AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING: A POETIC PROCLAMATION / by Joe Castorino

A DIVINE MERCY PRAYER



All-powerful,

Most holy,

Most high,

And Supreme God,

I am so sorry for hurting you:

I impudently spat upon your sorrowful face,

I violently scourged your most blessed body,

I scornfully crowned your holy head with thorns

I savagely kicked you as you fell with the cross,

I cruelly crucified your flesh with stinging nails;

In short, I have bitterly tortured you

With every single one of my sins against you.

I despise and abhor

all my many sins,

Including any

I have withheld from you

in the past

mortal sins or venial sins —

or never confessed honestly,

or forgot about;

And I accuse myself

of being guilty of

High treason

against your Majesty,

Deserving to be executed --

and exiled -- 

Because my sins offend you,

Lord God,

Who are all good,

supremely good,

Totally good,

who alone are good --

You deserve only

my heartfelt love

And blind obedience

to your holy will.

Therefore, I hereby make

this declaration and resolution:

I am absolutely and utterly

determined, through your

sweet holy graces and

Your unfathomable

Divine Mercy,

To be your humble

and obedient slave,

Through Mary,

the Queen of All Hearts,

And to be your faithful servant

who with promptitude

runs away from

The false enticements

of all sin and

The empty allure

of all temptation,

and, instead, I completely

surrender myself

Into your warm embrace,

and with a heart

bountifully overflowing with

Thanksgiving for your mercy

to me,

I receive your loving 

kiss of peace.

Amen.