3 o'clock prayer for the Hour of Mercy
A short daily pause at the hour Jesus died, to adore His mercy and ask it for the world
Morning Prayer editorial team · Updated: November 2026
At three in the afternoon Jesus died on the cross, and He asked Saint Faustina to pause at that hour each day to adore His mercy. The words He gave her are published by the Marian Fathers; this 3 o'clock prayer is an original prayer for the Hour of Mercy that you can say in under a minute, wherever the clock finds you.
Let us pray
Jesus, it is three o'clock. At this hour You bowed Your head on the cross and gave up Your spirit. At this hour the veil of the Temple was torn, the earth shook, and a soldier's lance opened Your side so that blood and water could pour out for the world. I stop for a moment to look at You.
I adore You, dying for me. I adore the mercy that flowed from Your Heart when it had every reason to close. I adore the love that said: Father, forgive them, while the nails were still in Your hands.
Have mercy on me, a sinner. Have mercy on the whole world at this hour: on the dying, who are passing through the door You opened; on those in despair, who do not know that You died for them; on the sick, the imprisoned, the abandoned, and those who have no one to pray for them.
Wash me in the blood and water from Your side. Where I have been harsh, make me merciful. Where I have been slow to forgive, let me remember how quickly You forgave the thief beside You. Let me carry Your mercy into the rest of this afternoon, to the people who are waiting for me to be kind.
Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.
Blessing
May the mercy that poured from the pierced Heart of Jesus at three o'clock cover you, your loved ones, and the whole world today.
How to pray this prayer
- Find a quiet moment and breathe slowly.
- Read the prayer aloud or in your heart.
- Add your own intention before the Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Why is three o'clock called the Hour of Mercy?
The Gospels record that Jesus died at about the ninth hour, three in the afternoon. In her Diary Saint Faustina writes that Jesus asked her to immerse herself in His mercy at that hour each day, calling it the hour of great mercy for the whole world.
What if I cannot stop exactly at three?
Do what you can. Even a single interior glance at the crucified Jesus, in a meeting or at the school gate, honors the hour. Some people set a quiet alarm; others pray the moment they notice the time, even if it is a little after.
Should I pray the chaplet or the Stations at three o'clock?
If time allows, the Divine Mercy chaplet or a brief Way of the Cross is a beautiful way to keep the hour, and Saint Faustina recommended both. On a busy day, this short prayer is enough.
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