# Divine Mercy Sunday: Act of Contrition and Spiritual Communion
*2020-04-18*

> In this episode Bill Young leads listeners through a virtual Divine Mercy Sunday celebration, offering prayers, an Act of Contrition, Spiritual Communion, and meditations drawn from the diary of St. Faustina.

## Opening and the Divine Mercy Chaplet

Bill greets listeners and explains that, because of the pandemic, this year’s Divine Mercy Sunday observance must be done entirely online. He notes that Father Chris Elor of Massachusetts has affirmed that the chaplet, the Act of Contrition, and Spiritual Communion can be prayed by anyone, Catholic or not. Bill then begins with the opening prayer, invoking the “font of life” and the “blood and water” flowing from the heart of Jesus, followed by the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Apostles’ Creed.

## The Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Bill recites the chaplet, repeatedly invoking the mercy of the Father for the whole world: “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” He concludes the chaplet with the threefold invocation: “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

## Act of Contrition

Bill leads the traditional Act of Contrition: “O God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all‑good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.” He reminds listeners that, although we cannot receive the sacrament of confession this year, God’s mercy is especially present on Divine Mercy Sunday.

## Spiritual Communion

Bill offers the prayer of Spiritual Communion: “My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things and desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot receive You sacramentally at this moment, I receive You spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as already present and unite myself wholly to You, that I may never be separated from You. Amen.”

## Meditations from the Diary of St. Faustina

Bill reads several excerpts from St. Faustina’s diary (entries 1747, 72, 1265). The reflections emphasize Christ’s infinite mercy, the worth of His Passion, and the invitation for all souls—Catholics and non‑Catholics alike—to come under the “rays of mercy.” He highlights Faustina’s prayer that God’s mercy may flow to every sinner, that the love of the Cross may draw all humanity to salvation, and that God’s compassion never exhausts.

Key passages include:
- “You could have saved the world with a single sigh, yet out of love you endured the terrible Passion.”
- “May all the world come under the mantle of the rays of mercy.”
- “Grant me the grace to live wholly for the salvation of souls, according to the holy will of the Father.”

## Litany of Divine Mercy

Bill concludes with a litany addressed to Divine Mercy, repeating the refrain “I trust in You” after each invocation (e.g., “Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God— I trust in You,” “Divine Mercy, source of miracles— I trust in You,” etc.). The litany affirms that Divine Mercy sustains us in every circumstance, especially at the hour of death.

*Even when we cannot gather in church, the boundless mercy of Christ is open to every soul willing to turn to Him in prayer.*