# The three o'clock hour and the chaplet of divine mercy
*2017-08-01*

> Bill Young discusses the significance of the 3 p.m. hour of mercy and leads a recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for those suffering from illness.

## The Hour of Mercy

It is now a little bit after 3 p.m., the hour of mercy. I am offering a special prayer of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the intentions of my friend Annette, who recently found out she has stage four cancer, and for all those suffering the pains of cancer and other diseases. We pray for the day the Lord promised when we will be free from all physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. While the evil one started these pains, our Lord suffered the greatest pain of all through His crucifixion and torture. Because He experienced the worst of all physical and mental agony, Jesus Christ is the one who truly understands our suffering and gives us His divine mercy.

## The Chaplet of Divine Mercy

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Opening Prayer: Blood and water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You. 

[The host proceeds to pray the Chaplet, including the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary. On the Our Father beads, he prays: '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.' On the Hail Mary beads, he prays: 'For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.']

Closing Prayer: Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasures of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us; that in difficult moments we may not despair or become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is love and mercy itself. Amen.

## The Promise of the Chaplet

Our Lord revealed this powerful prayer to St. Faustina Kowalska for her personal use and urged her to encourage others to say it, promising extraordinary graces. While the Chaplet can be said at any time, the Lord specifically asked that it be recited as a novena during the nine days before the Feast of Mercy. 

Jesus told St. Faustina that whoever recites this Chaplet will receive great mercy at the hour of death. He promised that when the Chaplet is prayed in the presence of the dying, He will stand between the Father and the dying person, not only as a just Judge but as a merciful Savior. Even the most hardened sinner, if they recite this Chaplet only once, will receive graces from His infinite mercy.

## The Power of Prayer in Practice

I believe in the power of these prayers. I once handed a business card with the image of Divine Mercy to a painter working on my house. He shared a story about his aunt who was on her deathbed. As the family prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet approaching the three o'clock hour, her heart monitor flatlined. They thought she was gone, but they continued to pray. At exactly 3 p.m., the line started to move again. While I don't know the full details of her recovery, I am certain that Jesus was there to protect her from the evil one. 

These prayers are not just words; they were given to us by the Son of God. Jesus experienced every possible human pain—being nailed, beaten, whipped, and stabbed—yet even in that excruciating agony, He didn't focus on His own pain. He prayed, 'Forgive them, for they know not what they do,' and 'I thirst' for the souls of men. He did this for us.

## Praying for Others

I encourage everyone to share these prayers of Divine Mercy. Many people, like my friend Annette, may not have been raised with these prayers or may not even know they exist. I offer my prayers today for those who cannot pray for themselves or those who are unaware of this devotion. Let us pray for all those who are suffering or near death, that their souls may go to Him.

*The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a powerful tool given to us by Christ, who understands all human suffering, to obtain mercy for ourselves and the whole world.*