Theology of Divine Mercy, Conversion and Suffering
“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.” – St. Faustina
God is merciful and His abundant love never fails us. The greatest act of mercy from God towards humanity was to send His only Son to suffer on a cross and die for the sins of the world. We see stories throughout Scripture revealing God’s mercy and divinity, such as the parable of the prodigal son, and stories revealing God’s mercy and divinity through the lives of the saints. Saint Faustina Kowalska gave a powerful account of love and mercy. She had a vision of Jesus dressed in white and saw two rays of light stream from His Holy chest. One ray was red and the other white. Jesus told her to:
“Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the words`Jesus, I trust in You.’ I desire that this image is venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory” (Divine Mercy in my Soul: The Diary of Sister M. Faustina Kowalska, page 24, copyright 1987 Congregation of Marians, all rights reserved).
Jesus told St. Faustina that whoever recites the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will receive great mercy at their hour of death. Divine Mercy is for everyone, no matter how great our sins. Christ’s joy and mercy flow through us to others: you can ask for Jesus’ mercy, you can be merciful in extending His love to all people, and you can completely trust in Him. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). A question to ponder is: are you allowing Christ to transform your heart as you draw closer to the sacraments? Radiate God’s mercy by your actions, words, and prayers, so that you will be filled with abundant love and grace from our Lord. “Jesus I trust in you.”
Are you interested in learning about your faith and trusting Christ more?
Dr. Gama teaches the Theology of Divine Mercy, Conversion, and Suffering on Thursdays from 8:30- 10:30 pm EST. The classes will be on Sept 7, 14, 21, 28, Oct 5, 12, 19, 26, Nov 2. This course is an exploration of the theology of mercy, the spiritual doctrine of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Saint Maria Faustina, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and Saint John Paul II is thematically surveyed in relation to the realities of conversion and suffering in the Christian life. In light of these modern day witnesses and the teachings of Pope Francis and Pope Benedict, Divine Mercy remains the dominant spiritual theme of our era and a key to approaching the new evangelization.
The objectives of this course are to discuss the contemporary magisterium on the theology of mercy, divinity, suffering and conversion and the relationship of divine mercy, personal suffering, and conversion in the writings of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Saint Faustina Kowalska, Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint John Paul the Great. In this course, you will define and discuss a theology of mercy in relation to the lives of some of the saints of the 20th Century and understand the contemporary emergence of divine mercy as a theme in the doctrine of the Church in the 20th Century and its implications for society, culture, and civilization. If you have never taken a course the Avila Institute before, you can apply by visiting our application page. To see a full list of upcoming courses click here. If you have any questions about the school or the admissions process, you can contact Candace at [email protected].
Also, check out our other Graduate level courses.
Graduate Level Courses
Introduction to Spiritual Theology, taught by Dr. Joseph Hollcraft.
Dates/Times: Wednesdays 9:00- 11:00pm EST Sept 6, 13, 20, 27, Oct 4, 11, 18, 25, Nov 1
Evangelical Counsels and the Beatitudes, taught by Dr. Nguyen.
Dates/Times: Tuesdays 7:00-9:00pm EST Sept 5, 12, 19, 26, Oct 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
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Art for this post on Theology of Divine Mercy: Kazimirowski Eugeniusz Divine Mercy 1934 Jesus Christ; Quotes provided by Eternal World Television Network; Diary, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, Divine Mercy in My Soul (c) 1987 Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Stockbridge, MA 01263. All rights reserved.
About Kristin Aebli
Kristin Aebli is the Event Coordinator and Marketing Assistant at the Avila Foundation, parent organization of SpiritualDirection.com, the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation, and Divine Intimacy Radio. Receiving the position was providential and in God’s perfect timing. Although cradle Catholic, in college she reverted and became confirmed in the Church. Kristin graduated with a degree in Communications from Samford University and she still enjoys ministering to college students through the Samford Catholic Student Association. Kristin is happy to be a part of the Firelight college ministry, is involved with Apostoli Viae and also a Young Professionals Bible study. For fun, Kristin enjoys discussing theology with friends, recording her podcast, dancing, singing, cooking, writing and painting. She hopes to continue growing in her faith through the sacraments and involvement with faithful community.
