To pray the Divine Mercy is to enter into a living and trusting relationship with the Heart of Jesus, as it revealed itself to Saint Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s. It is not a prayer reserved for mystics or saints: it is open to everyone. Jesus wanted it to be simple, accessible, yet powerful, for every age and especially for our own, marked by so much suffering, conflict and loss of bearings.
Jesus promised exceptional graces to those who turn to his mercy with trust. But how do we pray to this Divine Mercy in concrete terms? What forms are suggested? What are the dispositions of the heart to cultivate? Here are the main ways of praying to Divine Mercy.
The heart of prayer: trust and mercy
First of all, Jesus asks two essential things to pray for His mercy:
Total trust in Him.
Mercy towards others, in our actions, words and prayers.
Praying Divine Mercy is not simply reciting formulas, but opening ourselves deeply to Christ's love, believing that no sin is greater than His grace, and committing ourselves to living out this mercy ourselves on a daily basis.
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is the central prayer revealed to Saint Faustina. It is recited with a traditional rosary, like the rosary. This prayer can be said at any time, but it is particularly recommended at 3pm, the hour of Jesus' death on the Cross.
How to pray it:
On the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross, then recite an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and the Creed.
On the large beads (those of the Our Father), say:
"Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in reparation for our sins and those of the whole world."
On the small beads (those of the Hail Mary), say ten times:
"Through his sorrowful Passion, be merciful to us and to the whole world."
Repeat these prayers for the five decades of the rosary.
End with three times:
"Holy God, Strong God, Eternal God, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
This prayer is a powerful form of intercession. Jesus promised that it would appease divine wrath, obtain graces for the dying, and that no sincere soul would leave empty-handed.
The Hour of Mercy: praying at 3pm
Jesus asked Sister Faustina to pray every day at 3pm, the hour of his death on the Cross. This "hour of Mercy" is a privileged moment, a rendezvous of love between the Saviour and every soul.
We can pray in different ways:
Make a short prayer: "Jesus, I trust in You!"
Meditate the Passion of Christ.
Recite the Chaplet of Mercy.
Read a passage from the Gospel of the Passion.
This moment does not require a long prayer, but a presence of the heart, an act of faith in Christ's saving love.
The novena to the Divine Mercy
Jesus also asked for a special novena to be prayed on the nine days preceding the feast of the Divine Mercy (which takes place on the Sunday after Easter). Each day is dedicated to a particular intention, for different groups of people: sinners, souls in purgatory, priests, lukewarm souls, etc.
On each day, the Chaplet of Mercy is recited, preceded by an intention given by Jesus in the revelations to Sister Faustina. This novena is an act of universal love, an offering of mercy for all humanity.
Veneration of the image of Merciful Jesus
Jesus asked that his image, as revealed to Faustina, be venerated with faith. He promises great graces to those who pray before it with confidence.
The image depicts Jesus standing, with two rays streaming from his Heart: the pale ray for water (baptism), the red for blood (the Eucharist). Under his feet is the inscription:
"Jesus, I trust in You."
Praying before this image, even simply, in silence or with words from the heart, is a way of opening up to Jesus' tenderness. It can be set up at home, in a prayer corner, or carried around with you in the form of a medal or card.
Prayer through deeds: living mercy
Praying the Divine Mercy is not limited to words. Jesus insisted:
"If a soul does not practice mercy, it will not obtain My mercy."
Thus, praying Divine Mercy also means taking action:
Pardon those who have hurt us.
Help the poor, the sick, the isolated.
Visit an elderly or suffering person.
Offer one's suffering for souls in distress.
Not judging, but blessing and interceding.
These simple gestures are so many incarnate prayers, which radiate God's mercy into the world.
In conclusion: a prayer for our time
To pray the Divine Mercy is to plunge into an ocean of love, where God looks not at what we have been, but at what we are capable of becoming if we trust him. It is a powerful prayer, suited to our wounded times, offered to every soul, whatever its weaknesses.
It teaches us that love always triumphs, that forgiveness sets us free, and that Jesus awaits each of us with a heart burning with love.
So, every day, let us not hesitate to whisper this prayer that opens the gates of heaven:
"Jesus, I trust in You."
