Danger of Slavery
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Tuesday of the Fifth
Week of Easter
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Father Patrick Langan, LC
John 14: 27-31a
Jesus said to his
disciples: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the
world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or
afraid. You heard me tell you, ´I am going away and I will come back to you.´
If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the
Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so
that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world
must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has
commanded me."
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, thank You for
granting me the opportunity to be with You. There are things in life, Lord,
that attract me, but you attract me more. I hope in You, and I love You.
Maybe I don’t really understand what it means to love, and maybe I don’t love
the way I should, but I do love You.
Petition: Lord, help me always to remember who I am,
where I come from, and where I am going.
1. Activism: In today´s culture, many people believe,
almost religiously, that what they do will eventually make them someone. They
believe that from doing flows being, since their activity defines them. This
makes it easy for them to be exploited. In nineteenth century America, a
slave was often not told his birthday, so he could never really know who he
was. He was just made to work. This same temptation exists today. Many people
work such long hours — some as a means of escape from difficulties or
responsibilities at home; others for the satisfaction they feel seeing a job
completed; still others, just to earn more money and to be able to afford a
more comfortable life. However, these are all manifestations of the same
slavery.
2. My True Identity:
With his example,
however, Christ shows us a different way of life, a way that goes against the
current. First I have to be. Then my doing will flow from my being.
Christ says again and again: I am the Son of my Father. Now I will act
accordingly. When Moses asked God of the burning bush who he was, he said, “I
AM who AM.”
Who am I? What defines me is my relationship to God. Just imagine this: I have the privilege of being a child of God! God has loved me so much that he has adopted me as his child! This is something worthwhile. This is who I really am, and I should act accordingly, as Christ taught me.
3. True Peace: Christ´s great peace comes as a consequence
of meditating on and living out who I really am. When I meditate, I discover
that I am God’s creature. Suddenly, I find the strength to face reality.
Others will be unable to exploit me, and I will stop exploiting others because
I am – and they are – children of God. My dignity derives from this
fundamental truth: I was created in God’s image and likeness. I came from
God, and he is inviting me to return to him and be happy with him for all
eternity.
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, I have the bad
habit of focusing on my doing. That is why I am always anxious. I want to be
like You, Lord, seeing first who I am and letting my activity flow from that.
This will bring me peace. However, Lord, I need your grace. Help me to live
as a true son or daughter.
Resolution: Today, I will do two kind acts to someone
who is troubled in order to help them experience God’s love for them.
Excerpts from the DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
56 O my God, I understand well that You
demand this spiritual childhood[32]
of me, because You are constantly asking it of me through Your
representatives.
At the beginning of my religious life, suffering and adversities frightened and disheartened me. So I prayed continuously, asking Jesus to strengthen me and to grant me the power of His Holy Spirit that I might carry out His holy will in all things, because from the beginning I have been aware of my weakness. I know very well what I am of myself, because for this purpose Jesus has opened the eyes of my soul; I am an abyss of misery, and hence I understand that whatever good there is in my soul consists solely of His holy grace. The knowledge of my own misery allows me, at the same time, to know the immensity of Your mercy. In my own interior life, I am looking with one eye at the abyss of my misery and baseness, and with the other, at the abyss of Your mercy, O God.
148 +A noble and delicate soul, even the
most simple, but one of delicate sensibilities, sees God in everything, finds
Him everywhere, and knows how to find Him in even the most hidden things. It
finds all things important, it highly appreciates all things, it thanks God
for all things, it draws profit for the soul from all things, and it gives
all glory to God. It places its trust in God and is not confused when the
time of ordeals comes. It knows that God is always the best of Fathers and
makes little of human opinion. It follows faithfully the faintest breath of
the Holy Spirit; it rejoices in this Spiritual Guest and holds onto Him like
a child to its mother. Where other souls come to a standstill and fear, this
soul passes on without fear or difficulty.
167 Today [November, 1932], I arrived in
Warsaw for the third probation. After a cordial meeting with the dear
Mothers, I went into the small chapel for a moment. Suddenly God's presence
filled my soul, and I heard these words, My daughter, I desire that your
heart be formed after the model of My merciful Heart. You must be completely
imbued with My mercy.
Dear Mother Directress [Margaret] at once asked me whether I had had a retreat that year, and I said no. "Then you must first have a retreat of at least three days." Thanks be to God there was at Walendows[57] an eight-day retreat in which I could take part. But difficulties arose in regard to my leaving for this retreat. A certain person opposed my going very much, and it already [appeared that] I was not to go. After dinner, I went into the chapel for a five-minute adoration. Suddenly I saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me, My daughter, I am preparing many graces for you, which you will receive during this retreat which you will begin tomorrow. I answered, "Jesus, the retreat has already begun, and I am not supposed to go." And He said to me, Get ready for it, because you will begin the retreat tomorrow. And as for your departure, I will arrange that with the superiors. And in an instant, Jesus disappeared. I began to wonder how this was going to happen. But after a moment I rejected all such thoughts and devoted the time I had to prayer, begging the Holy Spirit for light to see the whole misery that I am. After a short while, I left the little chapel to go about my duties. Soon Mother General [Michael] called me and said, "Sister, you will go to Walendow today with Mother Valeria so that you can start the retreat tomorrow. Fortunately, Mother Valeria happens to be here and you can go together." Within two hours I was already in Walendow. I reflected for a moment within myself and recognized that only Jesus can arrange things in such a way.
170 The first day of the retreat. I tried
to be the first in the chapel in the morning; before the meditation I had a
bit of time for prayer to the Holy Spirit and to Our Lady. I earnestly begged
the Mother of God to obtain for me the grace of fidelity to these inner
inspirations and of faithfully carrying out God's will, whatever it might be.
I began this retreat with a very special kind of courage.
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.
291 On a certain occasion, I saw a person
about to commit a mortal sin. I asked the Lord to send me the greatest
torments so that that soul could be saved. Then I suddenly felt the terrible
pain of a crown of thorns on my head. It lasted for quite a long time, but
that person remained in the Lord's grace. 0 my Jesus, how very easy it is to
become holy; all that is needed is a bit of good will. If Jesus sees this
little bit of good will in the soul, He hurries to give himself to the soul,
and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings nor falls-absolutely nothing.
Jesus is anxious to help that soul, and if it is faithful to this grace from
God, it can very soon attain the highest holiness possible for a creature
here on earth. God is very generous and does not deny His grace to anyone.
Indeed He gives more than what we ask of Him. Faithfulness to the
inspirations of the Holy Spirit-that is the shortest route.
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.
359 January 10, 1935. +Thursday. In the
evening during benediction,[85]
such thoughts as these began to distress me: Is not perhaps all this that I
am saying about God's great mercy just a lie or an illusion...? And I wanted
to think about this for a while, when I heard a strong and clear inner voice
saying, Everything
that you say about My goodness is true; language has no adequate expression
to extol My goodness. These words were so filled with power
and so clear that I would give my life in declaring they came from God. I can
tell this by the profound peace that accompanied them at that time and that
still remains with me. This peace gives me such great strength and power that
all difficulties, adversities, sufferings, and death itself are as nothing.
This light gave me a glimpse of the truth that all my efforts to bring souls
to know the mercy of the Lord are very pleasing to God. And from this springs
such great joy in my soul that I do not know whether it could be any greater
in heaven. Oh, if souls would only be willing to listen, at least a little,
to the voice of conscience and the voicethat is, the inspirations-of the Holy
Spirit! I say "at least a little," because once we open ourselves
to the influence of the Holy Spirit, He himself will fulfill what is lacking
in us.
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?
451
Once after Holy Communion, I heard these words: You are Our dwelling place. At
that moment, I felt in my soul the presence of the Holy Trinity, the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. I felt that I was the temple of God. I felt I
was a child of the Father. I cannot explain all this, but the spirit
understands it well. O infinite Goodness, how low You stoop to Your miserable
creature!
472 I knew, more distinctly than ever
before, the Three Divine Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
But their being, their equality and their majesty are one. My soul is in
communion with these Three; but I do not know how to express this in words;
yet my soul understands it well. Whoever is united to One of the Three
Persons is thereby united to the whole Blessed Trinity, for this Oneness is
indivisible. This vision, or rather, this knowledge filled my soul with
unimaginable happiness, because God is so great. What I am describing I did
not see with my eyes, as on previous occasions, but in a purely interior
manner, in a purely spiritual way, independent of the senses. This continued
until the end of Holy Mass.
This now happens often to me, and not only in the chapel, but also at work and at times when I least expect it.
477 Silence is a sword in the spiritual
struggle. A talkative soul will never attain sanctity. The sword of silence
will cut off everything that would like to cling to the soul. We are
sensitive to words and quickly want to answer back, without taking any regard
as to whether it is God's will that we should speak. A silent soul 14 strong;
no adversities will harm it if it perseveres in silence. The silent soul is
capable of attaining the closest union with God. It lives almost always under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God works in a silent soul without
hindrance.
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.
486 Jesus, when You come to me in Holy
Communion, You who together with the Father and the Holy Spirit have deigned
to dwell in the little heaven of my heart, I try to keep You company
throughout the day, I do not leave You alone for even a moment. Although I am
in the company of other people or with our wards, my heart is always united
to Him. When I am asleep I offer Him every beat of my heart; when I awaken I
immerse myself in Him without saying a word. When I awaken I adore the Holy
Trinity for a short while and thank God for having deigned to give me yet
another day, that the mystery of the incarnation of His Son may once more be
repeated in me, and that once again His sorrowful Passion may unfold before
my eyes. I then try to make it easier for Jesus to pass through me to other
souls. I go everywhere with Jesus; His presence accompanies me everywhere.
501 Oh, how great is Your beauty, Jesus my
Spouse! Living Flower enclosing life-giving dew for a thirsting soul! My soul
is drowned in You. You alone are the object of my desires and strivings.
Unite me as closely as possible to Yourself, to the Father and to the Holy
Spirit. Let me live and die in You.
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.
552 In addition to the vows, I see one rule
as most important. Although all the rules are important, I put this one in
first place, and it is silence. Truly, if this rule were to be observed
strictly, I would not worry about the others. Women are very fond of talking,
but the Holy Spirit does not speak to a soul that is distracted and
garrulous. He speaks by His quiet inspirations to a soul that is recollected,
to a soul that knows how to keep silence. If silence were strictly observed,
there would not be any grumbling, bitterness, slandering, or gossip, and
charity would not be tarnished. In a word, many wrongs would not be done.
Silent lips are pure gold and bear witness to holiness within.
647 From this, I came to understand one
thing: that I must pray much for each of my confessors, that he might obtain
the light of the Holy Spirit, for when I approach the confessional without
first praying, fervently, the confessor does not understand me very well.
Father encouraged me to pray fervently for these intentions, that God would
give better knowledge and understanding of the things He is asking of me.
"Make novena after novena, Sister, and God will not refuse the
graces."
June, 1936. Conversation with Father A.
[Andrasz]
658 "Know that these are hard and difficult things. Your principal spiritual director is the Holy Spirit. We can only give direction to these inspirations, but your real director is the Holy Spirit. If you yourself have decided to leave, Sister, I neither prohibit nor order you to do so. You take the responsibility for yourself. I say this to you, Sister: you can begin to take action. You are capable of doing so, and therefore you can do so. These things are indeed probable; all you have told me up to now [before perpetual vows in Cracow in 1933] speaks in favor of taking action. Still, you have to be very careful in all this. Pray much and ask that I be given light."
734 I see that Jesus himself is acting in
my soul during this retreat. And as for me, I try only to be faithful to His
grace. I have submitted my soul completely to the influence of God. This
Mighty Ruler of Heaven has taken entire possession of my soul. I feel that I
am being lifted up above earth and heaven into the inner life of God, where I
come to know the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, but always in the unity
of majesty.
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."
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.
1090 And this happened on the last day of
my novena to the Holy Spirit. After this return to health, I found myself
united with the Lord Jesus in a purely spiritual way. Jesus gave me strong
assurances; that is, He confirmed me in respect to His demands. I remained
close to the Lord Jesus all that day and talked with Him about the details
concerning that congregation.
Jesus infused my soul with power and courage to act. Now I understand that if the Lord demands something of a soul, He gives it the means to carry it out, and through grace He makes it capable of doing this. So, even if the soul be utterly miserable, at the Lord's command it can undertake things beyond its expectation, because this is the sign by which it can be known that the Lord is with that soul: if God's power and strength, which make the soul courageous and valiant, is manifest within it. As for myself, I am always at first a bit frightened at the Lord's greatness, but afterwards my soul is filled with profound peace which nothing can disturb, as well as an inner strength to do what the Lord is demanding at that particular moment....
1106 + Virtue without prudence is not
virtue at all. We should often pray to the Holy Spirit for this grace of
prudence. Prudence consists in discretion, rational reflection and courageous
resolution. The final decision is always up to us. We must decide; we can and
we ought to seek advice and light...
1174 July 4, 1937. First Sunday of the
month.
Monthly retreat. This evening, I prepared with great care and prayed long to the Holy Spirit that He might deign to grant me His light and take me under His special guidance; [I prayed] also to Our Lady, to my Guardian Angel, and to our patron saints. [200]
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.
1504 + Lord, You
know that since my youth I have always sought Your will and, recognizing it, have
always tried to carry it out. My heart has been accustomed to the
inspirations of the Holy Spirit, to whom I am faithful. In the midst of the
greatest din I have heard the voice of God. I always know what is going on in
my interior...
1556 When I had
gone to the chapel for a moment, the Lord gave me to know that, among His chosen
ones, there are some who are especially chosen, and whom He calls to a higher
form of holiness, to exceptional union with Him. These are seraphic souls,
from whom God demands greater love than He does from others. Although all
live in the same convent, yet He sometimes demands of a particular soul a
greater degree of love. Such a soul understands this call, because God makes
this known to it interiorly, but the soul may either follow this call or not.
It depends on the soul itself whether it is faithful to these touches of the
Holy Spirit, or whether it resists them. I have learned that there is a place
in purgatory where souls will pay their debt to God for such transgressions;
this kind of torment is the most difficult of all. The soul which is
specially marked by God will be distinguished everywhere, whether in heaven
or in purgatory or in hell. In heaven, it will be distinguished from other
souls by greater glory and radiance and deeper knowledge of God. In
purgatory, by greater pain, because it knows God more profoundly and desires
Him more vehemently. In hell, it will suffer more profoundly than other
souls, because it knows more fully whom it has lost. This indelible mark of
God's exclusive love, in the [soul], will not be obliterated.
1557 O Jesus, keep me in holy
fear, so that I may not waste graces. Help me to be faithful to the
inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Grant that my heart may burst for love of
You, rather than I should neglect even one act of love for You.
1567 As I took the
pen in hand, I addressed a short prayer to the Holy Spirit and said,
"Jesus, bless this pen so that everything You order me to write may be
for the glory of God." Then I heard a voice: Yes, I bless [it], because this writing bears the
seal of obedience to your superior and confessor, and by that very fact I am
already given glory, and many souls will be drawing profit from it. My
daughter, I demand that you devote all your free moments to writing about My
goodness and mercy. It is your office and your assignment throughout your life
to continue to make known to souls the great mercy I have for them and to
exhort them to trust in My bottomless mercy.
1670 + Easter
[April 17, 1938]. During Mass, I thanked the Lord Jesus for having deigned to
redeem us and for having given us that greatest of all gifts; namely, His
love in Holy Communion; that is, His very own Self. At that moment, I was
drawn into the bosom of the Most Holy Trinity, and I was immersed in the love
of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These moments are hard to describe.
1828 16. + Today,
the Majesty of God is surrounding me. There is no way that I can help myself
to prepare better. I am thoroughly enwrapped in God. My soul is being
inflamed by His love. I only know that I love and am loved. That is enough
for me. I am trying my best to be faithful throughout the day to the Holy
Spirit and to fulfill His demands. I am trying my best for interior silence
in order to be able to hear His voice...
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-56, 148, 167, 170, 248,
291, 356, 359)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-392, 451, 472, 477-478,
486, 501)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-525-526, 552, 647,
658, 734, 777)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1073, 1090, 1106,
1174)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-IV-1286)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1504, 1556-1557, 1567)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1670, 1828)
http://www.saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS10.shtml
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Abril 30, 2013
Danger of Slavery-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
Abril 29, 2013
Holy Spirit-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
Holy Spirit
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Memorial of Saint
Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church
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Father Patrick Langan, LC
John 14: 21-26
Jesus said to his disciples: "Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him." Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, "Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name-- he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you."
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, thank You for
granting me the opportunity to be with You. There are things in life, Lord,
that attract me, but You attract me more. I hope in You, and I love You.
Maybe I don’t really understand what it means to love, and maybe I don’t love
the way I should, but I do love You.
Petition: Lord, a lot of images distract me. Help me
do something about this.
1. The Danger: It is easy to forget you, Lord, especially
with all the images that are around me. Every image I harbor in my heart,
every emotion I abandon myself to leaves its mark. These can come from the
radio, the Internet, songs, novels… anywhere. They seem to swamp my mind and
make it easier to forget you. These images and emotions can also impoverish,
degrade, limit and reduce my ability to extract from life its magnificent
content, usefulness and happiness. You remind me that I should use everything
only in as much as it helps me to reach you, my final goal.
2. The Gift: On the other hand, I know you have sent us
the gift of the Holy Spirit. As you promise in this Gospel, he will never
stop reminding me of you. All I have to do is let his projector fill my
imagination with images, with thoughts, with insights. Of course, I also have
to use the world’s media correctly and in moderation. Holy Spirit, I know you
are near; take possession of my soul and make it all your own. Guide my every
decision so that I choose what is right and reject what is evil.
3. Accepting the
Gift: When I do forget,
the Holy Spirit will remind me of all that Christ has said. All of the
emotions and thoughts you inspire, Holy Spirit, will enrich my ability to
live enthusiastically and forcefully. You will fill my mind with great and
powerful images. All I have to do is open myself to you.
“The habitual
difficulty in prayer is distraction. […] To set about hunting down
distractions would be to fall into their trap, when all that is necessary is
to turn back to our heart: for a distraction reveals to us what we are
attached to, and this humble awareness before the Lord should awaken our
preferential love for him and lead us resolutely to offer him our heart to be
purified. Therein lies the battle, the choice of which master to serve”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2729).
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, I have the
option of letting myself be consumed with thoughts of anger, lust and
power—thoughts that will make me grow old and become a more intense version
of myself, closed in on myself. Help me take the steps to avoid these
temptations. Allow the Holy Spirit to animate my mind and my soul.
Resolution: I will clear my mind by filling my thoughts
with God and his things.
Excerpts from the DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
56 O my God, I understand well that You
demand this spiritual childhood[32]
of me, because You are constantly asking it of me through Your
representatives.
At the beginning of my religious life, suffering and adversities frightened and disheartened me. So I prayed continuously, asking Jesus to strengthen me and to grant me the power of His Holy Spirit that I might carry out His holy will in all things, because from the beginning I have been aware of my weakness. I know very well what I am of myself, because for this purpose Jesus has opened the eyes of my soul; I am an abyss of misery, and hence I understand that whatever good there is in my soul consists solely of His holy grace. The knowledge of my own misery allows me, at the same time, to know the immensity of Your mercy. In my own interior life, I am looking with one eye at the abyss of my misery and baseness, and with the other, at the abyss of Your mercy, O God.
148 +A noble and delicate soul, even the
most simple, but one of delicate sensibilities, sees God in everything, finds
Him everywhere, and knows how to find Him in even the most hidden things. It
finds all things important, it highly appreciates all things, it thanks God
for all things, it draws profit for the soul from all things, and it gives
all glory to God. It places its trust in God and is not confused when the
time of ordeals comes. It knows that God is always the best of Fathers and
makes little of human opinion. It follows faithfully the faintest breath of
the Holy Spirit; it rejoices in this Spiritual Guest and holds onto Him like
a child to its mother. Where other souls come to a standstill and fear, this
soul passes on without fear or difficulty.
167 Today [November, 1932], I arrived in
Warsaw for the third probation. After a cordial meeting with the dear
Mothers, I went into the small chapel for a moment. Suddenly God's presence
filled my soul, and I heard these words, My daughter, I desire that your
heart be formed after the model of My merciful Heart. You must be completely
imbued with My mercy.
Dear Mother Directress [Margaret] at once asked me whether I had had a retreat that year, and I said no. "Then you must first have a retreat of at least three days." Thanks be to God there was at Walendows[57] an eight-day retreat in which I could take part. But difficulties arose in regard to my leaving for this retreat. A certain person opposed my going very much, and it already [appeared that] I was not to go. After dinner, I went into the chapel for a five-minute adoration. Suddenly I saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me, My daughter, I am preparing many graces for you, which you will receive during this retreat which you will begin tomorrow. I answered, "Jesus, the retreat has already begun, and I am not supposed to go." And He said to me, Get ready for it, because you will begin the retreat tomorrow. And as for your departure, I will arrange that with the superiors. And in an instant, Jesus disappeared. I began to wonder how this was going to happen. But after a moment I rejected all such thoughts and devoted the time I had to prayer, begging the Holy Spirit for light to see the whole misery that I am. After a short while, I left the little chapel to go about my duties. Soon Mother General [Michael] called me and said, "Sister, you will go to Walendow today with Mother Valeria so that you can start the retreat tomorrow. Fortunately, Mother Valeria happens to be here and you can go together." Within two hours I was already in Walendow. I reflected for a moment within myself and recognized that only Jesus can arrange things in such a way.
170 The first day of the retreat. I tried
to be the first in the chapel in the morning; before the meditation I had a
bit of time for prayer to the Holy Spirit and to Our Lady. I earnestly begged
the Mother of God to obtain for me the grace of fidelity to these inner
inspirations and of faithfully carrying out God's will, whatever it might be.
I began this retreat with a very special kind of courage.
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.
291 On a certain occasion, I saw a person
about to commit a mortal sin. I asked the Lord to send me the greatest
torments so that that soul could be saved. Then I suddenly felt the terrible
pain of a crown of thorns on my head. It lasted for quite a long time, but
that person remained in the Lord's grace. 0 my Jesus, how very easy it is to
become holy; all that is needed is a bit of good will. If Jesus sees this
little bit of good will in the soul, He hurries to give himself to the soul,
and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings nor falls-absolutely nothing.
Jesus is anxious to help that soul, and if it is faithful to this grace from
God, it can very soon attain the highest holiness possible for a creature
here on earth. God is very generous and does not deny His grace to anyone.
Indeed He gives more than what we ask of Him. Faithfulness to the
inspirations of the Holy Spirit-that is the shortest route.
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.
359 January 10, 1935. +Thursday. In the
evening during benediction,[85]
such thoughts as these began to distress me: Is not perhaps all this that I
am saying about God's great mercy just a lie or an illusion...? And I wanted
to think about this for a while, when I heard a strong and clear inner voice
saying, Everything
that you say about My goodness is true; language has no adequate expression
to extol My goodness. These words were so filled with power
and so clear that I would give my life in declaring they came from God. I can
tell this by the profound peace that accompanied them at that time and that
still remains with me. This peace gives me such great strength and power that
all difficulties, adversities, sufferings, and death itself are as nothing.
This light gave me a glimpse of the truth that all my efforts to bring souls
to know the mercy of the Lord are very pleasing to God. And from this springs
such great joy in my soul that I do not know whether it could be any greater
in heaven. Oh, if souls would only be willing to listen, at least a little,
to the voice of conscience and the voicethat is, the inspirations-of the Holy
Spirit! I say "at least a little," because once we open ourselves
to the influence of the Holy Spirit, He himself will fulfill what is lacking
in us.
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?
451
Once after Holy Communion, I heard these words: You are Our dwelling place. At
that moment, I felt in my soul the presence of the Holy Trinity, the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. I felt that I was the temple of God. I felt I
was a child of the Father. I cannot explain all this, but the spirit
understands it well. O infinite Goodness, how low You stoop to Your miserable
creature!
472 I knew, more distinctly than ever
before, the Three Divine Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
But their being, their equality and their majesty are one. My soul is in
communion with these Three; but I do not know how to express this in words;
yet my soul understands it well. Whoever is united to One of the Three
Persons is thereby united to the whole Blessed Trinity, for this Oneness is
indivisible. This vision, or rather, this knowledge filled my soul with
unimaginable happiness, because God is so great. What I am describing I did
not see with my eyes, as on previous occasions, but in a purely interior
manner, in a purely spiritual way, independent of the senses. This continued
until the end of Holy Mass.
This now happens often to me, and not only in the chapel, but also at work and at times when I least expect it.
477 Silence is a sword in the spiritual
struggle. A talkative soul will never attain sanctity. The sword of silence
will cut off everything that would like to cling to the soul. We are
sensitive to words and quickly want to answer back, without taking any regard
as to whether it is God's will that we should speak. A silent soul 14 strong;
no adversities will harm it if it perseveres in silence. The silent soul is
capable of attaining the closest union with God. It lives almost always under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God works in a silent soul without
hindrance.
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.
486 Jesus, when You come to me in Holy
Communion, You who together with the Father and the Holy Spirit have deigned
to dwell in the little heaven of my heart, I try to keep You company
throughout the day, I do not leave You alone for even a moment. Although I am
in the company of other people or with our wards, my heart is always united
to Him. When I am asleep I offer Him every beat of my heart; when I awaken I
immerse myself in Him without saying a word. When I awaken I adore the Holy
Trinity for a short while and thank God for having deigned to give me yet
another day, that the mystery of the incarnation of His Son may once more be
repeated in me, and that once again His sorrowful Passion may unfold before
my eyes. I then try to make it easier for Jesus to pass through me to other
souls. I go everywhere with Jesus; His presence accompanies me everywhere.
501 Oh, how great is Your beauty, Jesus my
Spouse! Living Flower enclosing life-giving dew for a thirsting soul! My soul
is drowned in You. You alone are the object of my desires and strivings.
Unite me as closely as possible to Yourself, to the Father and to the Holy
Spirit. Let me live and die in You.
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.
552 In addition to the vows, I see one rule
as most important. Although all the rules are important, I put this one in
first place, and it is silence. Truly, if this rule were to be observed
strictly, I would not worry about the others. Women are very fond of talking,
but the Holy Spirit does not speak to a soul that is distracted and
garrulous. He speaks by His quiet inspirations to a soul that is recollected,
to a soul that knows how to keep silence. If silence were strictly observed,
there would not be any grumbling, bitterness, slandering, or gossip, and
charity would not be tarnished. In a word, many wrongs would not be done.
Silent lips are pure gold and bear witness to holiness within.
647 From this, I came to understand one
thing: that I must pray much for each of my confessors, that he might obtain
the light of the Holy Spirit, for when I approach the confessional without
first praying, fervently, the confessor does not understand me very well.
Father encouraged me to pray fervently for these intentions, that God would
give better knowledge and understanding of the things He is asking of me.
"Make novena after novena, Sister, and God will not refuse the
graces."
June, 1936. Conversation with Father A.
[Andrasz]
658 "Know that these are hard and difficult things. Your principal spiritual director is the Holy Spirit. We can only give direction to these inspirations, but your real director is the Holy Spirit. If you yourself have decided to leave, Sister, I neither prohibit nor order you to do so. You take the responsibility for yourself. I say this to you, Sister: you can begin to take action. You are capable of doing so, and therefore you can do so. These things are indeed probable; all you have told me up to now [before perpetual vows in Cracow in 1933] speaks in favor of taking action. Still, you have to be very careful in all this. Pray much and ask that I be given light."
734 I see that Jesus himself is acting in
my soul during this retreat. And as for me, I try only to be faithful to His
grace. I have submitted my soul completely to the influence of God. This
Mighty Ruler of Heaven has taken entire possession of my soul. I feel that I
am being lifted up above earth and heaven into the inner life of God, where I
come to know the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, but always in the unity
of majesty.
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."
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.
1090 And this happened on the last day of
my novena to the Holy Spirit. After this return to health, I found myself
united with the Lord Jesus in a purely spiritual way. Jesus gave me strong
assurances; that is, He confirmed me in respect to His demands. I remained
close to the Lord Jesus all that day and talked with Him about the details
concerning that congregation.
Jesus infused my soul with power and courage to act. Now I understand that if the Lord demands something of a soul, He gives it the means to carry it out, and through grace He makes it capable of doing this. So, even if the soul be utterly miserable, at the Lord's command it can undertake things beyond its expectation, because this is the sign by which it can be known that the Lord is with that soul: if God's power and strength, which make the soul courageous and valiant, is manifest within it. As for myself, I am always at first a bit frightened at the Lord's greatness, but afterwards my soul is filled with profound peace which nothing can disturb, as well as an inner strength to do what the Lord is demanding at that particular moment....
1106 + Virtue without prudence is not
virtue at all. We should often pray to the Holy Spirit for this grace of
prudence. Prudence consists in discretion, rational reflection and courageous
resolution. The final decision is always up to us. We must decide; we can and
we ought to seek advice and light...
1174 July 4, 1937. First Sunday of the
month.
Monthly retreat. This evening, I prepared with great care and prayed long to the Holy Spirit that He might deign to grant me His light and take me under His special guidance; [I prayed] also to Our Lady, to my Guardian Angel, and to our patron saints. [200]
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.
1504 + Lord, You
know that since my youth I have always sought Your will and, recognizing it, have
always tried to carry it out. My heart has been accustomed to the
inspirations of the Holy Spirit, to whom I am faithful. In the midst of the
greatest din I have heard the voice of God. I always know what is going on in
my interior...
1556 When I had
gone to the chapel for a moment, the Lord gave me to know that, among His chosen
ones, there are some who are especially chosen, and whom He calls to a higher
form of holiness, to exceptional union with Him. These are seraphic souls,
from whom God demands greater love than He does from others. Although all
live in the same convent, yet He sometimes demands of a particular soul a
greater degree of love. Such a soul understands this call, because God makes
this known to it interiorly, but the soul may either follow this call or not.
It depends on the soul itself whether it is faithful to these touches of the
Holy Spirit, or whether it resists them. I have learned that there is a place
in purgatory where souls will pay their debt to God for such transgressions;
this kind of torment is the most difficult of all. The soul which is
specially marked by God will be distinguished everywhere, whether in heaven
or in purgatory or in hell. In heaven, it will be distinguished from other
souls by greater glory and radiance and deeper knowledge of God. In
purgatory, by greater pain, because it knows God more profoundly and desires
Him more vehemently. In hell, it will suffer more profoundly than other
souls, because it knows more fully whom it has lost. This indelible mark of
God's exclusive love, in the [soul], will not be obliterated.
1557 O Jesus, keep me in holy
fear, so that I may not waste graces. Help me to be faithful to the
inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Grant that my heart may burst for love of
You, rather than I should neglect even one act of love for You.
1567 As I took the
pen in hand, I addressed a short prayer to the Holy Spirit and said,
"Jesus, bless this pen so that everything You order me to write may be
for the glory of God." Then I heard a voice: Yes, I bless [it], because this writing bears the
seal of obedience to your superior and confessor, and by that very fact I am
already given glory, and many souls will be drawing profit from it. My
daughter, I demand that you devote all your free moments to writing about My
goodness and mercy. It is your office and your assignment throughout your life
to continue to make known to souls the great mercy I have for them and to
exhort them to trust in My bottomless mercy.
1670 + Easter
[April 17, 1938]. During Mass, I thanked the Lord Jesus for having deigned to
redeem us and for having given us that greatest of all gifts; namely, His
love in Holy Communion; that is, His very own Self. At that moment, I was
drawn into the bosom of the Most Holy Trinity, and I was immersed in the love
of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These moments are hard to describe.
1828 16. + Today,
the Majesty of God is surrounding me. There is no way that I can help myself
to prepare better. I am thoroughly enwrapped in God. My soul is being
inflamed by His love. I only know that I love and am loved. That is enough
for me. I am trying my best to be faithful throughout the day to the Holy
Spirit and to fulfill His demands. I am trying my best for interior silence
in order to be able to hear His voice...
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-56, 148, 167, 170, 248,
291, 356, 359)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-392, 451, 472, 477-478,
486, 501 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-525-526, 552, 647,
658, 734, 777 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1073, 1090, 1106,
1174)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-IV-1286)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1504, 1556-1557, 1567)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1670, 1828)
http://www.saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS10.shtml
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