SHAWNEE – On the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, participants gathered at Saint Gregory’s Abbey to learn more about this holy day. Abbot Lawrence Stasyszen, O.S.B, led the Day of Reflection and discussed themes of mercy.
Abbot Lawrence told the group that during Jubilee 2000, Saint John Paul II conducted the ceremony of the canonization of Saint Faustina on April 30 and officially designated the Sunday after Easter as the Sunday of the Divine Mercy.
In announcing the subsequent Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2015, Pope Francis stated in “The Face of Mercy” that he hoped the extraordinary year would be a time where we would, “Gaze evermore attentively on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father’s action in our lives.”
“So,” Abbot Lawrence said, “it is very appropriate for us, on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday to revisit the promise of God’s mercy that has so beautifully been communicated to us through the visions of Saint Faustina, the writings of Saint John Paul II and those of Pope Francis.
According to Abbot Lawrence, we must experience more deeply the mercy God has extended to us.
“If we are not merciful to ourselves, we are refusing the mercy of God. That’s a very common affliction. We have to allow ourselves to experience Divine Mercy and forgive ourselves.”
He suggested to those struggling with that concept to pray over and over again, “Jesus give me the grace to forgive myself. Jesus help me with my unbelief.”
Attendee Mary Kay Swenson said the talk helped her.
“I got the reassurance that God’s mercy is abundant and never ending. There is nothing I could ever do that he wouldn’t welcome me back with open arms.”
Abbot Lawrence provided a list of quotes about Divine Mercy and showed the group a selection of books including, “Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy” by John Paul Thomas, “Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul” and “The Divine Mercy, Message and Devotion.”
After reflection time, Abbot Lawrence focused on gratitude, compassion and hope as key elements to mercy.
“In gratitude we can do the second thing, and that is to have compassion with others. We have compassion by helping to alleviate the suffering of others, extending reconciliation to others and to ourselves. Then, those two elements allow us to live in hope,” he said.
“We need to surrender ourselves in humility to the power of Christ dwelling within us. When all you can think about is the resentment and pain someone has caused, we can offer that pain and resent to Jesus as a prayer. Say ‘Lord this is all I got. I offer you this hurt and resentful behavior to you as my prayer for this other person. Do what you will.’ Remember Jesus said you will be forgiven as you forgive.”
He had the group compose their own Psalms 136 by recalling moments of God’s grace on the first line, then repeat, “his mercy endures forever” as the second line. He suggested recounting at least 10 moments where God’s mercy was evident.
“It’s very hard to understand that someone loves that much,” Alice Fagen said. Fagen and her husband Jim came from Bartlesville to learn more about Saint Faustina.
The day concluded in Saint Gregory’s Abbey with a Holy Hour and recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet.
Judy Hilovsky is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Photo: Alice and Jim Fagen traveled from Bartlesville to attend the Day of Reflection at St. Gregory Abbey. Photo Judy Hilovsky/Sooner Catholic.