The Land of Divine Mercy

World Youth Day 2016 Reflections

July 26th, 2016 was our assigned day for the Pilgrimage of Mercy. This meant we were to meet at Blonia (B-won-ia) Park and walk to Lagiewniki (Wa-gievniki), home to the Divine Mercy Shrine and the Sanctuary of Pope St. John Paul II. Round trip this was probably about 9 miles.

This day was singular in World Youth Day history in that it took place during the Year of Mercy in the Land of Divine Mercy. Our pilgrimage was a reflection on God's inexhaustible fountain of mercy and forgiveness.

Two small little gestures fed my heart on the way.

We were praying the rosary when Lucy jumped out of the stroller ran to the side of the sidewalk and pick this flower and ran over and gave it to me. I reflected on it for quite a while, and it really melted my heart. I'm taking her to Jesus and she gives me a flower because I'm her mommy. I realized that praying the Rosary is a lot like giving Mary a flower while she points the way to Jesus. It's a sweet gesture of love.

The other one was catching two of my middle girls: 12 and 10 years old, holding hands as we walked. This is not a normal, spontaneous gesture that we see. But even the hardest road is made better when you can walk with a friend.

At Pope St. John Paul II's Sanctuary, we were able to see the bloody cassock from the assassination attempt on our beloved pope (shot 4 times point blank and survived!)



The short walk from there to the Divine Mercy Shrine was silent and prayerful due to the loud speakers reminding everyone that they were entering a zone of silence, a place of prayer.









Below is the view coming up to the altar. St. Faustina's tomb was under the image of the Divine Mercy: an image of Jesus with two rays of light coming from his heart. Those rays represent the blood and water that flowed out from his heart when it was pierced, but according to Faustina, they represent His Divine Mercy which flows on the whole world.

Sometimes we would be waiting outside of a Church for the girls to finish praying, and the Divine Mercy Shrine was one of those places.

"Take your time, girls. Take your time."

Christ's Mercy is flowing out over us always, but how often do you take the time to sit and let it wash over you?