# Easter Monday: Fourth Day of the Divine Mercy Novena
*2019-04-22*

> Bill and the St. David’s community gather for the fourth day of the Divine Mercy Novena, offering prayers for the salvation of souls and giving thanks for God’s endless mercy.

## Opening Prayer and the Creed

We began with the sign of the cross and the opening prayer: “O Source of life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, pour out upon us the ocean of Your mercy. Blood and water, fountain of mercy from the heart of Jesus, we trust in You.”

Then we recited the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles’ Creed, affirming our belief in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the incarnation, death, resurrection, and the communion of saints.

## Eucharistic Prayer of the Novena

We offered the Eucharistic prayer, thanking the Eternal Father for the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, “for the sake of His sorrowful passion.” We repeated the invocation, “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” three times.

## Fourth‑Day Novena Prayer

We prayed the specific fourth‑day prayer of the Divine Mercy Novena:

“Lord Jesus, bring to Your merciful heart the souls who do not yet know You. May the rays of Your grace enlighten them, that they too may exalt Your wonderful mercy. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon those who have not yet believed, and draw them to the light of the Gospel. May they come to know the great happiness of loving You and share in the generosity of Your mercy for all eternity.”

The community responded with a heartfelt “Amen.”

## Community Prayers and Thanksgiving

Several members offered spontaneous prayers of thanksgiving. We thanked God for the blessings of the day, for a sister’s successful surgery, and for the opportunity to gather in prayer. One participant led a short prayer invoking the Holy Mother, the archangels, and guardian angels, thanking God for forgiveness and asking for continued grace for all present.

## Closing Prayer and Announcements

We concluded with a closing prayer asking God to increase His mercy in us, that we may not despair in difficult moments but submit confidently to His holy will of love and mercy.

Bill thanked Fr. Chris Alua for inviting the group to St. David’s and announced that the community will be reading “Ten Wonders of the Rosary” by Fr. Donald H. Galloway, inspired by the recent film “The Power of the Rosary.”

*May we continually trust in God’s boundless mercy and share it with those who have not yet known Christ.*