The Feast of Divine Mercy and Yom Kippur

St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) was a simple, uneducated nun from Poland who received numerous messages from Jesus about His Divine Mercy. Jesus called her “the secretary of My mercy” and asked that the image (above) be painted.

He also told her, “I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart” (Diary, 1588).

Through her, Jesus promised us, “Souls who spread the honor of My mercy I shield through their entire lives as a tender mother her infant, and at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior” (Diary, 1075).

This year, the Feast of St. Faustina coincides with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement when Jews mark the day God forgave the Hebrews of the Exodus for their sinful creation and worship of a golden calf. The similarity of the themes of Yom Kippur and Divine Mercy are striking.

This annual fast day is the highest of holy days in the Jewish calendar. The Chabad web page says, “For the duration of Yom Kippur, we are elevated to an angelic state, one with G-d, each other, and ourselves. At its conclusion, we are confident that our shortcomings have been forgiven by G-d, just as we have forgiven our fellows.”

• https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/stfaustina
• https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message
• https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4479841/jewish/What-Is-the-Meaning-of-Yom-Kippur.htm
• https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/735449/jewish/Yom-Kippur-in-a-Minute.htm