You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.

Sacred Heart Novena

-- Second Day

Ours is a gracious God of love, of that there is no slightest doubt.

God the Father created the world lovingly and tenderly. The long passages of the ages--a flash of God's eternity--were spent in the preparation of a beautiful, convenient, well stocked earth to be man's dwelling place.

The newly made creatures, made to the image and likeness of the heavenly Father, He adopted as His sons and daughters.

When in dark rebellion these sons and daughters revolted, "God so loved the world, as to give His only-begotten Son that...the world may be saved..."

The love story of God is written anew in the star of Bethlehem, the smile of the Child Jesus, His hidden life of service to Mary and to the villagers of Nazareth, the miracles and parables of His public life, the death by which Christ laid down His life for His friends.

Then on the wings of wind and in the symbolic form of flame the Spirit of love came to dwell in human souls, divine love taking up its residence in the men and the women that God had loved into life, loved unto death, loved to their own sanctification.

Before the three Persons of the Trinity, who love us with a divine love, we kneel and pray:

The Prayer Of The Sacred Heart Of Jesus

O God, who in the heart of thy Son, wounded by our sins, dost deign mercifully to bestow upon us the infinite treasures of thy love, grant, we beseech thee, that we who now pay Him the devout homage of our piety may also perform the duty of worthy satisfaction. Through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

Amen.

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion--inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

Amen.