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Dear Father Angelo,
I have greatly appreciated your website, so I have decided to share my doubts about the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
First question:
When praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, we say, “have mercy on us and on the whole world” and “in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.” If I am praying the chaplet alone, who does “us” and “our” refer to? Wouldn’t it make more sense to say “my sins”? Since the text does not say that, I wonder: to whom should I be referring in my mind when I say, “have mercy on us” and “in atonement for our sins”?
Second question (regarding the Apostles’ Creed):
What does “was conceived by the Holy Spirit” mean? Is it the same concept expressed differently in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed when it says, “by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man”?
Third question (also regarding the Apostles’ Creed):
What does “the communion of saints” mean?
Final question:
If we pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy even just once in our lifetime, are we guaranteed to go to heaven? In other words, would it be enough to pray the chaplet once and never need to confess again? Suppose I pray it now at 27 years old, but then live until 90 without doing good works, attending church, or receiving the sacraments, would I still go to heaven?
Of course, my intention is to attend Mass, strive to grow in love, improve myself, and perform charitable works, but I have this doubt.
Answer from the priest
Dear friend,
- To answer your first question, why we say “have mercy on us and on the whole world” rather than “have mercy on my sins”: We must recall the teaching of our Lord, who in the Sermon on the Mount said, “This is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven…” (Mt 6:9).
Saint Cyprian and Saint Thomas Aquinas emphasize the word “our”, as the Lord wants us to pray with a heart full of charity and love for all.
The most beautiful sign of such great love is that everything we ask from God, we ask simultaneously and inseparably for everyone, even for our enemies.
- Regarding your second question: “was conceived by the Holy Spirit” means that Jesus was conceived without the involvement of a human father. Had He been conceived through a human father, He would have been merely a man like us.
Instead, while remaining God, He chose to assume a human nature like ours. He took this human nature from the virginal womb of Mary, who was made fruitful outside the laws of nature, in a miraculous way, by the intervention of the Holy Spirit.
When the Virgin Mary asked how this could happen, the angel responded, “nothing will be impossible for God” (Lk 1:37).
Through the Incarnation, God remained what He was—God—and took on what He was not: a human nature, with a soul and body like ours.
- Regarding the meaning of “the communion of saints”, this essentially refers to four things:
- First, the communion among all those who share in the life of the Holy One, that is, God: “our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 Jn 1:3).
- Second, the communion in the holy things: faith, sacraments (especially the Eucharist), charisms, and other spiritual gifts. The foundation of this communion is charity, which moves us to share all things in common (Acts 2:42).
- Third, the communion among the various members of Christ, who together form His Mystical Body. This communion includes those who live in a state of grace and belong to the pilgrim Church on earth, the Church in purgatory (who can be helped by our prayers), and the Church in heaven (who enjoy the glory of God and intercede for us). Together, we form one family—the Church.
- Fourth, the sharing of merits among all believers. Saint Thomas Aquinas teaches that “by reason of the power of the Holy Ghost, Who communicates to each one the blessings of Christ’s members on account of their being united in charity” (Summa Theologica, III, 82, 6, ad 3).
Just as in a natural body, the action of one member benefits the whole, so it is in the spiritual body of the Church.
Since all the faithful form one body, the good of one is communicated to all: “we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another” (Rom 12:5)… this is what is meant by the communion of saints (communio sanctorum). (Esposizione del Credo, art. 10).
The merits and graces of Christ become the merits and graces of all believers. Likewise, the merits of the saints, whether in heaven, purgatory, or on earth, are shared with all who live in a state of grace.
In this way, the Holy Spirit creates a multiplication of spiritual blessings, making each person’s merits available to all. This builds unity among humanity, which will reach its full realization when, through the Holy Spirit, we are perfectly united in Christ for the glory of God the Father.
- Finally, regarding whether praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy once ensures entrance into heaven:
The answer is no, because living in a state of grace is necessary.
Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Mt 7:21).
It is essential to make a distinction: if someone prays the chaplet with the sincere will to be a friend of the Lord (and true friends desire to do each other’s will), then yes, the Lord will not allow that person to fall into the hands of the enemy at the end of their life. However, if the chaplet is recited in a superstitious or magical way, without any concern for having a true friendship with the Lord, then that prayer guarantees nothing. This aligns with what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21.
With my best wishes for a peaceful and holy Easter, I bless you and keep you in my prayers.
Father Angelo
