Jesus, I Trust in You: How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
In the 1930s, Jesus appeared to a young Polish nun, St. Faustina Kowalska, and asked her to make His mercy known to the world. One of the gifts He gave her was a simple prayer anyone can pray on ordinary rosary beads in about seven minutes: the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Most of us don't struggle to believe God exists. We struggle to believe He is merciful toward us, after the mistakes, the habits we haven't broken, the people we've let down. The Chaplet goes straight to that wound.
How to Pray the Chaplet
Begin: Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed.
On each large bead: "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."
On each of the ten small beads: "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
Repeat for all five decades.
Close by praying three times: "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
Why It Works on the Heart
The prayer is built on repetition, and that's the point. Saying the same words slowly, again and again, may help quiet the mind and settle your breathing. When tomorrow’s worries return, gently bring your attention back to Christ. Your attention comes to rest on one thing: the Cross, where mercy was poured out.
St. John Paul II made the Sunday after Easter Divine Mercy Sunday in 2000. Many Catholics also pray the Chaplet at 3:00 p.m., the hour Christ died, known as the Hour of Mercy.
Making It a Habit
Pray it during a commute, on a walk, or before bed.
Set a 3:00 p.m. reminder and pray even one decade.
End with five words: "Jesus, I trust in You."
Trust is a muscle. Every time you pray those words, you train it.