One of the most powerful prayers on the face of the Earth is the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
This applies especially to the dying.
Our Lord once told Saint Faustina these words:
“My daughter, encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the Chaplet…Write that when they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the merciful Savior.” (Diary of St. Faustina, 1541)
What an amazing promise made by Our Lord! He will stand between the dying person and His Father as the merciful Savior!
Let me share with you a conversation I once had and how it relates to the life of Saint Faustina regarding praying this Chaplet for the dying.
I spoke with a nurse who said she had prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet with one of her dying patients.
As she prayed, she felt something “swoosh” by her and exit the room. This account blew me away, partially because of the story itself, but also because of a similar account from Saint Faustina.
Faustina, the great saint of Divine Mercy, recounted a similar experience during her lifetime. What made Saint Faustina’s experience different is that she saw what happened behind the scenes, beyond the veil, in the realm of the supernatural.
Saint Faustina describes it in her writings. Our Lord said to her:
“My daughter, help Me to save a certain dying sinner. Say the Chaplet that I have taught you for him.”
Saint Faustina then stated:
“When I began to say the Chaplet, I saw the man dying in the midst of terrible torment and struggle. His Guardian Angel was defending him, but he was, as it were, powerless against the enormity of the soul's misery.
“A multitude of devils was waiting for the soul.
“But while I was saying the Chaplet, I saw Jesus just as He is depicted in the image. The rays which issued from Jesus’ Heart enveloped the sick man, and the powers of darkness fled in panic.
“The sick man peacefully breathed his last. When I came to myself, I understood how very important the Chaplet was for the dying. It appeases the anger of God.” (Diary of St. Faustina, 1565)
As if this episode was not enough to convince us to pray the Chaplet for the dying person, Our Lord attached this promise as well:
“At the hour of death, I defend as My own glory every soul that will say this chaplet; or when others say it for a dying person, the indulgence is the same.” (Diary of St. Faustina, 811)
These promises, simply put, are enormous and amazing.
Given that praying this Chaplet takes about 5-7 minutes, this is an awesome, life-giving work of mercy that is within everyone’s means.
Let us be convinced that through the testimony of Saint Faustina and the secretary of God’s mercy, one of the greatest things we can do for a dying person is to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for them.
God’s mercy is amazing.
He wants all His children home with Him, no matter how dark their sins are or how many demons wait for them.
Jesus said to Saint Faustina,
“The greater the sinner, the greater the right they have to My mercy.”
With all the encouragement I can possibly muster, I exhort you: the next time you hear someone is dying, especially those close to you, take 5-7 minutes, and pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for them. Help the Lord save them.
What an amazing thing it is to cooperate with the ushering of a soul to eternal life in the Father’s house–to make demons flee when the rays of Divine Mercy show forth.
Let’s end with this prayer right from the lips of Saint Faustina:
“O Jesus, inspire souls to pray often for the dying” (Diary of St. Faustina, 1015).