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Divine Mercy
The Divine Mercy is a Roman Catholic devotion to the merciful love of God and the desire to let that love and mercy flow through one's own heart towards those in need of it. The devotion is due to the Polish nun Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), who is known as the Apostle of Mercy.
Faustina Kowalska reported a number of visions of Jesus and conversations with him which she wrote in her diary, later published as the book Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul. The three main themes of the devotion are to ask for and obtain the mercy of God, to trust in Christ's abundant mercy, and finally to show mercy to others and act as a conduit for God's mercy towards them.
The devotion places emphasis on the veneration of the Divine Mercy image which Faustina reported as a vision of Jesus while she was in her cell in the convent. The image is displayed and venerated by Catholics on its own, and is solemnly blessed during Divine Mercy Sunday. The devotion includes specific prayers such as the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
The Divine Mercy devotion is followed by over 100 million Catholics. It is also recognized and celebrated by the Universal Anglican Church.
We are not only to receive the mercy of God, but to use it by being merciful to others through our actions, our words, and our prayers; in other words, we are to practice the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.
Corporal Works of Mercy:
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Comfort the prisoners
Visit the sick
Bury the dead
Spiritual Works of Mercy
Teach the ignorant
Pray for the living & dead
Correct sinners
Counsel those in doubt
Console the sorrowful
Bear wrongs patiently
Forgive wrongs willingly
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