Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, takes us deep into the heart of the Church’s great mystery — the inseparable link between the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the message of Divine Mercy. Long before St. Faustina received the vision of Christ’s mercy, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque revealed the burning love of His Heart. Both messages — separated by centuries — form one divine revelation of the same truth: God is Love, and His love takes action through mercy.

Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts. But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.- Malachi 3:19-20a

To exercise true freedom, you have to be able to say yes and no to both the bad and the good, not just to what is sinful. When you fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, you are being obedient to the Church and share in the sacrifice of Christ. In fact, some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. Father Chris Alar, MIC, explains.