First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim. 2:1-4
With the world teetering on the edge of nuclear war and anxieties running high, I share with you a powerful prayer for healing and conversion given to me some months ago in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This prayer grew out of the recognition that we can “stand in the gap” in intercessory prayer like Abraham (Gen. 18:23), Moses (Exodus 32:11-14), and Ezekiel (Ez. 22:30), pleading for God’s mercy upon us and upon our broken world.
The Divine Mercy Chaplet, given by Jesus to St. Faustina on the eve of World War II—which began in 1939, one year after Faustina’s death—does just that.
And what I’ve come to call “The Divine Mercy Chaplet for Healing” simply expands on the Divine Mercy Chaplet by praying specifically through the wounds of Christ, repenting of particular sins associated with those wounds and asking for a release of holiness through the same wounds.
I believe this is a potent way to intercede for the world at this critical moment in history, trusting that such fervent prayer is very powerful before God (James 5:16). This chaplet can be prayed as a global prayer for all of humanity, for yourself or for another person.
To pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for healing:
1) Begin by asking for the intercession of the saints, particularly those afflicted by the ravages of war, including St. Faustina, St. John Paul II, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (or any of your favorite saints).
2) Pray the opening prayers of the Chaplet. (You can find them here.)
3) Pray the opening prayer for the First Decade of the Chaplet:
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
3) Then add:
Father, I offer you the head wound of Our Lord Jesus Christ in reparation for all of the ways our thoughts have not reflected the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). I beg your forgiveness for all thoughts that are driven by pride, murder, anger, division, rivalry and aggression. Father, give us your wisdom that we be formed in holiness, truth and love. May we not be conformed to this age, but may we be transformed by the renewal of our minds, that we may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2). Amen.
4) Pray the first decade of the chaplet.
5) Pray the opening prayer for the Second Decade, then pray:
Father, I offer you the thirst of Our Lord Jesus Christ in reparation for all of the ways we have tried to satisfy our thirst with the things of the world instead of the things of God. I beg your forgiveness for the ways we have engaged in lust, greed, gluttony, immorality, impurity, addictions, and the thirst for power. Father, release in us a greater hunger and thirst for righteousness (Mt. 5:6) and may we be satisfied with the living water given by Christ and with what is good, true, beautiful and holy (Jn. 4:14; Ps. 107:9). Amen.
6) Pray the second decade of the chaplet.
7) Pray the opening prayer of theThird Decade, thenpray:
Father, I offer you the heart wound of Our Lord Jesus Christ in reparation for all of the sins we have committed against love. I beg your forgiveness for the ways we have pierced the heart of Christ through hatred, selfishness, bitterness, rivalries, unforgiveness, indifference, ingratitude and idolatry. Fill us with your merciful love that we may become conduits of your love in this hurting world (1 Jn. 4:8; 1 Cor. 13:4-8). Amen.
8) Pray the third decade of the chaplet.
9) Pray the opening prayer for the Fourth Decade, then pray:
Father, I offer you the hand wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ in reparation for all of the ways we have used our hands to bring forth death instead of life (Sir. 15:16-17). I beg your forgiveness for our culture of war and death and for the unspeakable crimes against the human person that are constantly occurring in our midst. Father, remind us that our bodies were anointed at baptism to participate in the priestly mission of Christ (1 Pet. 2:9) to bring life, love, blessing and healing to others. Amen.
10) Pray the fourth decade of the chaplet.
11) Pray the opening prayer of the Fifth Decade, then pray:
Father, I offer you the foot wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ in reparation for all of the times and ways we have walked on the path of death, spreading darkness, fear, gloom and hopelessness instead of the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15). May we use our feet to bring to this hurting world the glad tidings of the Gospel, to announce the peace of Christ, and to bear the good news of salvation to all people. Amen.
Having prayed this prayer for the healing and conversion of my own family members, as well as for my own deeper healing and conversion, I have seen several miraculous answers to prayer through this devotion. With the escalating threats of violence in the world, I have begun to pray it on behalf of all humanity.
May we together beg for God’s mercy, and may the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4.7).
And today we celebrate...