In a world marked by uncertainty, environmental crises, and human tensions, it is essential to turn to the true source of hope:
Divine Mercy is a perfection that looks upon the miseries of the creature, to relieve them and even to deliver them.
– Saint John Eudes, Admirable Heart (t.7) (1681)
This perfection of God embraces all of His creation, acting upon the works of nature, grace, and glory. Through it, the universe, drawn out of nothingness, finds its order and balance, the wounded soul receives consolation, and humanity retains the hope of a future upheld by divine wisdom.
This prayer is inspired by a conference by Father Rénald Hébert, c.j.m.., on Saint John Eudes and Mercy.
A lawyer stood up to test Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.
By chance, a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite came to the place, saw him, and passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, while traveling, came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
The next day, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’
Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”
He answered, “The one who showed him mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Divine Mercy is a perfection that contemplates the miseries of the creature, to relieve them and even to deliver them, when it is fitting, according to the decrees of Divine Providence, which orders all things in number, weight, and measure.
This adorable Mercy extends, just like Goodness, over all the works of God: […] over the works of nature, over the works of grace, and over the works of glory.
Over the works of nature, in that it has drawn from nothingness all things contained in the order of nature, which from all eternity were in the void.
Over the works of grace, in that, having fallen into sin, […] Divine Mercy not only rescued man but also restored him to a state of grace so noble and divine, […], that it made him a member of Jesus Christ and […] a child of God, and consequently, an heir of God and co-heir with the only-begotten Son of God.
Over the works of glory, because, not content with having elevated man to the supernatural and most sublime state of Christian grace, through which he is made a participant in the divine nature, it has willed […] to exalt him to heaven, to the throne of God, to the participation in His immortal glory, and to the enjoyment of His eternal happiness and all the goods that He possesses.
Thus, all things that exist in the order of nature, in the order of grace, and in the order of glory are effects of Divine Mercy. So much so that one can truly say that not only is the earth filled with the mercy of the Lord: […] but that heaven, earth, and the entire universe are full of it; and even that it is present in hell, since the damned, according to Saint Thomas and other theologians, are not punished as much as they have deserved: which is an effect of Divine Mercy extending over all the works of God.
Vision of St. John Eudes on the choir ceiling of Sainte-Amélie Church,
Baie-Comeau, Québec - Photo : Jean Beauchemin
Denis Jacob
Following a brief stay at Laval Hospital in Quebec City, Rev. Denis Jacob, an Eudist priest, passed away on February 18, 2025, at the age of 85. A native of Vallée-Jonction, he completed his classical studies at the Externat St-Jean Eudes in Québec and pursued his theological education at the Eudist Seminary in Limbour (Gatineau). He was ordained in his native parish on May 8, 1965, by Bishop Lionel Audet.
After consultation with his family, further details regarding the funeral and burial arrangements will be provided in due course.
In this centennial year of the canonization of our Father Saint Jean Eudes, let us confidently present him to the Father of Mercies, that he may be received as a dearly beloved child.
Gilles Ouellet, c.j.m.
