The Heart of Mercy

·19 min·1 clip

A priest begins a meditation on Divine Mercy Sunday, invoking St. Faustina Kowalska and the profound gift of mercy.

The episode is a solo meditation by an unnamed priest for the St. Josemaria Institute Podcast, released on Divine Mercy Sunday. It opens with a traditional prayer, setting a contemplative tone. The central focus is the life and revelations of St. Faustina Kowalska, to whom Jesus appeared in 1931. The Lord designated her as his 'Secretary of Mercy' and gave specific instructions, including the establishment of the Feast of Mercy on the first Sunday after Easter. Jesus showed her the now-iconic image of Himself with rays emanating from His heart. The meditation highlights the grave stakes Jesus communicated, stating souls perish without recourse to His mercy. A key promise is explained: Jesus offers complete remission of sins and punishment to those who receive the sacrament of Confession on this feast day. The speaker then transitions to how believers are called to practice mercy. He reads from St. Faustina's diary a prayer asking for merciful eyes, ears, tongue, hands, feet, and heart to serve neighbors. This is presented as an antidote to a world filled with conflict and negativity. The teaching is linked to St. Josemaria Escriva, noting his 1930 writing also began with the theme of the Lord's heart of mercy. The concept is further expanded with references to Pope Francis's call to be 'islands of mercy' and practice the 'art of accompaniment'. A significant turn in the meditation addresses the need for self-mercy, warning against interior negativity and self-condemnation. This point is illustrated with a passage from a novena to St. Josemaria that connects pride and touchiness with a lack of humility needed for forgiveness. The episode concludes with a prayer by Henry Nguyen, emphasizing God's compassionate love, followed by closing petitions to Mary, St. Joseph, and the Guardian Angel. The format is entirely narrative and instructional, without interview or debate elements.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from St. Josemaria Institute Podcast