"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy Mercy. Amen." (Fatima Prayer)
This message of mercy was also given to St. Faustina Kowalska by Jesus himself on the night of Sunday, February 22, 1931: "Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: 'Jesus, I trust in You' (in Polish: 'Jezu, ufam Tobie'). I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and then throughout the world. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish" (Notebook I, Items 47 and 48).
Pope St. John Paul II promoted this devotion and, on the canonization of St. Faustina in 2000, promulgated the celebration of the Sunday of the Divine Mercy to be celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter. On Divine Mercy Sunday in 2001 Pope St. John Paul stated: "Jesus said to St. Faustina one day: 'Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust to Divine Mercy'. Divine Mercy! This is the Easter gift that the Church receives from the risen Christ and offers to humanity."
We are blessed to have this devotion to turn us to God's Divine Mercy. He wants us to turn from our sins and, like a loving father, throw his arms around us to shelter us in his forgiving love. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life" (Jn. 3:16). Pope Francis declared an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016 to emphasize God's merciful love. We are also called to be merciful: "Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful" (Lk. 6:36).
