Trouble with the Divine Mercy devotion and novena

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martinporres

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To put it succinctly: I’m having difficulty pursuing a devotion to the Divine Mercy.

To me, St. Faustina’s writings and prayers are saccharin. Yesterday’s prayer about the “sweet-smelling bouquet” of children’s souls :ehh: rising to heaven and sending it into ecstasy :bigyikes: was about the breaking point for me. It just doesn’t resonate with me.

I’m struggling even more because I know this is a church-approved and promoted devotion (heavily! in our diocese) – so much so that even the 2nd Sunday of Easter is also known for it. But even the Chaplet itself doesn’t seem to be a devotion proper to the highest point of Easter, the octave. Full of despair and wailing, it doesn’t match what my picture of how an Easter people should be praising God at and immediately after the Resurrection.

During our priest’s Holy Thursday homily last week, he talked about people not being willing to take the Triduum (the entire saving mystery) as one – and that they’d rather either take Good Friday without Easter, or Easter without Good Friday. That rings true with me, especially with a lot of P.O.D. types.

I have the distinct impression that the devotion to the Divine Mercy, specifically at this point in our liturgical calendar, prolongs Good Friday while pushing Easter to the side. Wouldn’t it be better suited to Lent rather than beginning at its end?

The reason I decided to post about this and not just quarrel with myself internally is because my wife and I are both praying the novena and chaplet before bed according to the plan, so since Good Friday. But I no longer feel it. I’d like some advice on either how I can power through (and maybe see things differently) or easily tell my wife why I won’t continue.

It can’t be sustained as it is: I think praying half-heartedly and without feeling it, even disliking it, is probably more offensive to God than anything else. Please help.

In Christ,
mp
 
You can simply ‘act as if’ for now.

Then you can pray for guidance about continuing this as part of your devotional practices.

We pray as we can, not as we can’t - not everyone is drawn to the same private devotional practices.
 
Maybe you should try looking at this devotion and its position in the Christian calendar another way.

It is precisely because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ that His Divine Mercy can be poured out upon anyone who comes to him. This is a very natural extension of our Easter celebration; it follows Christ’s Passion to the next glorious application, the salvation of mankind.

And try not to get hung up on St. Faustina’s elementary style, she was a simple woman, and God uses everyone in their own way and through their own charisms. It is the message that is important, that God’s Mercy is abundant and ready to be poured out generously if we would only avail ourselves of it and pray for those who don’t understand its measure.

Hope this helps a little. 🙂
 
I would suggest you to read the entire diary of the Saint. It will help you somehow.
 
One great beauty of Catholicism- we have an abundance of spiritualities for everyone to choose from and maybe this particular devotion according to St. Faustinas method is not for you. Nothing wrong with that. The point here is that the Divine Mercy of Jesus is being accentuated, now that is something all Catholics can or should anyway be able to relate to. Being Eastern Catholic this is not on our calender, not because we dont believe in the Divine Mercy but we feel it is always present. But there is nothing wrong with having a particular Sunday devoted to this as far as I`m concerned it gives people a time to reflect on the the abundance of mercy without which we would all be lost.
 
mart(name removed by moderator)orres said:
It can’t be sustained as it is: I think praying half-heartedly and without feeling it, even disliking it, is probably more offensive to God than anything else. Please help.
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There’s no requirement to pursue devotion to the Divine Mercy. If it’s not for you, then it’s not for you. We all pray differently, we all have different spiritual practices, we all have different relationships with God. Do what’s right for you.
 
Thank you to O.P for sharing this , since there probably are many more , who agree with some of the sentiments and that could be one of the reasons for reluctance on the part of many to promote or participate in this devotion !

It may be a devotion that takes time and effort, like many other good things in life, for it to grow , in hearts …

For couples who need to start the day together , with a good , brief, common prayer , the Chaplet is very good : it also brings the grace of asking for the protection of the Precious Blood …

( For me , the 6th day has been a favorite - how the pure love of little children bring down God’s mercy on many… and how we can all try to be more meek … 🙂 )

Another , more legitimate reason could be , expecting too much , too soon , from persons who follow this devotion … since , for many , it may still be superficial … like in our Lord’s words to St. Faustina -

1702 - ‘…I will allow churches and convents to be destroyed …souls full of egotism and self love …the great sins of the world are superficial wounds in My Heart , but the sins of a chosen soul pierce My Heart , through and through…’

We, in The Church, as His chosen race… and holy priesthood ,
are we not to thank , praise and intercede , for the holy and good as well as the suffering… to the Risen Lord … thus helping to do His Holy Will …and for all the graces promised , for many , for such a small act on our part …

One of the good to come from this Novena ( and there is much promised through it ’ like that of a new Baptism ! - may we trust !) can be that it give us the grace to bring sitautions and persons to Him …freeing us from our fallen nature , to take matters into our own hands , without His help …

Here was St.Faustina , afflicted with tuberculosis , which meant she was possibly in isolation a good bit of time …and thus , may be mercifully spared lot of what could have been distraction …

( well , atleast that is one explanation I could come up with - for the suffering of illness of some of these saints … saints offering up their own suffreings , in union with our Lord, for the many , who have their own spiritual tuberculosis , of infecting others , with the germs of atheism , isolatioanism …and is it the prayers of these saints that have helped to even bring down this illnes in our times !)

St.Faustina had promised to pray for us all , from heaven …

In His Mysterious plan, may even our own reluctance or insufficiency of trust , help many , to recognise even more ,the need for more ardent prayers, on behalf of their loved ones and many such others …

St.Faustina , pray for us !
 
Jeanette_L said:
Maybe you should try looking at this devotion and its position in the Christian calendar another way.

It is precisely because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ that His Divine Mercy can be poured out upon anyone who comes to him. This is a very natural extension of our Easter celebration; it follows Christ’s Passion to the next glorious application, the salvation of mankind.
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Excellent. 👍

To the OP: as others have mentioned, if you don’t feel drawn to this devotion, there are many others to choose from. However, don’t hang your commitment to any of them on your feelings. I too suggest reading St. Faustina’s Diary or at least learning more about the message of Divine Mercy (if you haven’t already) – perhaps it would help. (see my signature for info. 🙂 )

Also, in yesterday’s prayer when it mentions ecstasy, I’m sure it’s not meant in the way this secular, sex-crazed world :mad: has ingrained in our minds: it is meant, I presume, as an unbelievably, indescribably, amazing joy that we in this world can’t fathom. :heaven:
 
so if this devotion does not benefit you spiritualy find one that does. like all private devotions it is approved, not mandated.
 
I tend to agree with the OP. I love the devotion to the Mercy of God, but some of the language used in the prayers is too sweetzie and gooey for me.

I feel the same way about Louis de Monfort.
 
Thanks to each one of the respondents on this thread! It never ceases to amaze me how many kind and thoughtful people read CA Forums and offer help and encouragement to people in need of it.

I do think this is a matter of devotional pickiness, which is fine and I just have to accept that not all devotions work for each soul. I think perhaps I’m putting devotional practice on the level of liturgical, communal worship of God which I know isn’t the same on a practical level. This probably explains the guilt I’m perceiving when I don’t seem to “get” this particular devotion.

This reminds me of a conversation I had a while back with my wife when we were talking about praying more together. She’s better attuned to the meditative qualities of short-time-interval repetitive prayer like the Chaplet and the Rosary than I am – while I prefer liturgy and psalmody, repetitive but with a longer time interval. Our prayer styles are something we need to work on and unfortunately have been keeping us from praying together as often as we should. I fully acknowledge my inability to pray well these staples of our Catholic life (particularly the Rosary) is something I need to work on and pray about. I will add the devotional practices of St. Faustina to this prayer list of mine and see what comes of it. But I won’t beat myself up about it or treat it like something that must be done.

Please all, pray for me and my wife and ask St. Faustina in particular to pray for our spiritual growth together.

Easter blessings!

In Christ,
mp
 
Prayers for you and your wife!

(It’s wonderful that you pray together. Period. 👍 )
 
water said:
I would suggest you to read the entire diary of the Saint. It will help you somehow.
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I second that suggestion.

I read it twice and both times I started out thinking Faustina was a crazy lunatic. But I kept reading and by the middle of the book was blown away by the whole thing. It really is worth your time and you’ll walk away from it with a whole new perspective. Reading the diary really helped me connect to Jesus as an everyday part of my life. 👍

And then again, if it’s all said and done and the devotion still doesn’t appeal to you, that’s fine too!
 
masondoggy said:
I second that suggestion.

I read it twice and both times I started out thinking Faustina was a crazy lunatic. But I kept reading and by the middle of the book was blown away by the whole thing. It really is worth your time and you’ll walk away from it with a whole new perspective. Reading the diary really helped me connect to Jesus as an everyday part of my life. 👍

And then again, if it’s all said and done and the devotion still doesn’t appeal to you, that’s fine too!
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I had a similar reaction to “The Story of A Soul” the autobiography of St. Therese.

I could not understand why this was such an important book nor why she is such an important saint.

Over time I have learned to love “The Story of A Soul”. I still can not really explain even to myself, why I am so drawn to this book.

My attraction to St. Faustina is the message of the Divine Mercy but I don’t relate to this devotion quite like I do the Rosary.
 
Saints I Like:

**St. Michael, **and he wields a sword for goodness sake! Guess that explains why I’m agreeable to wearing the title of Prayer Warrior here on the forums. :knight2:

**St. Teresa of Avila, **who fell off a donkey and told Jesus, “Well, if this is the way you treat your friends, it’s no wonder you have so few of them!” and who also said “Spare us from sour-faced saints.” 🙂

Saints I’m Not as Attracted to:

St. Therese the Little Flower: Okay, so even though I’m female, I’m not “warm and fuzzy” and so the flower references sometimes strike me as too sentimental for my taste. However, I like St. Therese better ever since I’ve discovered her intelligent talent for writing poetry, and that she once dressed up as St. Joan of Arc. Now that’s cool!

St. Francis de Sales: Am just not into a writing style which goes something like, “O my dear Philomena, dost thou wish to save thy soul?” This saint does in fact have much to teach me and I’ll be the first to admit it … it’s just hard for me personally to get past all the flowery language.

As for St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy devotion …

Having read the Diary, I can tell you that St. Faustina is no wimp. Lots of courage, lots of obedience, lots of suffering, lots of love, lots of strength, lots of growth in self-denial and brave daily love of Jesus, deep prayer and depths of intellectual contemplation profoundly conveyed in simple literary style, such that I can overlook the occasional reference to flowers.

What it all comes down to is, when it comes to picking favorites among saints, it’s a very personal matter.

~~ the phoenix
 
Last year during Lent, I felt called to read the Diary, so I purchased a copy and started reading. St. Faustina did not, shall we say, appeal to me at all. I found myself annoyed, frustrated and jealous. I skipped over many of the parts which included her own prayers. But I was very drawn to the words of Jesus, and the message of mercy.

So, could we say perhaps that not every part of every devotion is right for everyone who tries it?

Betsy
 
quote: mart(name removed by moderator)orres
I have the distinct impression that the devotion to the Divine Mercy, specifically at this point
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in our liturgical calendar, prolongs Good Friday while pushing Easter to the side. Wouldn’t it be better suited to Lent rather than beginning at its end?
I surely understand what you are saying, mart(name removed by moderator)orres.
To me, the Western Church promotes Good Friday, while the
Orthodox seems to exult Christ risen.
“Christ is risen!”
“Risen, indeed.”

I think this a matter of emotional congruence -
where the emotions are in synch - with whatever is happening.

It’s hard to say Alleluia! and then turn to the chaplet,
recalling Christ’s crucifixion. Can there be congruence, here?

Yet, when I think about this, what* is *the Mass, if it is
not “merely” a sacred banquet? It is also the offering
of the sacrifice of Christ, to His Father. The priest is
an “alter Christus” - another Christ.
So, in actuality, each Mass brings us right back to Calvary,
and the saving act of Christ.
The gospel read, on Easter morning, does not prevent the
recall of Christ’s sacrifice, later in the Mass.

Secondly, I also think that it assists us, in saying the chaplet,
to remember the suffering and the loss that is around us.
This suffering and loss do not stop, on Easter Sunday.
A patient, in physical agony, does not have cessation of
that tremendous suffering, just because it’s Easter morning.

To pray:

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world”

is to ask God to show mercy, to those who are suffering - at all times, and in all places. Their need for mercy endures.

It is said that we are an “Easter people.” But for given members of the Church, as for all people, some Easter Sundays are a Good Friday.

What kindness and love it is, to remember them, on a day where all is properly feasting and rejoicing. To thank God for saving us, conquering both sin and death, is great reason to rejoice. Yet in the midst of this rejoicing are those who may go back to God, during this Easter season.
They may need mercy, and we ask God to show them mercy, when we say the chaplet.

If our heart is full of rejoicing, and we find the chaplet not at all
congruent with our emotions, then I would offer prayer that is
genuinely congruent with my emotional life, at that moment.
I would speak to God what is in my heart and soul and mind.

That is the lovely thing about God. He knows that some of us
wish to rejoice, always - in the saving acts of His Son,
and in His resurrection.
Others may be able to step back - emotionally -
and continue the chaplet, even on Easter.
This creates a great chorus of prayer, rising to God.
With notes in minor key and major key - a beautiful
symphony of praise, petition, and penitence.

If my heart is naturally in a major key, notes of minor key
may seem out of focus, disjunctive, or out of keeping with the reality of Easter.
Yet on Easter morn - across the world - there will be
those begging God to forgive their sin, others begging
for mercy, in their great physical or emotional pain,
while still others will be praising God for the gift of Easter.

He will listen to all.

reen12
 
Each year, I find myself terribly distracted by devotionals after Easter, and have a real spiritual need to just simplify my prayer life, limiting it to scripture reading, Mass, and personal prayer. I don’t do away with all devotions – still pray the Rosary, for example, as well as a weekly devotion to St. Lucy on behalf of my grandchildren who have eye problems. But to commit to a Divine Mercy Novena, for example, just isn’t something I feel called to do.

I think I try to open myself to a great deal during Lent, taking advantage of every spirtual opportunity that comes my way. A lot of reading (some of which resonates less with me than others), prayer, etc., and, after Easter, I just find myself called to get back to basics. Kind of like how you feel after eating too much wonderful rich food during vacation or the holidays, and then you crave simple things. It’s kind of funny – during the time of physical fasting I’m “stuffing” myself spiritually and now need a bit of a break from the “richness.”
 
I felt drawn to the message of the Divine Mercy and the words of Jesus, but could never really “get into” the prayer or the chaplet. Seemed like a lot of useless repetition to me. But then I heard the chaplet sung in prayer, and it appealed to me so much I can’t get it out of my head.

It is a personal devotion, and not required. Some things aren’t for everyone. But I suggest you listen to how it’s sung and how beautiful it sounds in song.

ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/resolve.asp?rafile=divmercy.ra

😃
 
thomasf said:
I felt drawn to the message of the Divine Mercy and the words of Jesus, but could never really “get into” the prayer or the chaplet. Seemed like a lot of useless repetition to me. But then I heard the chaplet sung in prayer, and it appealed to me so much I can’t get it out of my head.

It is a personal devotion, and not required. Some things aren’t for everyone. But I suggest you listen to how it’s sung and how beautiful it sounds in song.

ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/resolve.asp?rafile=divmercy.ra

😃
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Same here, I fell in love with the sung version of the Chaplet, I have it on CD and this has become my favorite daily devotion, I feel like I’ve missed something extremely important, (like breathing 😉 ) if I don’t participate in the daily.

It’s a good thing. 😃 😃
 
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