Divine Mercy Devotion

[Guest wrorbaghban]

Okay, I can see that devotion to the Divine Mercy is all very well (in spite of some really, really bad pictures). But is it really about anything that one doesn't find in devotion to Our Lord's Sacred Heart, the source of "his most Divine Mercy" as the old prayers used to put it?

What troubles me is that we see conservative Catholics getting their knickers in a twist about "liberals" who are lukewarm about the devotion, yet where is the similar stress upon the older feast of Sacratissimum Cor Iesu? Indeed if one looks, for example, at the Officium Parvum Sacratissimi Cordis Iesu one finds the "whole story" of Christ's loving mercy (as often stressed by the Holy Father) beautifully set out.

And why just after Easter? The lectionary for that Sunday was already perfect. The readings speak of the blood and water that was poured out from our Lord's heart and about the sacraments of Baptism and Confession, and about his mercy. In the past the Church has shown much good liturgical sense in having more particular devotional feasts at other times of the year, rather than clustered around Easter when our minds are already spinning from the great drama of our redemption. (for example having the Feast of Corpus Christi outside the 50-day long "feast" of Easter[tide] when one could already argue that the Eucharist already has its own feast in Holy Thursday, albeit in the context of a complex litrugical and semiotic nexus of the Mandatum Novum, priestly and Christian unity etc. etc.)

And isn't it just a little bit strange that in the guidelines for celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday worthily (http://www.divinemercysunday.com/mercy_sunday.htm) it nowhere mentions observing devoutly the preceding Lent and the great Triduum? What's happened to the "whole message" which the Holy Father' always mentions?

I should add that I have no difficulty with the theology of Divine Mercy Sunday. It's ancient, after all (Dominica in Albis). What I have concerns about are its setting within and relationship with the entire Christian liturgical year and any attempt to privilege it above any other feast (and therefore necessarily any Sunday too) which the Church teaches is obligatory.

[Adeodatus]

I must confess I have a lot of sympathy for your position. I tend to see the Divine Mercy as the Sacred Heart made 'fashionable' for the 20th and 21st century. And that's fine! The Divine Mercy devotion focusses on a particular aspect of the Sacred Heart devotion (as you rightly point out): the mercy of God for us in the Incarnate Word who suffered and died and rose again for us.

Strictly speaking, no one has to adopt any particular devotion. They are just aids for us. Our devotion is to Christ our Lord, and through Him, in the Holy Spirit, to the Eternal Father. All other devotions which are approved by the Church are 'adjuncts' or aids.

And yes, I acknowledge the wisdom in placing certain feasts (Corpus Christi for example) outside of holy seasons like Lent or Eastertide. The Feast of Feasts is Easter, no doubt about that. Nothing should be allowed to detract from that. I suspect the juxtaposition of Divine Mercy Sunday with Easter is in part due to the revelations to St Faustina, but more importantly because the Pope sees a certain wisdom in having it so close. Catholics are obliged to at least an annual Eucharistic communication. Most Catholics who live on the margins traditionally communicate sacramentally around Easter. Divine Mercy Sunday can now act as a stimulus to a fervent and sincere conversion of heart, and to a regular and devout practice of the Faith. Now when people go to confession before their Eastertide communion, the Church also offers them a plenary indulgence (subject to the usual conditions). It's like an extra incentive to come clean and come before God and have confidence in His mercy.

In this way, Divine Mercy Sunday is pointing all the more to the great mysteries wrought for us in the Holy Triduum and culminating in the Easter Vigil. I have to admit I think the Pope is quite clever in doing this! But I take your point. The devotion needs good catecheses and preaching. There is a danger, as there is in every good thing, that people may be tempted to the wrong focus and prize Divine Mercy Sunday with its indulgence far above Easter. There doesn't seem to be any sign of that now, but we must be vigilant and careful that any devotion, not just the Divine Mercy, does not descend into superstition and fear and obscure the Saving Mysteries of which they are merely aids and adjuncts to.