By Sister Diane Heiss, SDSH
Photo of Servant of God Sister Ida Peterfy meeting the needs of a child in need of mercy and love.
At times in the news, courtroom, or movies, we hear someone pleading for mercy. What leaps into our minds? Could it be “That person must be guilty” or “S/he doesn’t deserve mercy after committing these horrific crimes and causing such terrible pain”? Does the thought ever cross our minds of times when we desperately needed mercy and received it?
In the Gospels we find frequent situations of Jesus having mercy on others. He also said, “If you see me, you see the Father” (Jn. 14:9). Therefore, we know how merciful and forgiving God our Father is, lavishing mercy and forgiveness on us out of the greatness of His love for us even though we do not deserve it. As followers of Christ, we in turn need to show mercy. Mercy is a heart moved by need, that is, when we see someone in need due to hardships, tragedies, serious personal mistakes, or other situations, we need to remember the mercy we have received from God and reach out in mercy. Among those saints who especially spoke of God’s mercy, our Church celebrated two such saints within these past two weeks: Saint Faustina and Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque.
Saint Faustina, a Polish member of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, died in 1938 at the age of thirty-three and is called an Apostle of Divine Mercy. She was the first saint canonized by Saint John Paul ll in the new Millennium, and we celebrate her feast day on October 5th. Jesus appeared to her at least fourteen times commencing in 1931, the first time as the “King of Divine Mercy” and asked her to paint this image (known as the Divine Mercy Image) with the phrase “Jesus, I trust in You.” In addition, He asked for a feast to be established recognizing the
greatness of His love and mercy for each person. Thus, we have the feast of Divine Mercy, celebrated the first Sunday after Easter. Jesus also taught her to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. We can trust Jesus’ words: “[Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy…” (Diary 1146)
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French Visitation nun whose feast day we celebrate on October 16th, received four major revelations from Jesus from 1673 to 1675, asking her to make known the depths of his love; spread devotion to his Sacred Heart; promote the First Friday devotion; establish the Feast of the Sacred Heart; encourage the practice of a Holy Hour of Adoration on Thursdays; and make reparation for the ingratitude of humanity. He offered Twelve Promises to those who honor the Sacred Heart. Let us never fear to approach our loving God and ask for mercy. In the words of Sister Ida Peterfy, foundress of the Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart “We trust in God’s redeeming mercy and His healing love; we trust that God is moved by need. When we acknowledge that we are not perfect, then He can come to our help.”
For Your Family:
- Read Matthew 5:7 and share your ideas about what Jesus means in this Work of Mercy.
- Who do you know who needs your mercy? What are ways in which you can show mercy? Make a concrete plan of
how and when you will do so. - Read the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18: 21 – 35) Ask God’s help to recognize times when God
forgave you while you refused forgiveness, and to make amends to that person.
Published in Orange County Catholic paper 10/19/2025
