Novena of Divine Mercy
Novena of Divine Mercy
"I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the source of My mercy, that they may draw strength, consolation and every grace they need for the toil of life, and especially at the hour of death. On each day you will bring a different group of souls to My Heart and immerse them in the sea of My mercy. And I will lead all these souls into the house of My Father. (…) You will ask My Father each day through My bitter passion for graces for these souls."
Jesus Himself dictated the following novena to Sister Faustina; it begins on Good Friday. [1209–1229] It may however also be prayed at any time.
First Day
"Today bring Me all mankind, especially all sinners, and immerse them in the sea of My mercy. In this way you will comfort Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me."
Prayer:
Most merciful Jesus, Your nature is to have compassion on us and forgive us. Look not upon our sins but upon our trust in Your infinite goodness! Receive us into the dwelling of Your most merciful Heart and keep us there forever. We ask this through Your love, in which You are united with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
O Almighty Mercy of God,
You are the salvation of man in sin,
You are Mercy – a sea of compassion,
and help him who finds You in humility.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind, especially upon poor sinners; they are sheltered in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His bitter passion, show us Your mercy, that the almighty power of Your mercy may be praised for all eternity. Amen.
Second Day
"Today bring Me all priests and religious and immerse them in My inexhaustible mercy. They gave Me the strength to endure My bitter passion. Through them, as through channels, My mercy flows upon mankind."
Prayer:
Most merciful Jesus, from You comes all that is good. Increase in us Your grace that we may perform worthy works of mercy, so that those who look upon us may praise the Heavenly Father of mercy.
A wellspring of divine love dwells in pure hearts.
Hearts transformed in the sea of compassion
shine like stars in the darkness of night.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the chosen flock in Your vineyard, upon the souls of priests and religious, and grant them the power of Your blessing. Through the feeling of the Heart of Your Son, in whom they are sheltered, give them the strength of Your light, that they may lead others on the path of salvation and together sing praise to Your inexhaustible mercy for all eternity. Amen.
Third Day
"Today bring Me all devout and faithful souls and immerse them in the sea of My mercy. These souls comforted Me on the Way of the Cross; they were a drop of refreshment in the sea of bitterness."
Prayer:
Most merciful Jesus, You grant us all abundant graces from the treasury of Your mercy. Receive us into the dwelling of Your most merciful Heart and let us never leave it. We ask this through Your incomprehensible love with which Your Heart burns for the Heavenly Father.
The mystery of mercy remains unfathomable.
Neither sinner nor just can understand it.
With merciful eye You look upon all
and will endow all with love.
Eternal Father, look down with merciful eyes upon the faithful souls as upon the inheritance of Your Son. Grant them Your blessing for the sake of His bitter passion and take them into Your continual care, that they may not lose the love and treasure of holy faith, but with the whole host of angels and saints praise Your infinite mercy for all eternity. Amen.
Fourth Day
"Today bring Me the pagans and those who do not yet know Me. I too thought of them during My bitter passion. Their future zeal comforted My Heart. Immerse them in the sea of My mercy."
Prayer:
Most gracious Jesus, You are the light of the whole world. Receive into the dwelling of Your most gracious Heart the souls of pagans who do not yet know You! May the rays of Your grace enlighten them, that they too may together with us praise the wonders of Your mercy and let them never leave the dwelling of Your most merciful Heart.
May the radiance of Your love enlighten the darkness of souls.
Grant that souls may know You,
call mercy by the name of praise.
Eternal Father, look down with merciful eyes upon the souls of pagans who do not yet know You, but who are sheltered in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. Lead them to the light of the Gospel. These souls know not how great the happiness is of loving You. Bring it about that they too may praise the fullness of Your mercy for all eternity. Amen.
Fifth Day
"Today bring Me the souls of heretics (those who have lost the true faith) and schismatics (those who have left the Church) and immerse them in the sea of My mercy. In My bitter passion they tore My Body and My Heart – that is My Church. When they return to the unity of the Church, then My wounds are healed and thereby they ease My anguish."
Prayer:
Most merciful Jesus, You are goodness itself. You do not refuse enlightenment to those who ask You. Receive into the dwelling of Your most merciful Heart the souls of heretics and schismatics and lead them in Your light to the unity of the Church. Do not let them leave the dwelling of Your most merciful Heart and bring it about that they too may praise the generosity of Your mercy.
Even to those who rent Your garment of unity
mercy flows from Your Heart.
The almighty power of Your mercy, O God,
leads these souls out of error and distress.
Eternal Father, look with merciful eyes upon the souls of heretics and schismatics who have squandered Your goods and abused Your graces by obstinately clinging to their errors. Look not upon their errors but upon the love of Your Son and His bitter passion which He took upon Himself for them, for they too are enclosed in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. Bring it about that they too may praise Your great mercy for all eternity. Amen.
Sixth Day
"Today bring Me meek and humble souls and the souls of little children and immerse them in My mercy. These souls most resemble My Heart. They strengthened Me in My bitter death throes. I regard them as My angels on earth who will guard My altars. Upon them I pour whole streams of graces. Only a humble soul can receive My grace; to humble souls I give My trust."
Prayer:
Most merciful Jesus, You Yourself said: "Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart." (Mt 11:29) Receive into the dwelling of Your most merciful Heart meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls delight the whole heaven and find special favour with the Heavenly Father. They are a bouquet before the throne of God and God Himself delights in their fragrance. These souls have a constant dwelling in the Heart of Jesus and they sing unceasingly the hymn of love and mercy for all eternity.
The soul that is truly humble and meek
breathes paradise already here on earth.
The fragrance of its humble heart
can even become a joy to the Creator.
Eternal Father, look down with the eye of Your mercy upon meek, humble souls and the souls of little children. They are all received into the dwelling of the most merciful Heart of Jesus. These souls most resemble Your Son. The fragrance of these souls rises from the earth and reaches Your throne. Father of mercy and every goodness, I ask You through the love and pleasure You have in these souls, bless the whole world, that all souls may together sing praise to Your mercy for all eternity. Amen.
Seventh Day
"Today bring Me the souls who especially honour and praise My mercy and immerse them in My mercy. These souls have most lamented My passion and have penetrated most deeply into My spirit. They are the living reflection of My most merciful Heart. These souls will shine with special brightness in the future life. None of them will fall into the fire of hell; at the hour of death I will defend each of them in a special way."
Prayer:
Most merciful Jesus, Your Heart is mercy itself. Receive into the dwelling of Your most merciful Heart those souls who especially honour and glorify the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are themselves strong in every affliction and adversity through the power of God; they go forward trusting in Your mercy. These souls are united with Jesus and carry all mankind on their shoulders. They will not undergo strict judgment, because at death they will be wrapped in Your mercy.
The soul that praises the Lord's goodness
experiences His special love.
It is close to the living source
and draws graces from mercy.
Eternal Father, look with merciful eyes upon those souls who praise and honour Your greatest attribute, inexhaustible mercy. They are enclosed in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. These souls are the living Gospel. Their hands are filled with merciful deeds. Their soul, filled with joy, sings a song of highest mercy. I ask You, God, show them mercy according to the hope and trust they have in You. May the promise of Jesus be fulfilled in them:
"Souls who honour My inexhaustible mercy I Myself will defend like My own honour, in life and especially at the hour of death."
Eighth Day
"Today bring Me those souls who are in the prison of purgatory and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. May the streams of My Blood cool their fire. These souls are very dear to Me. They are making satisfaction to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Take from the treasury of My Church all indulgences and offer them for them... O if you knew their torment, you would offer spiritual alms for them unceasingly and pay their debt to My justice."
Prayer:
Most merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You demand mercy. So I bring into the dwelling of Your most merciful Heart the souls in purgatory, whom You love very much, but who must still satisfy Your justice. May the streams of Your Blood and Water which flow from Your Heart extinguish the flames of the purifying fire, that there too the power of Your mercy may be praised.
From the tormenting fire of the place of purification
sighing rises to Your mercy.
And they experience relief, comfort,
through Your Blood and Water – poured out for the poor.
Eternal Father, look with merciful eyes upon the souls suffering in the place of purification, but who are sheltered in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I ask You through the bitter passion of Jesus, Your Son, and the bitterness with which His most holy soul was filled, show Your mercy to the souls who are under the eye of Your justice. Look upon them only through the wounds of Your beloved Son, Jesus; for we believe that Your goodness and Your mercy are without number. Amen.
Ninth Day
"Today bring Me the lukewarm souls and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. In the Garden of Olives My soul experienced the greatest horror at lukewarm souls. Lukewarm souls were the cause of My words: 'Father, take this cup away, (but only) if it be Your will.' Their last anchor of salvation is flight to My mercy."
Prayer:
Merciful Jesus, You are pure mercy itself; I bring the lukewarm souls into the dwelling of Your most merciful Heart. May these frozen souls, which resemble dead bodies and fill You with such disgust, warm themselves at the fire of Your pure love. O Most Merciful Jesus, use the almighty power of Your mercy and draw them into the glow of Your love and give them holy love, for You can do all things.
Fire and ice do not belong together,
one of them melts or goes out.
Yet Your mercy, good God,
brings help to the even greater nothing.
Eternal Father, look with merciful eyes upon the lukewarm souls, but who are sheltered in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. Father of mercy, I implore You through the bitter passion of Your Son and His three-hour agony on the Cross, grant that they too may praise the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.