# Divine mercy sunday: praying for lukewarm souls
*2016-04-03*

> Bill Young concludes the Divine Mercy novena by praying for those who have grown lukewarm in their faith and reflecting on St. Faustina's Litany of Divine Mercy.

## Praying for the Lukewarm

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, and we are completing our novena to Divine Mercy. Our focus for this final day is on souls who have become lukewarm. We all have family members who are lukewarm and need a fire set underneath them to draw them closer to God. On this Divine Mercy Sunday, we pray that the Lord brings them closer to Him and ignites a fire in their hearts and souls for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His life, and the Father, who gave His only begotten Son.

We also ask Mary and the Church, which holds the keys to heaven, to help set a fire in these lukewarm souls. My own prayer is that I may never become a lukewarm soul myself.

## The Agony of Christ for the Lukewarm

We ask the Lord to immerse these souls in the abyss of His mercy. It is written that these are the souls that most painfully affect the heart of Jesus. Our Lord suffered with the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Gethsemane because of lukewarm souls; they were the reason He cried out, 'Father, take this cup away from me,' though He added, 'yet if it be Your will.' For these souls, the last hope of salvation is to run to His mercy.

Most compassionate Jesus, You are compassion itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abyss of Your most compassionate heart. In the fire of Your pure love, let these tepid souls—who are like corpses and filled You with such deep loathing—be once again set aflame. Oh most compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love. Bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the lukewarm souls who are emboldened in the most compassionate heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You, by the passion of Your Son and His free hour of agony on the cross, let them too glorify the abyss of Your mercy.

## St. Faustina's Litany of Divine Mercy

We conclude with St. Faustina's Litany of Divine Mercy:

Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, the greatest attribute of God, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, the fountain gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed by the intellect human or angelic, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, greater than the heavens, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of all miracles and wonders, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the person of the Incarnate Word, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, poured out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us and especially for sinners, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Host, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the founding of the Holy Church, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the sacrament of Holy Baptism, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us through our whole life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us every moment of our life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fires of hell, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the conversion of the hardhearted sinners, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, astonishment for angels, inconceivable to the saints, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, crown of all God's handiwork, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in which we are immersed, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, delight and ecstasy of holy souls, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope, I trust in You.

*May we pray for the conversion of lukewarm souls and trust entirely in the unfathomable abyss of God's Divine Mercy.*