Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet for Natural Disasters
Sep 06, 2017 by Catherine McManamon
In the Diary of St. Faustina, Sr. Faustina recounts an experience of how the prayers of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy are powerful amidst great storms.
Today I was awakened by a great storm. The wind was raging, and it was raining in torrents, thunderbolts striking again and again. I began to pray that the storm would do no harm, when I heard the words: "Say the chaplet I have taught you, and the storm will cease." I began immediately to say the chaplet and hadn't even finished it when the storm suddenly ceased, and I heard the words; "Through the chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will." (Diary, 1731)
Later that evening, she experienced a vision of the Angel of divine wrath who had been sent to strike the earth. She expressed this experience as being,
In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw an Angel, the executor of divine wrath. He was clothed in a dazzling robe, his face gloriously bright, a cloud beneath his feet. From the cloud, bolts of thunder and flashes of lightning were springing into his hands; and from his hand they were going forth, and only then were they striking the earth. When I saw this sign of divine wrath which was about to strike the earth... I began to implore the Angel to hold off for a few moments, and the world would do penance. But my plea was a mere nothing in the face of the divine anger. Just then I saw the Most Holy Trinity. The greatness of Its majesty pierced me deeply, and I did not dare to repeat my entreaties. At that very moment I felt in my soul the power of Jesus? grace, which dwells in my soul. When I became conscious of this grace, I was instantly snatched up before the Throne of God. Oh, how great is our Lord and God and how incomprehensible His holiness! I will make no attempt to describe this greatness, because before long we shall all see Him as He is. (474)
As St. Faustina prayed, she saw helplessness in the Angel and how he could not carry out the just punishment upon the earth. With a great inner power, like she had never prayed before, Sr. Faustina recited these words,
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved son, Our Lord Jesus Christ for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us.
The Divine Mercy Chaplet, given to St. Faustina by Jesus Christ, invokes His mercy for oneself and for those for whom we pray. Jesus told St. Faustina that, “I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My merciful Heart.”
Click here for How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
Amidst great tragedy, such as natural disasters, it is easy to forget the Lord's mercy and love for us. But as he shared with St. Faustina, He does not want to punish us but wants to heal us. Most importantly, He wants us to trust Him. In times such as these, Jesus Christ beckons us to draw close to his merciful heart – one of the simplest ways to do this is by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. The Lord begs us to call upon His goodness and mercy and to trust in His ways, especially when it is the most difficult.
O Most High, when I am afraid, in you I place my trust. Psalm 56: 3-4
