By Father Christopher Kubat, Catholic Social Services
Thankfully, this is starting to sound like a broken record. As many of you know, Jesus Christ is the reason we do what we do at Catholic Social Services. We do our best to see Jesus Christ in the people who come to us as they see the face of Christ and the love of the Father in us. Because we want our clients and staff to have access to the grace that only comes from Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament, we have chapels with the Blessed Sacrament in all of our fixed sites.
On one recent afternoon at 3 p.m., in our St. Joseph’s chapel, some of us who were free gathered for the recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy as you might know is a prayer that was given to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska by Jesus Christ in the 1930s. One may read about it in her diary recording her messages from Jesus named, Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. When said devoutly, it can be a catalyst of conversion and repentance.
As we knelt down to recite the chaplet, a woman who seemed to be in her mid-30s and somewhat disturbed came into the chapel clutching tightly a rosary in one hand as she placed some holy water on her face with the other. “I just love putting on the holy water … it makes me feel good,” she said after I greeted her. She was given the rosary by one of our volunteers, Jim Conroy, in the lobby. After a few seconds she continued in a troubled tone of voice, “The divorce was a good thing though.”
It was then I invited her to join us as we started praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. She seemed quite calm as we repeated over and over, “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” While praying, I felt compelled to offer it for her. After finishing I said, “I just said this chaplet for you!” Then with moist eyes she replied, “Thank you!” She left consoled with the tender love and mercy that only Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament can give. I cannot tell you how many times this has happened, someone off the street finding peace in one of our chapels.
As we approach Holy Week and the celebration of the Sacred Triduum, if you have a devotion to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, while praying it, please ponder the words that Jesus uttered on the cross in which He definitively defeated death, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34).
Editor’s Note: Father Kubat will lead a Divine Mercy retreat April 21-23.
