“Now I Can Die!”

Author: Testimony,
Love One Another! 18/2011 → Divine mercy

She spent most of her life reading people’s fortunes from cards and using the proceeds to support us. She was always kind to us, defending my siblings and myself against my father who used to beat us. To her misfortune, people considered her a good fortuneteller.

They would come from far and wide to have their fortunes read. As a child I thought this was normal. I had no idea fortunetelling was a sin or that it brought so much misfortune.

For the last while she has been living with her daughter — my mother — in Poland. Until very recently she saw no sense in praying or going to Holy Mass. Even when grandfather died last year, she would not participate at Mass. Sometimes she admitted to having fears. Death terrified her, but she refused to pray. My mother wanted to invite a priest so she could make her confession, but to no avail. She would not hear of it.

I always remembered grandma in my prayers. I begged Jesus to have pity on her and grant her the grace to make a confession and be reconciled with Him before she died.

In late August of last year, I decided I would recite the chaplet of Divine Mercy for her intention throughout the coming month. On Tuesday, September 22, my mother called up to wish me a happy birthday. She told me grandma had suffered a heart attack and been taken to hospital by ambulance.

I was terrified grandma would not have time to reconcile herself with the Lord, but it turned out that she was feeling better. I continued to pray the chaplet, entreating Jesus not to take her in this state. I begged and I wept. I asked Him for mercy and to consider the good she had done in her lifetime.

A few days later, I called my mother who informed me that grandma was still in hospital. She also said there had been a miracle. Here is what grandma told her: “This priest visited the ward and I called for him. He visited me twice. I made my confession, received Holy Communion, and I kissed the priest’s hand. So there, now I can die.” The priest gave her an image of the Merciful Jesus on which he had written: “Confession and Holy Communion made on September 22.” My mother drew attention to the date: it was my birthday.

Dear Jesus, I thank you with all my heart.

Violetta from Germany

The words of Jesus to St. Sister Faustina: “My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet that I have given you. It pleases me to grant everything they ask of me by saying the chaplet. When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one.

"Write this for the benefit of distressed souls: when a soul sees and realizes the gravity of its sins, when the whole abyss of the misery into which it plunged itself is displayed before its eyes, let it not despair, but with trust let it throw itself into the arms of my mercy, as a child into the arms of its beloved mother. These souls have a right of priority to my compassionate Heart; they have first access to my mercy. Tell them that no soul that has called upon my mercy has been disappointed or brought to shame. I delight particularly in a soul that has placed its trust in my goodness.

"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, 1541)

The above article was published with permission from "Love One Another!" in August 2016.

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