11th Dublin International Divine Mercy Conference

Held on the weekend of the 16th and 17th of February 2002 Main Hall RDS. Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

The Theme was "Whatever you did to the least of these my brethern, you did it to me" 25:40

Sr. Briege Mc Kenna O.S.C. and Fr. Kevin Scallon C.M. were speakers at the Conference and you can visit their website here:. Fr Pat O Donoghue from the Pro Cathedral did the stations of the Cross.

“I Demand Deeds of Mercy”

Last year I wrote on the mission of the conference of Divine Mercy. This year we examine the practical questions involved in advancing that mission. This is why the theme: “ Whatever you did to the least, you did to me” (Matt 25:40), is so apt. In the many conversations that Jesus had with St. Faustina, He told her: “You should be the first to distinguish yourself by this confidence in My Mercy. I demand from you deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbours always and everywhere” (Diary 742).

Most of us are familiar with the word ‘mercy’ and know that when we act mercifully we are being in some way compassionate toward the receiving person. However, few of us stop to think that we are ourselves need mercy and that it is only by having the humility to allow Jesus to love us that we ourselves can be merciful to others. Jesus assures us of this when He says: “I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls” (Diary 1074). We can see from this that it is Jesus who gives the supply of all that is needed. All we need do is to ask with humble trust, fearing nothing.

Having prayed and received the grace of mercy, we can take the next step and see how Jesus wishes us to practice living and exercising mercy in the manner we spoke of. Here, again, we can turn to St. Faustina for help for she writes in her spiritual journal that Jesus gave her three degrees of mercy: “the first, by deed-the second, by word- the third, by prayer”(Diary 742). In these is contained the fullness of mercy. How does this translate into our everyday life, which can be so busy?

Here we might look at the corporal works of mercy: To Feed the hungry, Give drink to the thirsty, Cloth the naked, Shelter the homeless, Visit prisoners, Care for the sick and to Bury the dead. However, no matter how fortunate or unfortunate you may be, works of mercy can be performed by anyone.

Consider the spiritual works of mercy: To Admonish sinners, Instruct the uninformed, Counsel the doubtful, Comfort the sorrowful, have Patience with those in error, Forgive offences, Pray for the living and the dead. A soul in order to live must exercise mercy or indeed how can it know love? St. John tells us that those who say they love God, but do not love others, live a lie.

As St. Faustina prayed: “I want to be completely transformed into Your Mercy and to be your living reflection. Help me, O Lord, that my eyes/ears/tongue/hands/feet/heart may be merciful” (Diary 163).

When all I have written is boiled down - remember the only question Jesus will ask us is: “How well have you loved?”

Gerard Duff, B.A. (Theology), M.A. (Spirituality).

Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul © 1987 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, Stockbridge, MA 01263. www.thedivinemercy.org Used with permission and gratitude.