Novenas

How to pray the Divine Mercy Novenas

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy may be said alone or as part of a Novena beginning on Good Friday or at anytime. The Chaplet may also be offered each day for the day’s intention, but is not strictly necessary to the Novena. The novena prayers for each of the nine days ask for God’s mercy on a different group of people:

1. First Day (Good Friday)- all mankind, especially all sinners.

Today, bring to Me all mankind, especially all sinners, and immerse them in the
ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which
the loss of souls plunges Me. (Diary, 1210)

Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon the trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Oh omnipotence of Divine Mercy,
Salvation of sinful people,
You are a sea of mercy and compassion;
You aid those who entreat You with humility.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy forever and ever. Amen. (1211)

2. Second Day (Holy Saturday)- the souls of priests and religious.

Today bring to Me the souls of priests and religious, and immerse them in My
unfathomable mercy. It was they who gave Me the strength to endure My bitter
Passion. Through them, as through channels, My mercy flows out upon mankind. (1212)

Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in us, that we may perform worthy works of mercy, and that all who see us may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
The fountain of God’s love
Dwells in pure hearts,
Bathed in the Sea of Mercy,
Radiant as stars, bright as the dawn.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company [of chosen ones] in Your
vineyard-upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son, in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation, and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen. (1213)

3. Third Day (Easter Sunday)- all devout and faithful souls.

Today bring to Me all devout and faithful souls, and immerse them in the ocean of
My mercy. These souls brought Me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were
that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness. (1214)

Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in great
abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart
and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by that most wondrous love for the
heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.

The miracles of mercy are impenetrable.
Neither the sinner nor just one will fathom them.
When You cast upon us an eye of pity,
You draw us all closer to Your love.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen. (1215)

4. Fourth Day (Easter Monday)- those who do not believe in God and who do not yet know Christ.

Today bring to Me the pagans and those who do not yet know me. I was thinking
also of them during My bitter Passion, and their future zeal comforted My Heart.
Immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. (1216)

Most Compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of pagans who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.

May the light of Your love
Enlighten the souls in darkness;
Grant that these souls will know You
And, together with us, praise Your mercy.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of pagans and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your ‘ mercy for endless ages. Amen. (1217)

5. Fifth Day (Easter Tuesday)- the souls who have separated themselves from the Church.

Today bring to Me the souls of heretics and schismatics, and immerse them in the
ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart; that
is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church, My wounds heal, and in this
way they alleviate My Passion. (1218)

Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of heretics and
schismatics. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them
escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to adore the generosity of Your mercy.

Even for those who have torn the garment of Your unity,
A fount of mercy flows from Your Heart.
The omnipotence of Your mercy, Oh God.
Can lead these souls also out of error.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of heretics and schismatics, who
have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen. (1219)

6. Sixth Day (Easter Wednesday)- the meek and humble souls and souls of little children.

Today bring to Me the meek and humble souls and the souls of little children, and
immerse them in My mercy. These souls most closely resemble My Heart. They
strengthened Me during My bitter agony. I saw them as earthly Angels, who would
keep vigil at My altars. I pour out upon them whole torrents of grace. Only the
humble soul is able to receive My grace. I favor humble souls with My confidence. (1220)

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said, “Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of
heart.” Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble
souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy, and they are the heavenly Father’s favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy. (1221)

A truly gentle and humble soul
Already here on earth the air of paradise breathes,
And in the fragrance of her humble heart
The Creator Himself delights. (1222)

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek and humble souls, and upon the souls of little children, who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them: bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen. (1223)

7. Seventh Day (Easter Thursday)- souls who especially venerate and glorify Christ’s mercy.

Today bring to Me the souls who especially venerate and glorify My mercy, and
immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over My Passion and
entered most deeply into My Spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate
Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of
them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at
the hour of death. (1224)

Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most
Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy. These souls are united to Jesus and carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.

A soul who praises the goodness of her Lord
Is especially loved by Him.
She is always close to the living fountain
And draws graces from Mercy Divine.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your
greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most
Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their spirit, overflowing with joy, sings a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them, I Myself will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy. (1225)

8. Eighth Day (Easter Friday)- souls who are detained in Purgatory.

Today bring to Me the souls who are in the prison of Purgatory, and immerse them
in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching
flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My
justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the
treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the
torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit
and pay off their debt to My justice. (1226)

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of the purifying fire, that in that place, too, the power of Your mercy may be praised.
From the terrible heat of the cleansing fire
Rises a plaint to Your mercy,
And they receive comfort, refreshment, relief
In the stream of mingled Blood and Water.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are
enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way than through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. (1227)

9. Ninth Day (Easter Saturday) – souls who have become lukewarm.

Today bring to Me souls who have become lukewarm, and immerse them in the
abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered
the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls.
They were the reason I cried out: “Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be
Your will.” For them, the last hope of salvation is to flee to My mercy. (1228)

Most Compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the
abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love; and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.

Fire and ice cannot be joined;
Either the fire dies, or the ice melts.
But by Your mercy, O God,
You can make up for all that is lacking.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls, who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy…. (1229)

Our ministry has an ongoing weekly Novena to Divine Mercy every Wednesday.

What are Novenas?

The word “novena” comes from the Latin meaning “nine each.” It is a prayer or Holy Mass that is offered for nine consecutive days.

Scripturally, novenas take their origin from the nine days of prayer before Pentecost. After the Ascension, the apostles and disciples, in obedience to the Lord, gathered in the upper room and devoted themselves to constant prayer, together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus (Acts 1:4-5).

Persistent Prayer

Novenas should be considered persistent prayer. Jesus exhorted us to continually ask, seek, and knock for what we need (Lk 11:10), and he gave us strong examples of the value of persistence in prayer — like the widow who kept pleading with the judge (Lk 18:1-8) and the man who woke his neighbor in the middle of the night to give him bread (Lk 11:5-9).

Novenas also can help us to focus our intentions so that we can more effectively give thanks for God’s response to our needs — whatever they are — placing ever greater trust in the Lord Jesus.