love that burns in My Heart for souls, and you will understand this when you meditate upon My Passion. Call upon My mercy on behalf of sinners; I desire their salvation. When you say this prayer, with a contrite heart and with faith on behalf of some sinner, I will give him the grace of conversion. This is the prayer: “O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You.” (Diary 186-187)
St. Faustina also created her own prayer for this moment, which is: You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (Diary 1319)
Jesus asked, that as often as we “hear the clock strike the third hour” that we deeply contemplate His Passion, “if only for a brief moment”.
But after we observe the moment of the death of the Messiah at 3 O’Clock with this special prayer, we then have before us “the hour of great mercy for the whole world”. (Diary 1320)
Jesus has let us know that in Heaven, the 3 O’Clock hour is a special holy hour, as He said, "it was the hour of grace for the whole world — mercy triumphed over justice."
So there are two distinct parts to the 3 O’Clock hour. The first is the moment of the death of Jesus at 3 O’Clock. We immerse ourselves in the Passion of Jesus and pray with great love and gratitude to Him, thanking Him for His love for us. We say the short prayer and offer it for sinners. The second part of this holy hour is the prayer and meditation during this Holy Hour. As He has told us, it is the hour of great mercy for the world and He has promised that He will refuse nothing to the soul who makes a request of His grace in virtue of His Passion.
3 o'clock prayer song
No comments:
Post a Comment