# The 3 o’clock Hour: Chaplet and Litany of Divine Mercy
*2020-02-27*

> Bill Young leads the 3 o’clock prayer hour with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a litany, and reflections on listening to God’s quiet voice during the fourth week of Lent.

## Opening and Mass Information

Good afternoon, I’m Bill Young. It’s Saturday of the fourth week of Lent. We’ll begin with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, followed by the Litany of Divine Mercy, and then some reflections from the book *Journey of the Heart* by Fr. Henry J. M. Newman. For those who can’t attend in person, the 5 p.m. Mass at St. David’s Catholic Church will be streamed online, with a replay available later, and the 10 a.m. Mass tomorrow will also be posted.

## Chaplet of Divine Mercy

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

Opening prayer: “O Source of Life, fountain of mercy, pour out your mercy upon the whole world. May the blood and water flowing from the Heart of Jesus become a fountain of mercy for us.”

We then prayed the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles’ Creed, invoking the Holy Trinity and the communion of saints.

We offered the Body and Blood of Christ for the sins of the whole world, repeating the prayer of the Chaplet: “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” three times.

We concluded with the closing prayer: “Eternal God, whose mercy knows no bounds, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we may not despair but trust fully in your holy will.”

## Litany of Divine Mercy

We prayed the litany, repeating after each line “I trust in you.” The verses included:

- “Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father.”
- “Divine Mercy, the greatest attribute of God.”
- “Divine Mercy, fountain of life and happiness.”
- “Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders.”
- “Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fires of hell.”
- “Divine Mercy, hope for the despairing soul.”
- “Divine Mercy, the source of eternal joy.”

The litany ended with the Trinitarian doxology: “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.”

## Reflection: Listening to God’s Quiet Voice

From *Journey of the Heart* we read today’s meditation titled “Listening to God’s Quiet Voice.” It quotes Psalm 81:13: “That the people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways.” The author reminds us that prayer is not only speaking to God but also becoming silent to hear His voice of blessing. In the noise of daily life we are tempted to fill the silence with our own words, but true prayer asks us to trust that God will speak good things about us. The reflection asks us to quiet the noise, especially in these times of great need, and to ask God to help us listen.

## Closing Thoughts

We finished with a brief prayer for those suffering from the coronavirus, asking God’s merciful gaze to bring them to heaven. I encouraged listeners to keep praying the Chaplet and Litany, and to stay connected with the livestreamed Masses. May God’s endless mercy fill our hearts today and always.

*In the stillness of prayer we discover God’s boundless mercy, inviting us to listen and trust in His loving voice.*