One of the most powerful prayers on the face of the Earth is the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
This applies especially for the dying.
Our Lord once told St. 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 St. Faustina in regards to praying the 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 a similar account from St. Faustina.
Faustina, the great saint of Divine Mercy, recounted a similar experience during her lifetime Although, what made St. Faustina’s experience different is that she saw what happened behind the scenes–beyond the veil in the realm of the supernatural.
St. 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.”
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 souls 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 the fact 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 St. 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.
I have seen firsthand the power of this chaplet in regards to the dying, not only in my conversation with the nurse mentioned above but in my many experiences providing the last sacraments.
I routinely pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the dying person on my way to see them. I like to think of it as “cover fire” as I approach with the Lord’s mercy manifested in the sacraments.
Many times, while in the room with the dying person, I perceive the Lord’s merciful hands holding them, as only He, the Good Shepherd, can do.
God’s mercy is amazing. He wants all of His children home with Him, no matter how dark the their sins are, and no matter how many demons wait for them.
He himself stated to St. Faustina that “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 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 St. Faustina herself:
“O Jesus, inspire souls to pray often for the dying” (Diary of St. Faustina, 1015).
[See also: How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet]
[See also: The Mysterious Meaning of Jesus’ Rays in the Divine Mercy Image, As Revealed by Our Lord]
