Love is Demanding
Monday of the
Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Father Shawn Aaron, LC
Matthew 10: 34-11:1
Jesus said to his
Apostles: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I
have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man
´against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law; and one´s enemies will be those of his household.´
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever
loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not
take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his
life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Whoever
receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet´s
reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will
receive a righteous man´s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to
one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple-- amen, I say to
you, he will surely not lose his reward." When Jesus finished giving these
commands to his twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to
preach in their towns.
Introductory Prayer: Almighty and ever-living God, I seek new
strength from the courage of Christ our shepherd. I believe in You, I hope in You, and I seek to love You with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and
all my strength. I want to be led one day to join the saints in heaven, where Your Son Jesus Christ lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God
forever and ever.
Petition: Jesus, I want to love as You have loved me.
1. Not Peace but the
Sword: Complacency can be
defined as "self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers
or deficiencies". This is a false peace, even a harmful peace. It is a
self-satisfied peace that lulls us to sleep and can result in the loss of those
things that are truly most valuable in life: God, faith, family, etc.... Jesus
comes to interrupt that false peace by upending the tables of our lives (cf.
John 2:15) in an effort to awaken us to the dangers that our false peace has
blinded us to. As he drove out the sheep and oxen from the temple, so, too, he
will use circumstances, trials and difficulties as his "sword" to
drive out from our lives whatever is opposed to God´s goodness and our own
dignity.
2. Nothing Before God:
With this phrase we
start getting an inkling of the type of sword our Lord is wielding. He is
giving us a criterion that starts from heaven downward because he is trying to
lift us from the earth upward. What natural relationship is closer than the one
between a parent and child, especially a mother and child? Yet even this bond
must be subordinate to the love we have for God. Why? Well, no creature, not
even our parents, can bring us to the fullness of life and happiness that comes
only from God. God wants us to love him, not because he needs our love but
because we need him. He is objective reality, and we must always move from the
subjective to the objective if we are to possess the truth. Jesus invites us to
adapt our standards from the merely natural and passing to the supernatural and
everlasting.
3. Love of God Is
Inclusive Not Exclusive: Giving
a cup of water to one of the least of our brothers and sisters will not go
unrewarded, and therefore, unnoticed. In this way, Jesus shows that he is not
calling us to a love of God that excludes others. The standard of placing God
first does not exclude love for mother or father, sister or brother. Once we
love God as he deserves, we will learn to love others as they truly deserve. In
fact, we merit the vision of the God we cannot see by loving the neighbor we do
see.
Conversation with
Christ: Lord Jesus, following
you demands my all, and at times it seems that I do not have the strength to
give what You ask. Help me to stay close to You in prayer and in the sacraments
so as to have the grace to live the standard of love and generosity that You
ask. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.
Resolution: Today I will make three acts of self-denial
and offer them for someone in need of prayers.
Excerpts from the
DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
180 +During Advent, a great yearning for God arose in my
soul. My spirit rushed toward God with all its might. During that time, the
Lord gave me much light to know His attributes.
The first attribute which the Lord gave me to know is His holiness. His holiness is so great that all the Powers and Virtues tremble before Him. The pure spirits veil their faces and lose themselves in unending adoration, and with one single word they express the highest form of adoration; that is-Holy... The holiness of God is poured out upon the Church of God and upon every living soul in it, but not in the same degree. There are souls who are completely penetrated by God, and there are those who are barely alive.
The second kind of knowledge which the Lord granted me concerns His justice. His justice is so great and penetrating that it reaches deep into the heart of things, and all things stand before Him in naked truth, and nothing can withstand Him.
The third attribute is love and mercy. And I understood that the greatest attribute is love and mercy. It unites the creature with the Creator. This immense love and abyss of mercy are made known in the Incarnation of the Word and in the Redemption [of humanity], and it is here that I saw this as the greatest of all God's attributes.
The first attribute which the Lord gave me to know is His holiness. His holiness is so great that all the Powers and Virtues tremble before Him. The pure spirits veil their faces and lose themselves in unending adoration, and with one single word they express the highest form of adoration; that is-Holy... The holiness of God is poured out upon the Church of God and upon every living soul in it, but not in the same degree. There are souls who are completely penetrated by God, and there are those who are barely alive.
The second kind of knowledge which the Lord granted me concerns His justice. His justice is so great and penetrating that it reaches deep into the heart of things, and all things stand before Him in naked truth, and nothing can withstand Him.
The third attribute is love and mercy. And I understood that the greatest attribute is love and mercy. It unites the creature with the Creator. This immense love and abyss of mercy are made known in the Incarnation of the Word and in the Redemption [of humanity], and it is here that I saw this as the greatest of all God's attributes.
210 I fervently beg the Lord to
strengthen my faith, so that in my drab, everyday life I will not be guided by
human dispositions, but by those of the spirit. Oh, how everything drags man
towards the earth! But lively faith maintains the soul in the higher regions
and assigns self-love its proper place; that is to say, the lowest one.
223 O living Host, my one and only
strength, fountain of love and mercy, embrace the whole world, fortify faint
souls. Oh, blessed be the instant and the moment when Jesus left us His most
merciful Heart!
230 Jesus, living Host, You are my
Mother, You are my all! It is with simplicity and love, with faith and trust
that I will always come to You, O Jesus! I will share everything with You, as a
child with its loving mother, my joys and sorrows-in a word, everything.
235 O Jesus, I long for the
salvation of immortal souls. It is in sacrifice that my heart will find free
expression, in sacrifice which no one will suspect. I will burn and be consumed
unseen in the holy flames of the love of God. The presence of God will help my
sacrifice to be perfect and pure.
248 The words of the Bishop [Rospond[73]],
spoken at the ceremony of the taking of perpetual vows: "Accept this
candle as a sign of heavenly light and of burning love." While giving the
ring: "I betroth you to Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father Most High; may
He keep you unblemished. Take this ring as a sign of the eternal covenant you
are making with Christ, the Spouse of Virgins. May it be for you the ring of
faith and the sign of the Holy Spirit, that you may be called the bride of
Christ and, if you serve Him faithfully, be crowned [as such] for all eternity.
282 Once the Lord said to me, My Heart was moved by
great mercy towards you, My dearest child, when I saw you torn to shreds
because of the great pain you suffered in repenting for your sins. I see your
love, so pure and true that I give you first place among the virgins. You are
the honor and glory of My Passion. I see every abasement of your soul, and
nothing escapes my attention. I lift up the humble even to my very throne,
because I want it so.
283 I want to love You as no human
soul has ever loved You before; and although I am utterly miserable and small,
I have nevertheless cast the anchor of my trust deep down into the abyss of
Your mercy, O my God and Creator! In spite of my great misery I fear nothing,
but hope to sing You a hymn of glory for ever. Let no soul, even the most
miserable, fall prey to doubt; for, as long as one is alive, each one can
become a great saint, so great is the power of God's grace. It remains only for
us not to oppose God's action.
287 +My Jesus, when I look at this
life of souls, I see that many of them serve You with some mistrust. At certain
times, especially when there is an opportunity to show their love for God, I
see them running away from the battlefield. And once Jesus said to me, Do
you, my child, also want to act like that? I answered the Lord, "Oh,
no, my Jesus, I will not retreat from the battlefield, even if mortal sweat
breaks out on my brow; I will not let the sword fall from my hand until I rest
at the feet of the Holy Trinity!" Whatever I do, I do not rely on my own
strength, but on God's grace. With God's grace a soul can overcome the greatest
difficulties.
324 The next day, I felt very weak, but experienced no
further suffering. After Holy Communion, I saw the Lord Jesus just as I had
seen Him during one adoration. The Lord's gaze pierced my soul through and
through, and not even the least speck of dust escaped His notice. And I said to
Jesus, "Jesus, I thought You were going to take me. "And Jesus
answered, My will has not yet been fully accomplished in you; you will still
remain on earth, but not for long. I am well pleased with your trust, but your
love should be more ardent. Pure love gives the soul strength at the very
moment of dying. When I was dying on the cross, I was not thinking about
Myself, but about poor sinners, and I prayed for them to My Father. I want your
last moments to be completely similar to Mine on the cross. There is but one
price at which souls are bought, and that is suffering united to My suffering
on the cross. Pure love understands these words; carnal love will never
understand them.
343 True love is measured by the thermometer of
suffering. Jesus, I thank You for the little daily crosses, for opposition to
my endeavors, for the hardships of communal life, for the misinterpretation of
my intentions, for humiliations at the hands of others, for the harsh way in
which we are treated, for false suspicions, for poor health and loss of
strength, for self-denial, for dying to myself, for lack of recognition in
everything, for the upsetting of all my plans.
Thank You, Jesus, for interior sufferings, for dryness of spirit, for terrors, fears and incertitudes, for the darkness and the deep interior night, for temptations and various ordeals, for torments too difficult to describe, especially for those which no one will understand, for the hour of death with its fierce struggle and all its bitterness.
I thank You, Jesus, You who first drank the cup of bitterness before You gave it to me, in a much milder form. I put my lips to this cup of Your holy will. Let all be done according to Your good pleasure; let that which Your wisdom ordained before the ages be done to me. I want to drink the cup to its last drop, and not seek to know the reason why. In bitterness is my joy, in hopelessness is my trust. In You, O Lord, all is good, all is a gift of Your paternal Heart. I do not prefer consolations over bitterness or bitterness over consolations, but thank You, O Jesus, for everything! It is my delight to fix my gaze upon You, O incomprehensible God! My spirit abides in these mysterious dwelling places, and there I am at home. I know very well the dwelling place of my Spouse. I feel there is not a single drop of blood in me that does not burn with love for You.
O Uncreated Beauty, whoever comes to know You once cannot love anything else. I can feel the bottomless abyss of my soul, and nothing will fill it but God himself. I feel that I am drowned in Him like a single grain of sand in a bottomless ocean.
Thank You, Jesus, for interior sufferings, for dryness of spirit, for terrors, fears and incertitudes, for the darkness and the deep interior night, for temptations and various ordeals, for torments too difficult to describe, especially for those which no one will understand, for the hour of death with its fierce struggle and all its bitterness.
I thank You, Jesus, You who first drank the cup of bitterness before You gave it to me, in a much milder form. I put my lips to this cup of Your holy will. Let all be done according to Your good pleasure; let that which Your wisdom ordained before the ages be done to me. I want to drink the cup to its last drop, and not seek to know the reason why. In bitterness is my joy, in hopelessness is my trust. In You, O Lord, all is good, all is a gift of Your paternal Heart. I do not prefer consolations over bitterness or bitterness over consolations, but thank You, O Jesus, for everything! It is my delight to fix my gaze upon You, O incomprehensible God! My spirit abides in these mysterious dwelling places, and there I am at home. I know very well the dwelling place of my Spouse. I feel there is not a single drop of blood in me that does not burn with love for You.
O Uncreated Beauty, whoever comes to know You once cannot love anything else. I can feel the bottomless abyss of my soul, and nothing will fill it but God himself. I feel that I am drowned in Him like a single grain of sand in a bottomless ocean.
356 O Blessed Host, in whom is contained
the testament of God's mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus as proof of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained life eternal and of infinite mercy, dispensed in abundance to us and especially to poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the mercy of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit toward us, and especially toward poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the infinite price of mercy which will compensate for all our debts, and especially those of poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fountain of living water which springs from infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fire of purest love which blazes forth from the bosom of the Eternal Father, as from an abyss of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the medicine for all our infirmities, flowing from infinite mercy, as from a fount, for us and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the union between God and us through His infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom are contained all the sentiments of the most sweet Heart of Jesus toward us, and especially poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in all the sufferings and adversities of life.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of darkness and of storms within and without.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in life and at the hour of our death.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of adversities and floods of despair.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of falsehood and treason.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the darkness and godlessness which inundate the earth. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the longing and pain in which no one will understand us.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the toil and monotony of everyday life.
O Blessed Host, our only hope amid the ruin of our hopes and endeavors.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the ravages of the enemy and the efforts of hell.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when the burdens are beyond my strength and I find my efforts are fruitless.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when storms toss my heart about and my fearful spirit tends to despair.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my heart is about to tremble and mortal sweat moistens my brow.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when everything conspires against me and black despair creeps into my soul.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my eyes will begin to grow dim to all temporal things and, for the first time, my spirit will behold the unknown worlds.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my tasks will be beyond my strength and adversity will become my daily lot.
O Blessed Host I trust in You when the practice of virtue will appear difficult for me and my nature will grow rebellious.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when hostile blows will be aimed against me.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my toils and efforts will be misjudged by others.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when Your judgments will resound over me; it is then that I will trust in the sea of Your mercy.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus as proof of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained life eternal and of infinite mercy, dispensed in abundance to us and especially to poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the mercy of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit toward us, and especially toward poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the infinite price of mercy which will compensate for all our debts, and especially those of poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fountain of living water which springs from infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fire of purest love which blazes forth from the bosom of the Eternal Father, as from an abyss of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the medicine for all our infirmities, flowing from infinite mercy, as from a fount, for us and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the union between God and us through His infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom are contained all the sentiments of the most sweet Heart of Jesus toward us, and especially poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in all the sufferings and adversities of life.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of darkness and of storms within and without.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in life and at the hour of our death.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of adversities and floods of despair.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of falsehood and treason.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the darkness and godlessness which inundate the earth. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the longing and pain in which no one will understand us.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the toil and monotony of everyday life.
O Blessed Host, our only hope amid the ruin of our hopes and endeavors.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the ravages of the enemy and the efforts of hell.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when the burdens are beyond my strength and I find my efforts are fruitless.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when storms toss my heart about and my fearful spirit tends to despair.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my heart is about to tremble and mortal sweat moistens my brow.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when everything conspires against me and black despair creeps into my soul.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my eyes will begin to grow dim to all temporal things and, for the first time, my spirit will behold the unknown worlds.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my tasks will be beyond my strength and adversity will become my daily lot.
O Blessed Host I trust in You when the practice of virtue will appear difficult for me and my nature will grow rebellious.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when hostile blows will be aimed against me.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my toils and efforts will be misjudged by others.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when Your judgments will resound over me; it is then that I will trust in the sea of Your mercy.
Holy
Trinity, One God,
361 incomprehensible in the greatness of Your mercy for creatures, and especially for poor sinners, You have made known the abyss of Your mercy, incomprehensible and unfathomable [as it is] to any mind, whether of man or angel. Our nothingness and our misery are drowned in Your greatness. O infinite goodness, who can ever praise You sufficiently? Can there be found a soul that understands You in Your love? O Jesus, there are such souls, but they are few.
361 incomprehensible in the greatness of Your mercy for creatures, and especially for poor sinners, You have made known the abyss of Your mercy, incomprehensible and unfathomable [as it is] to any mind, whether of man or angel. Our nothingness and our misery are drowned in Your greatness. O infinite goodness, who can ever praise You sufficiently? Can there be found a soul that understands You in Your love? O Jesus, there are such souls, but they are few.
392 The Lord God grants His graces in two ways: by
inspiration and by enlightenment. If we ask God for a grace, He will give it to
us; but let us be willing to accept it. And in order to accept it, self-denial
is needed. Love does not consist in words or feelings, but in deeds. It is an
act of the will; it is a gift; that is to say, a giving. The reason, the will,
the heart-these three faculties must be exercised during prayer. I will rise
from the dead in Jesus, but first I must live in Him. If I do not separate
myself from the Cross, then the Gospel will be revealed in me. Jesus in me
makes up for all my deficiencies. His grace operates without ceasing. The Holy
Trinity grants me Its life abundantly, by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The
Three Divine Persons live in me. When God loves, He loves with all His Being,
with all the power of His Being. If God has loved me in this way, how should I
respond I, His spouse?
478 O my Jesus, You know, You alone
know well that m heart knows no other love but You! All my virginal love is
drowned eternally in You, O Jesus! I sense keenly ho Your divine Blood is
circulating in my heart; I have no the least doubt that Your most pure love has
entered m heart with Your most sacred Blood. I am aware did You are dwelling in
me, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, or ratherIam aware that it is
I who it living in You, O incomprehensible God! I am aware that I am dissolving
in You like a drop in an ocean. I am aware that You are within me and all about
me, that You are in all things that surround me, in all that happens to me. O
my God, I have come to know You within my heart, and I have loved You above all
things that exist on earth or in heaven. Our hearts have a mutual understanding,
and no one of humankind will comprehend this.
525 O Holy Trinity, in whom is contained the inner life
of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, eternal joy, inconceivable
depth of love, poured out upon all creatures and constituting their happiness,
honor and glory be to Your holy name forever and ever. Amen.
When I consider Your greatness and beauty, O my God, I rejoice exceedingly that the Lord I serve is so great. With love and joy I carry out His will, and the more I come to know Him, the more I desire to love Him. I burn with the desire to love Him ever more and more.
When I consider Your greatness and beauty, O my God, I rejoice exceedingly that the Lord I serve is so great. With love and joy I carry out His will, and the more I come to know Him, the more I desire to love Him. I burn with the desire to love Him ever more and more.
576 O Holy Trinity, Eternal God, my spirit is drowned in
Your beauty. The ages are as nothing in Your sight. You are always the same.
Oh, how great is Your majesty. Jesus, why do You conceal Your majesty, why have
You left Your heavenly throne and dwelt among us? The Lord answered me, My daughter, love has brought Me here,
and love keeps Me here. My daughter, if you knew what great merit and reward is
earned by one act of pure love for Me, you would die of joy. I am saying this
that you may constantly unite yourself with Me through love, for this is the
goal of the life of your soul. This act is an act of the will. Know that a pure
soul is humble. When you lower and empty yourself before My majesty, I then
pursue you with My graces and make use of My omnipotence to exalt you.
605 O Holy Trinity, Eternal God, I thank You for allowing
me to know the greatness and the various degrees of glory to which souls
attain. Oh, what a great difference of depth in the knowledge of God there is
between one degree and another! Oh, if people could only know this! O my God,
if I were thereby able to attain one more degree, I would gladly suffer all the
torments of the martyrs put together. Truly, all those torments seem as nothing
to me compared with the glory that is awaiting us for all eternity. O Lord,
immerse my soul in the ocean of Your divinity and grant me the grace of knowing
You; for the better I know You, the more I desire You, and the more my love for
You grows. I feel in my soul an unfathomable abyss which only God can fill. I
lose myself in Him as a drop does in the ocean. The Lord has inclined himself
to my misery like a ray of the sun upon a barren and rocky desert. And yet,
under the influence of His rays, my soul has become covered with verdure,
flowers, and fruit, and has become a beautiful garden for His repose.
698 + Oh, how sorely Jesus is hurt by the ingratitude of
a chosen soul! What a martyrdom it is for His unspeakable love! God loves us
with the entire infinite Being that He is; and imagine, a miserable particle of
dust scorns that love! My heart bursts with pain when I see this ingratitude.
777 November 27, [1936]. Today I was
in heaven, in spirit, and I saw its inconceivable beauties and the happiness
that awaits us after death. I saw how all creatures give ceaseless praise and
glory to God. I saw how great is happiness in God, which spreads to all
creatures, making them happy; and then all the glory and praise which springs
from this happiness returns to its source; and they enter into the depths of
God, contemplating the inner life of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, whom they will never comprehend or fathom.
This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who said, "Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him."
This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who said, "Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him."
825 + O
bright and clear day on which all my dreams will be fulfilled; O day so eagerly
desired, the last day of my life! I look forward with joy to the last stroke
the Divine Artist will trace on my soul, which will give my soul a unique
beauty that will distinguish me from the beauty of other souls. O great day, on
which divine love will be confirmed in me. On that day, for the first time, I
shall sing before heaven and earth the song of the Lord's fathomless mercy. This
is my work and the mission which the Lord has destined for me from the
beginning of the world. That the song of my soul may be pleasing to the Holy
Trinity, do You, O Spirit of God, direct and form my soul yourself. I arm
myself with patience and await Your coming, O merciful God, and as to the
terrible pains and fear of death, at this moment more than at any other time, I
trust in the abyss of Your mercy and am reminding You, O merciful Jesus, sweet
Savior, of all the promises You have made to me.
911 On one
occasion, God's presence pervaded my whole being, and my mind was mysteriously
enlightened in respect to His Essence. He allowed me to understand His interior
life. In spirit, I saw the Three Divine Persons, but Their Essence was One. He
is One, and One only, but in Three Persons; none of Them is either greater or
smaller; there is no difference in either beauty or sanctity, for They are One.
They are absolutely One. His Love transported me into this knowledge and united
me with Himself. When I was united to One, I was equally united to the Second
and to the Third in such a way that when we are united with One, by that very
fact, we are equally united to the two Persons in the same way as with the One.
Their will is One, one God, though in Three Persons. When One of the Three
Persons communicates with a soul, by the power of that one will, it finds
itself united with the Three Persons and is inundated in the happiness flowing
from the Most Holy Trinity, the same happiness that nourishes the saints. This
same happiness that streams from the Most Holy Trinity makes all creation
happy; from it springs that life which vivifies and bestows all life which
takes its beginning from Him. In these moments, my soul experienced such great
divine delights that I find this difficult to express.
+ J. M. J.
1002 The Lord's Supper is laid,
Jesus sits down at table with His Apostles,
His Being all transformed into love,
For such was the Holy Trinity's counsel.
With great desire, I desire to eat with you,
Before I suffer death.
About to leave you, love holds Me in your midst.
He sheds His Blood, gives His life, for He loves immensely.
Love hides beneath the appearance of bread,
Departing, He remains with us.
Such self-abasement was not needed,
Yet burning love hid Him under these species.
Over the bread and wine He says these words:
"This is My Blood, this is My Body."
Although mysterious, these are words of love.
Then He passes the Cup among His disciples.
Jesus grew deeply troubled within
And said, "One of you will betray his Master."
They fell silent, with a silence as of the tomb,
And John inclined his head on His breast.
The supper is ended.
Let us go to Gethsemane.
Love is satisfied, And there the traitor is waiting.
Jesus sits down at table with His Apostles,
His Being all transformed into love,
For such was the Holy Trinity's counsel.
With great desire, I desire to eat with you,
Before I suffer death.
About to leave you, love holds Me in your midst.
He sheds His Blood, gives His life, for He loves immensely.
Love hides beneath the appearance of bread,
Departing, He remains with us.
Such self-abasement was not needed,
Yet burning love hid Him under these species.
Over the bread and wine He says these words:
"This is My Blood, this is My Body."
Although mysterious, these are words of love.
Then He passes the Cup among His disciples.
Jesus grew deeply troubled within
And said, "One of you will betray his Master."
They fell silent, with a silence as of the tomb,
And John inclined his head on His breast.
The supper is ended.
Let us go to Gethsemane.
Love is satisfied, And there the traitor is waiting.
1064 + O my most sweet Master, good
Jesus, I give You my heart. You shape and mold it after Your liking. O
fathomless love, I open the calyx of my heart to You, like a rosebud to the
freshness of dew. To You alone, my Betrothed, is known the fragrance of the
flower of my heart. Let the fragrance of my sacrifice be pleasing to You. O
Immortal God, my everlasting delight, already here on earth You are my heaven.
May every beat of my heart be a new hymn of praise to You, O Holy Trinity! Had
I as many hearts as there are drops of water in the ocean or grains of sand in
the whole world, I would offer them all to You, O my Love, O Treasure of my
heart! Whomever I shall meet in my life, no matter who they may be, I want to
draw them all to love You, O my Jesus, my Beauty, my Repose, my sole Master,
Judge, Savior and Spouse, all in one; I know that one title will modify the
other-I have entrusted everything to Your mercy.
1073 April 4, 1937. Low Sunday; that is, the Feast of
Mercy. In the morning, after Holy Communion, my soul was immersed in the
Godhead. I was united to the Three Divine Persons in such a way that when I was
united to Jesus, I was simultaneously united to the Father and to the Holy
Spirit. My soul was flooded with joy beyond understanding, and the Lord gave me
to experience the whole ocean and abyss of His fathomless mercy. Oh, if only
souls would want to understand how much God loves them! All comparisons, even
if they were the most tender and the most vehement, are but a mere shadow when
set against the reality.
When I was united to the Lord, I came to know how many souls are glorifying God's mercy.
When I was united to the Lord, I came to know how many souls are glorifying God's mercy.
1074 When I went for adoration, I heard these words: My
beloved daughter, write down these words, that today My Heart has rested in
this convent [the Cracow house]. Tell the world about My mercy and My
love.
The flames of mercy are burning me. I desire to pour them out upon human souls. Oh, what pain they cause Me when they do not want to accept them!
My daughter, do whatever is within your power to spread devotion to My mercy. I will make up for what you lack. Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it -with peace.
Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.
The flames of mercy are burning me. I desire to pour them out upon human souls. Oh, what pain they cause Me when they do not want to accept them!
My daughter, do whatever is within your power to spread devotion to My mercy. I will make up for what you lack. Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it -with peace.
Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.
1172 July 1, 1937. The month of July.
Today during the Angelus, the Lord gave me an understanding of God's incomprehensible love for people. He lifts us up to His very Godhead. His only motives are love and fathomless mercy. Though You make known the mystery to us through an angel, You yourself carry it out.
Today during the Angelus, the Lord gave me an understanding of God's incomprehensible love for people. He lifts us up to His very Godhead. His only motives are love and fathomless mercy. Though You make known the mystery to us through an angel, You yourself carry it out.
1191 As long as we live, the love of God grows in us. Until
we die, we ought to strive for the love of God. I have learned and experienced
that souls living in love are distinguished in this: that they are greatly
enlightened concerning the things of God, both in their own souls and in the
souls of others. And simple souls, without an education, are outstanding for
their knowledge.
1286 + Thank You, O God, for all the graces
Which unceasingly You lavish upon me,
Graces which enlighten me with the brilliance of the sun,
For by them You show me the sure way.
Thank You, 0 Lord, for creating me,
For calling me into being from nothingness,
For imprinting Your divinity on my soul,
The work of sheer merciful love.
Thank You, O God, for Holy Baptism
Which engrafted me into Your family,
A gift great beyond all thought or expression
Which transforms my soul.
Thank You, O Lord, for Holy Confession,
For that inexhaustible spring of great mercy,
For that inconceivable fountain of graces
In which sin-tainted souls become purified.
Thank You, O Jesus, for Holy Communion
In which You give us Yourself.
I feel Your Heart beating within my breast
As You cause Your divine life to unfold within me.
Thank You, O Holy Spirit, for the Sacrament of Confirmation,
Which dubs me Your knight
And gives strength to my soul at each moment,
Protecting me from evil.
Thank You, O God, for the grace of a vocation.
For being called to serve You alone,
Leading me to make You my sole love,
An unequal honor for my soul.
Thank You, O Lord, for perpetual vows,
For that union of pure love,
For having deigned to unite Your pure heart with mine
And uniting my heart to Yours in the purest of bonds.
Thank You, O Lord, for the Sacrament of Anointing
Which, in my final moments, will give me strength;
My help in battle, my guide to salvation,
Fortifying my soul till we rejoice forever.
Thank You, O God, for all the inspirations
That Your goodness lavishes upon me,
For the interior lights given my soul,
Which the heart senses, but words cannot express.
Thank You, O Holy Trinity, for the vastness of the graces
Which You have lavished on me unceasingly through life.
My gratitude will intensify as the eternal dawn rises,
When, for the first time, I sing to Your glory.
Which unceasingly You lavish upon me,
Graces which enlighten me with the brilliance of the sun,
For by them You show me the sure way.
Thank You, 0 Lord, for creating me,
For calling me into being from nothingness,
For imprinting Your divinity on my soul,
The work of sheer merciful love.
Thank You, O God, for Holy Baptism
Which engrafted me into Your family,
A gift great beyond all thought or expression
Which transforms my soul.
Thank You, O Lord, for Holy Confession,
For that inexhaustible spring of great mercy,
For that inconceivable fountain of graces
In which sin-tainted souls become purified.
Thank You, O Jesus, for Holy Communion
In which You give us Yourself.
I feel Your Heart beating within my breast
As You cause Your divine life to unfold within me.
Thank You, O Holy Spirit, for the Sacrament of Confirmation,
Which dubs me Your knight
And gives strength to my soul at each moment,
Protecting me from evil.
Thank You, O God, for the grace of a vocation.
For being called to serve You alone,
Leading me to make You my sole love,
An unequal honor for my soul.
Thank You, O Lord, for perpetual vows,
For that union of pure love,
For having deigned to unite Your pure heart with mine
And uniting my heart to Yours in the purest of bonds.
Thank You, O Lord, for the Sacrament of Anointing
Which, in my final moments, will give me strength;
My help in battle, my guide to salvation,
Fortifying my soul till we rejoice forever.
Thank You, O God, for all the inspirations
That Your goodness lavishes upon me,
For the interior lights given my soul,
Which the heart senses, but words cannot express.
Thank You, O Holy Trinity, for the vastness of the graces
Which You have lavished on me unceasingly through life.
My gratitude will intensify as the eternal dawn rises,
When, for the first time, I sing to Your glory.
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I-180, 210, 223, 230, 235, 248, 282-283)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-287, 324, 343, 356, 361, 392, 478)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-525, 576, 605, 698, 777, 825, 9111)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1002, 1064, 1073-1074, 1172, 1191)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1286)
http://www.saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS10.shtml
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento