Journeying into Divine Mercy
(This post is the first in a series about Divine Mercy, where I share about my journey towards healing and Divine Mercy. You can find the second part here, where I share about what Divine Mercy looks like in our homes, and 10 ideas of how to live our Divine Mercy in our families.)
A most joyful Easter to you and your family! May you be healthy and full of the peace of Christ this Easter octave, and throughout this Easter season!Our Easter was beautiful, although of course different. I enjoyed simply being with Jason and our children, and talking on the phone with many loved ones.
A couple of weeks ago, I shared a post about how to observe Holy Week at Home, focusing on many of the activities our family has enjoyed over the years as we've journeyed through Holy Week together.
Funny though, because this year the Holy Spirit had a different way He wanted to lead me up Calvary, to the tomb and into Jesus' Divine Mercy. While we were at home together, my focus ended up being much more on prayer than on activity.
This year, the Holy Spirit led me to reflection more than to action.
A highlight was while I was preparing for confession, and I read through the Examination of Conscience According to the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit that Father Brad has given us. I always use this guide, but this time my heart was struck by something different. Under the section about Fear of the Lord, I read:
I have prayerfully reflected on these questions many times because of prayer ministry, as well as the guidance and teaching of Father Brad, Dr. Bob Schuchts (founder of the John Paul II Healing Center), Bart Schuchts, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, the book Be Healed by Dr. Bob Schuchts, and the Days of Equipping and Healing the Whole Person experiences put on by the John Paul II Healing Center.Have I accepted lies against my identity as a beloved child of God, such as:
“I am ugly / unforgiveable / stupid / dirty / unlovable / not good enough / unable to change / alone / unable to trust / etc.”
As I sat in my pew (more than 6 feet away from anyone else of course ☺), I read one question over and over again.
Have I accepted the lie
that I am unable to change?
I was surprised to find that yes, I most definitely had accepted this lie in my heart.
Scripture insists over and over again that this is not the Truth.
As Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might walk in newness of life . . .
We shall certainly be united with Him
in a resurrection like His . . .
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus . . .
Sin will have no dominion over you,
since you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6: 4 - 14)
Sin has no dominion over us - we are not slaves to sin. Does that mean that by myself, I have the power never to sin? By no means!
Through His grace, Jesus heals us
and transforms our hearts.
Through HIS power, not mine.
Through His Divine Mercy.
This is the mystery of Divine Mercy; that our God can take our times of darkness, sin, ugliness, suffering, desperation, fear, apathy, indifference, hatred, loneliness, depression, discouragement,
and He can transform them into
something more beautiful
than they ever were before.
We can go to the foot of the cross
and place those things into His hands,
and place those things into His hands,
and we can proclaim -
Jesus, I trust in You!
When we do that -
He immerses us
in His blood and water,
in His Divine Mercy.
We are drenched in His love.
When I rely on myself, I am unable to change, unable to find peace, healing, or mercy. I get stuck in the same frustrating cycles of sin and darkness.
When I lean into His grace,
I am bathed in the light of His mercy.
He holds me and molds me
so that my heart is more like His own.
This time of the Covid 19 pandemic has been challenging for all of us.
But amid the challenges and the suffering, Jesus brings us His Divine Mercy.
He can transform the darkness into
a light brighter than before.
We must hope for what we cannot see,
trust that amid this confusing time,
Jesus is leading us and guiding us
further into His goodness.
If you want to learn more about the Divine Mercy of Our Lord, I would strongly recommend watching the series Divine Mercy: The Second Greatest Story Ever Told by Father Michael Gaitley, which can be found on Formed.
This series brings so much hope and light to the way Jesus works in humanity during times of suffering.
Jesus is here.
Working.
Even when we don't see it.
Even when we don't feel it.
He never stops.
And on that note, I made a Divine Mercy playlist, which is below 😀 Those words come from Way Maker, and I love Leeland's live recording of this song.
Each of the songs on this playlist inspire me to reflect on the Divine Mercy of Jesus.
We can trust and hope in
His love and mercy
for all of us.
If you want to lean a little further and discover more of His healing and mercy, I strongly recommend looking into the books and resources at the John Paul II Healing Center. The talks and workbook from the Healing the Whole Person series are available for purchase. While it's best to actually attend their events, that may be challenging this year. Their resources would be a fantastic way to dive deeper into God's Divine Mercy.
Soon I will share about how we can live out Divine Mercy within our own homes.
May each of us and all of humanity
more deeply hope and trust
in the Divine Mercy of Jesus and
may we be immersed
in the blood and water of
our King!
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