Posted on 04/11/2021 12:14:34 PM PDT by CharlesOConnell
An old soldier who has taken up the tailor's trade and rooms with an old woman, takes pity on a dissolute alcoholic. The drunkard steals from him, initially denies it; guilt-racked, the drunkard disappears for a long time, at the end, comes back to die after nearly starving himself and nearly freezing on the street, seeking redemption - "The Honest Thief".
Divine Mercy. What is it? (After a life spent without developing a relationship with Jesus, He will come to a dying soul three times to offer His mercy.)
A short story by Dostoevsky, in the Librivox collection of audio podcasts (nothing to read).
Short Stories by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821 - 1881)
This is a collection of short stories by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the Russian novelist and short story writer.
Chapter 1, "The Honest Thief"- A story about the most wretched person, who seeks redemption for his sinfulness before dying
Divine Mercy was a message to a little Catholic nun, Faustina Kowalska. She didn't have a good family, she wasn't well-educated, she was unwanted by any convents. Jesus appeared to her, gave her a prayer, commanded that an image be painted of Him with red rays coming rightward out of his heart, for blood, where Longinus's spear had pieced Him, and white rays coming out leftward for the water that came out when He was pierced but none of His bones were broken.
This God who was only born to save men, so ardently wants them to accept His mercy, after they have lived selfish lives, wouldn't love Him, wouldn't develope a relationship with Him, wouldn't properly dedicate their smallest acts every day to Him as tokens of their love for Him:
He is still willing to have mercy on them, if only they will accept His saving, the salvation He freely offers them.
The sinners suffer from pride, they think their sins are too great for Him to forgive, this is what is called "the unforgiveable sin", blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, refusal to be sorry.
So that, finally at the moment of death, when demons are accusing them of the wrong they've done, they despair of accepting the mercy the three times Jesus will offer them.
If someone will say a prayer for them, their hearts may be melted, they may receive the mercy Jesus freely offers them, and they may attain to eternal happiness, even though it is a grace, a free gift which they don't deserve.
The Chaplet of Mercy is recited using ordinary Rosary beads of five decades. The Chaplet is preceded by two opening prayers from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska and followed by a closing prayer.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Faustina’s Prayer for Sinners
O Jesus, eternal Truth, our Life, I call upon You and I beg Your mercy for poor sinners. O sweetest Heart of my Lord, full of pity and unfathomable mercy, I plead with You for poor sinners. O Most Sacred Heart, Fount of Mercy from which gush forth rays of inconceivable graces upon the entire human race, I beg of You light for poor sinners. O Jesus, be mindful of Your own bitter Passion and do not permit the loss of souls redeemed at so dear a price of Your most precious Blood. O Jesus, when I consider the great price of Your Blood, I rejoice at its immensity, for one drop alone would have been enough for the salvation of all sinners. Although sin is an abyss of wickedness and ingratitude, the price paid for us can never be equalled. Therefore, let every soul trust in the Passion of the Lord, and place its hope in His mercy. God will not deny His mercy to anyone. Heaven and earth may change, but God's mercy will never be exhausted. Oh, what immense joy burns in my heart when I contemplate Your incomprehensible goodness, O Jesus! I desire to bring all sinners to Your feet that they may glorify Your mercy throughout endless ages (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 72).
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
(Repeat three times)
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Saying the "Eternal Father" (6) on the "Our Father" bead and then 10 "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion" (7) on the following "Hail Mary" beads.
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
O Greatly Merciful God, Infinite Goodness, today all mankind calls out from the abyss of its misery to Your mercy — to Your compassion, O God; and it is with its mighty voice of misery that it cries out. Gracious God, do not reject the prayer of this earth's exiles! O Lord, Goodness beyond our understanding, Who are acquainted with our misery through and through, and know that by our own power we cannot ascend to You, we implore You: anticipate us with Your grace and keep on increasing Your mercy in us, that we may faithfully do Your holy will all through our life and at death's hour. Let the omnipotence of Your mercy shield us from the darts of our salvation’s enemies, that we may with confidence, as Your children, await Your [Son’s] final coming — that day known to You alone. And we expect to obtain everything promised us by Jesus in spite of all our wretchedness. For Jesus is our Hope: through His merciful Heart, as through an open gate, we pass through to heaven (Diary, 1570).
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