Do you desire to become a part of the multitude of Christian believers? One way is to praise the Lord for His awesomeness and abundance through reciting the 3 o’clock prayer and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
God longs to connect with us. He looks forward to our faith and trust in Him. His love is unconditional it is not tied to conditions, unlike human love. The Lord desires to be closer than our loved ones.
Even if you do not know Christ, He knows every detail about you, even the number of hairs on your head. So do not be afraid to channel into His love because He wants to shower you with His mercy.
3 O’clock Prayer
“You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.
O Fountain of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, cover the whole world and empty yourself upon us.
O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the heart of Jesus as a Fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You! Holy God, Holy Mighty.
One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and the whole world. Jesus, King of Mercy, we trust in You!”
(Repeat 3 times)
Jesus Christ asked sister Faustina to commemorate the hour of His demise and to connect with Him by praising the merits of his compassion.
The Lord has a passion to save every soul and instructs us to meditate on this. Invoke His mercy on behalf of sinners because He wishes for them to come to repentance.
The 1 Timothy 2:1-4 sums up the purpose of the Divine Mercy Prayer. Paul wrote:
“I urge that prayers, intercession, requests and thanksgiving be made for everyone. For our leaders and all those in authority that we may live peacefully in godliness and holiness. This is what pleases God our Savior, who wants all humanity to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Recite this prayer with the right intentions and with faith on behalf of sinners.
Essentially, 3 o’clock is the hour of great mercy for the world, where grace triumphs over justice.
That is the best time to immerse yourself in Christ’s mercy, venerating it and invoking its power for all people. At this hour, you can tap into Jesus’ provision for your needs and others.
The Divine Mercy Prayer is incredibly powerful and should not be taken for granted. Even the most hardened sinner can receive God’s infinite grace and mercy if they were to recite the prayer only once.
Note that the 3 o’clock prayer is separate from the Prayer of Divine Mercy.
The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy is directed to God, while the prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3 o’clock prayer) is addressed to Jesus.
You can also say a prayer to thank God for listening to your prayers.
How to Pray the Divine Mercy at 3 O’clock
If you don’t know how to pray the Divine Mercy at 3 O’clock we prepared a guide for you:
- Start with the sign of the cross;
- Recite the 3 o’clock prayer written above three times. This is an optional opening prayer, especially recited at the 3 o’clock hour;
- Recite the opening prayer of the first 3 beads after the cross;
- Pray the Apostle’s Creed;
- On the first bead, pray an Our Father;
- On the next three beads, pray a Hail Mary;
- On the next bead, pray a Glory Be;
- Pray the first decade;
- Large Bead: Announce the mystery and say an Our Father;
- Next 10 small beads: Say a Hail Mary;
- End of the decade: Say the Glory Be;
- Finish: Say a Fatima Prayer.
- Repeat in each decade;
- After the 5 decades, finish with the Hail Holy Queen;
- Close with the Final Prayer;
- End with the Sign of the Cross.
Apostle’s Creed:
“I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.”
Our Father:
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen. “
Hail Mary:
“Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.”
Fatima Prayer:
“O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy. Amen”
Hail Holy Queen:
“Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.”
Final prayer:
“O God, whose Only Begotten Son, by His Life, Death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.”
What’s the Meaning of the 3 O’clock Prayer?
First, you have to understand the significance of 3 o’clock in Christianity.
Jesus Christ said, “it is finished“, before breathing his last and dying on the cross at 3 o’clock.
At that moment, the gates of paradise opened for souls. It is also the hour of immense mercy, as described in the Diary of St. Faustina.
So whatever you ask of the Lord at 3 o’clock, you shall receive as long as you ask with love and believe in His divine mercy.
The 3 o’clock prayer is to be recited at that hour every day, while the Divine Mercy Chaplet can be prayed afterward.
You can also say a prayer for the impossible.
Can I Only Say This Prayer at 3 O’clock?
Yes. The prayer only holds meaning when recited at 3 p.m., which is the hour of mercy.
It was one of the conditions Christ issued to Sister Faustina. It is at 3 o’clock that God graciously grants our requests in virtue of His passion.
However, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy can be prayed at any hour of the day or night.
How Many Times Should I Say This Prayer?
It is best to recite this prayer every day at 3 o’clock. It is the hour of our Lord’s death and therefore, a privileged time to obtain mercy from Him as we devote ourselves to the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
You can also say this catholic prayer for someone in Heaven.
Final Thoughts
Praying at 3 o’clock and reciting the Divine Mercy Chaplet is one of the greatest devotions for a Christian. At this time, we come at Jesus’ feet to entreat His mercy for us and the entire world.
The 3 o’clock prayer, when said frequently, creates a personal and direct connection with Jesus leading to unquenchable mercy.
Though you might not always be near the Blessed Sacrament every day at 3 p.m., you can always recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet at this time, wherever you are. Simply take a moment to reflect on God’s great love, mercy and sacrifice toward us.