Importance, power of Divine Mercy devotions explained 

Understanding Divine Mercy 
Father Chris Alar, MIC 
Marian Press
$14.95

If I asked you to describe God, how would you do it? You could give many answers, but “love” would probably pop up, especially because Scripture tells us that God is love. 

God’s love in its highest form is  His mercy. In the new book Understanding Divine Mercy Father Chris Alar takes a deep dive into Divine Mercy: Why is it important? What’s the Divine Mercy Chaplet? And what is the Feast of Divine Mercy, which the Church to be celebrates this weekend? 

Father Alar discusses all of this and more in his small but powerful work. The book is broken into five chapters: What is Divine Mercy; St. Faustina’s Life and Spirituality; the Feast of Divine Mercy; The Image, Novena, Chaplet, and Hour of Divine Mercy; and God’s Mercy in the Midst of Suffering and Loss.  

Each chapter plumbs the depths of Catholic teaching in an accessible, well-written way. The first chapter amounts to almost a mini-book on the power and importance of the Mass, while the second gives the reader a brief history of St. Faustina Kowalska, who was canonized April 30, 2000 by Pope St. John Paul II. 

St. Faustina, who joined the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland when she was 19, experienced visions, revelations and mystical graces throughout her short life (she died at the age of 33). From these revelations, written about in her Diary, come the Divine Mercy chaplet and image, as well as the inspiration for the Church’s Feast of Divine Mercy, celebrated on the Sunday after Easter, and the hour of Divine Mercy. 

These devotions work together to create a rich tapestry of God’s mercy that is available to all of us, if we trust in His will for our lives and surrender ourselves to him. Father Alar walks the reader through each of these practices and discusses how Pope St. John Paul II was instrumental in spreading Faustina’s message during his papacy. 

This book is also an excellent way to appreciate  the Catholic faith more and deepen your prayer life, especially if you’ve been absent from in-person Mass and the sacraments due to COVID-19. Confession, contrition and indulgences are also discussed in-depth, allowing a deeper understanding of these Church practices. 

The fifth chapter (on suffering) is very important, because the question of why God allows suffering has bothered people since Eden. Father Alar’s previous book, After Suicide: There’s Hope for Them and For You, shows that he has  the perfect background to talk about suffering and loss, and he handles those subjects with a deft and assured touch that gives the reader hope. 

The Divine Mercy devotions appear simple, but they pack a spiritual punch. If you’ve never heard of the devotions or have practiced them for years, this book will educate you on their lasting importance and power. It’s the perfect read for the Easter season.

Emily M. DeArdo, http://emilymdeardo.com, is the author of  Living Memento Mori: My Journey Through the Stations of the Cross, published by Ave Maria Press.