Divine Mercy Newsletter - 2004

April 18, 2004

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ’s Divine Mercy,

This Divine Mercy Sunday brings to us a message of joy and hope in the midst of a world in turmoil, war, terrorism, sin, and indifference, if not open hostility to God and His Law. I am not aware of any time in human history when the message of Jesus’ Mercy was more needed. As a people we have become forgetful of God and in too many cases too self-centered and self-absorbed to hear Him speak to our hearts. Yet, even in the face of the difficulties that surround us, we have joy and hope because Jesus is Risen!

We who venerate His Divine Mercy will be asked in our time to bear “some of the hardships which the Gospel entails.” Many of our peers in the contemporary world are deceived by the “wisdom” of the world and continue to be misled by the media, academia, and the surrounding secular culture. Issues such as same sex marriage, abortion, continued experimentation with embryos and stem cells are presented to us, and arguments are crafted to make these dubious positions “rights” and those who dare oppose them are dismissed as “bigots.” Yet, stand against them we must! Mercy must not be confused with weakness nor should love be presented to people as moral relativism. No, to love God is to follow His Law and humbly seek His Way and Wisdom, not that of man. We must never fail to speak the Truth, mindful of our obligation to “hate the sin,” but “love the sinner.”

It is humility that is needed. We must be humble before God, mindful of our own sinfulness. To admit our need for God is not a weakness, but rather a genuine strength. We are never stronger than we are when we are on our knees before God begging for His Mercy. I never cease to be inspired and moved to the depths of my heart and spirit by all of you who pray with such fervor, live with such zeal, serve with such commitment. You are very precious to God and true "heroes" to me. I often walk into a chapel and see people who have come in their wheelchairs, walkers, carrying oxygen or bent over with the constant cross of pain. I cannot help but think that through the eyes of the world in so many ways we may appear pathetic. But to God we are mighty!

I reflect on those of our number who have died since last Divine Mercy Sunday and are spending this one with the Lord! They remind us of our destination and they assemble in Heaven with our Lord and the saints to pray for us. For our part, we must run as runners who never lose sight of our goal: life on high with Christ Jesus! When we are discouraged, lonely, spiritually dry, suffering, grieving, carrying heavy burdens we must keep our goal in mind. We must never allow our self or one another to give into despair, because like our patron, Saint Faustina, He is depending on us to bring His message to the world.

Thank you for all that you are doing through your faithful prayers and loving service. It may not seem like much to you from a human perspective, but God is working in you and through you. Stay close to the Eucharist at all times. Do nothing spiritually without reference to the Eucharist. It is from Jesus that we draw our strength and it is through His Eucharistic Sacrifice alone that we can offer the Father “atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.” Pray for the priests who make the Eucharist present and available to you. Remember that they are only men who need God’s mercy too. While individual priests have caused great harm through their sins (and they too can receive God’s mercy), we must not let priesthood come under attack. Many are carrying heavy burdens and need our prayers, support and love. Remember that without your priests you will not have access to the Sacraments. Pray daily for your priests and for more holy men to answer God’s call. Pray for vocations to religious life as well.

Draw ever closer to the Sacrament of Penance. Desire to live an ever more penitential life. Remember the holy souls in Purgatory and offer daily prayers and sacrifices for them. Make your prayers fervent prayers! Do not pray like one who is not sure your prayers are heard. Pray with a total trust that is at one and the same time thanking God for hearing and answering your prayer. Grow to the point that in every crisis and difficulty your first instinct is to say from your heart: “Jesus, I Trust in You!”

Mary, our Mother of Mercy, stands ever ready to help us on our way. We are sinners, but we are also God’s own beloved children. Go to Mary as you would go to your Mother. She loves you, wants a personal relationship with you, and will bring you by the hand into the Heart of Divine Mercy. Mary will lead us to live the life that is most pleasing to her Son. The Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy are not only prayed on the same beads, but complement each other in a supernatural way.

Finally, my dear friends thank you for your prayers. I have been praying this novena with intensity for all of you and your intentions. I had the privilege to live with Bishop Lawrence Riley in Hyde Park, MA. He was a holy man and very much a man of the Eucharist. He would often close his letters with the words: “asking an occasional remembrance in your prayers.” I humbly ask of you the same gift. Thank God I am not in need of any earthly thing, but I am eternally grateful and indebted to you for your prayers. When I am tired, discouraged, or weak I call out to heaven for the grace of the prayers that I know you are offering up for me. I depend on your prayers; please also depend on mine for you.

In Christ’s Divine Mercy,

Rev. Richard F. Clancy