What´s in a Name?
Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist
Father Edward
McIlmail, LC
Luke 1:57-66, 80
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I make this
effort at prayer for the sake of my soul and the souls of my loved ones. I
believe that You died for us and want us to be with You forever in heaven.
Petition: Grant me new
respect, Lord, for parents.
1. Bundle of Joy: The arrival of a new baby has been a source of
joy throughout the ages. Babies are God´s way of saying the world should go on.
Each new child reflects a facet of the infinite beauty and mystery of God. And
by teaching us patience and selflessness, the little ones help us grow in
holiness. In their childlike simplicity they teach us to remain simple. Their
neediness can, and should, soften our hearts. They don´t even have to be our
own children; we can feel an obligation to help all kids, since their lives
enrich all of us. What have I done lately to help the little ones, born and
unborn? Is there a crisis-pregnancy center that could use help? Have I spoken
well of parents who are open to large families?
2. God´s Choice: For the ancient Jews a name captured, even
defined, a person´s identity. So for Elizabeth to name her son "John"
was significant. It showed her recognition of God´s great plan for the child.
John was in the Almighty´s special care from the start. Even today, each and
every child is loved by God and has a destiny in the heavenly Father´s plan.
Each has a vocation, a calling, in the Church. Do I appreciate the role that
little ones have in God´s plans? Do I respect their dignity? Or do I try to
impose my prejudices on them? They are tomorrow´s adults. How will I want them
to remember my example?
3. Loosened Lips: Zechariah had doubted God and was struck mute. He regains his speech only after publicly accepting God´s plan and allowing his newborn son to take the name John. We, too, might have a bit of Zechariah in us. We resist God, only to hit a dead end. Bad friendships, habits of serious sin, rising despair – all of these can eat away at us. Yet, repentance is slow to come. Why? "We think that evil is basically good," said Pope Benedict XVI (December 8, 2005). "We think that we need it, at least a little, in order to experience the fullness of being. … If we look, however, at the world that surrounds us we can see that this is not so; in other words, that evil is always poisonous, does not uplift human beings, but degrades and humiliates them." Am I resisting God´s plans?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, You have put family members and other loved ones in my life for a reason. I´m to help them get to heaven, and they are to help me do the same. Remind me of this truth, and help me in a special way not to interfere with the plans You have for the children in my life.
3. Loosened Lips: Zechariah had doubted God and was struck mute. He regains his speech only after publicly accepting God´s plan and allowing his newborn son to take the name John. We, too, might have a bit of Zechariah in us. We resist God, only to hit a dead end. Bad friendships, habits of serious sin, rising despair – all of these can eat away at us. Yet, repentance is slow to come. Why? "We think that evil is basically good," said Pope Benedict XVI (December 8, 2005). "We think that we need it, at least a little, in order to experience the fullness of being. … If we look, however, at the world that surrounds us we can see that this is not so; in other words, that evil is always poisonous, does not uplift human beings, but degrades and humiliates them." Am I resisting God´s plans?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, You have put family members and other loved ones in my life for a reason. I´m to help them get to heaven, and they are to help me do the same. Remind me of this truth, and help me in a special way not to interfere with the plans You have for the children in my life.
Resolution: I will pray a decade of the rosary that all my family members reach heaven.
Excerpts from the DIARY of Saint
Faustina Kowalska
6 I am to write [3]
down the encounters of my soul with You, O God, at the moments of Your special
visitations. I am to write about You, O Incomprehensible in mercy towards my
poor soul. Your holy will is the life of my soul. I have received this order
through him who is for me Your representative here on earth, who interprets
Your holy Will to me. Jesus, You see how difficult it is for me to write, how
unable I am to put down clearly what I experience in my soul. O God, can a pen
write down that for which many a time there are no words? But You give the
order to write, O God; that is enough for me.
18 However, after three weeks I became aware that
there is so very little time here for prayer, and of many other things which
spoke to my soul in favor of entering a religious community of a stricter
observance. This thought took a firm hold of my soul, but the will of God was
not in it. Still, the thought, or rather the temptation, was growing stronger
and stronger to the point where I decided one day to announce my departure to
Mother Superior and definitely to leave [the convent]. But God arranged the
circumstances in such a way that I could not get to the Mother Superior
[Michael]. I stepped into the little chapel [7]
before going to bed, and I asked Jesus for light in this matter. But I received
nothing in my soul except a strange unrest which I did not understand. But, in
spite of everything, I made up my mind to approach Mother Superior the next morning
right after Mass and tell her of my decision.
19 I came to my cell. The sisters were already in bed - the lights were out. I entered the cell full of anguish and discontent; I did not know what to do with myself. I threw myself headlong on the ground and began to pray fervently that I might come to know the will of God. There is silence everywhere as in the tabernacle. All the sisters are resting like white hosts enclosed in Jesus’ chalice. It is only from my cell that God can hear the moaning of a soul. I did not know that one was not allowed to pray in the cell after nine without permission. [8]
19 I came to my cell. The sisters were already in bed - the lights were out. I entered the cell full of anguish and discontent; I did not know what to do with myself. I threw myself headlong on the ground and began to pray fervently that I might come to know the will of God. There is silence everywhere as in the tabernacle. All the sisters are resting like white hosts enclosed in Jesus’ chalice. It is only from my cell that God can hear the moaning of a soul. I did not know that one was not allowed to pray in the cell after nine without permission. [8]
497 O Eternal Truth, Word Incarnate, who most
faithfully fulfilled Your Father's will, today I am becoming a martyr of Your
inspirations, since I cannot carry them out because I have no will of my own,
though interiorly I see Your will clearly. I submit in everything to the will
of my superiors and my confessor. I will follow Your will insofar as You will
permit me to do so through Your representative. O my Jesus, it cannot be
helped, but I give priority to the voice of the Church over the voice with
which You speak to me.
678 The essence of the
virtues is the will of God. He who does the will of God faithfully, practices
all the virtues. In all the events and circumstances of my life, I adore and
bless the holy will of God. The holy will of God is the object of my love. In
the most secret depths of my soul, I live according to His will. I act
exteriorly according to what I recognize inwardly as the will of God. Sweeter
to me are the torments, sufferings, persecutions and all manner of adversities
by divine will than popularity, praise and esteem by my own will.
724 On the eve of the retreat, I started to
pray that the Lord Jesus might give me just a little health so that I could
take part in the retreat, because I was feeling so ill that I thought perhaps
it might be my last. However, as soon as I had started praying I felt a strange
dissatisfaction. I interrupted the prayer of supplication and began to thank
the Lord for everything He sends me, submitting myself completely to His holy
will. Then I felt profound peace of soul. + Faithful submission to the will of
God, always and everywhere, in all events and circumstances of life, gives
great glory to God. Such submission to the will of God carries more weight with
Him than long fasts, mortifications and the most severe penances. Oh, how great
is the reward for one act of loving submission to the will of God! As I write,
my soul is enraptured at the thought of how much God loves it and of the peace
that my soul already enjoys, here on earth.
742 My daughter, if I demand through you
that people revere My mercy, you should be the first to distinguish yourself by
this confidence in My mercy. I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to
arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and
everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself
from it.
I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first-by deed, the second-by word, the third-by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works. O my Jesus, You yourself must help me in everything, because You see how very little I am, and so I depend solely on Your goodness, O God.
I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first-by deed, the second-by word, the third-by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works. O my Jesus, You yourself must help me in everything, because You see how very little I am, and so I depend solely on Your goodness, O God.
954 Today after Holy Communion, the Lord told me,
My daughter, My delight is to unite myself with you. It is when you submit
yourself to My will that you give Me the greatest glory and draw down upon
yourself a sea of blessings. I would not take such special delight in you if
you were not living by my will. O my sweet Guest, I am prepared for all
sacrifices for Your sake, but You know that I am weakness itself. Nevertheless,
with You I can do all things. O my Jesus, I beseech You, be with me at each
instant.
1180 June [July] 15, 1937. Once, I learned that I
was to be transferred to another house. My knowledge of this was purely
interior. At the same time, I heard a voice in my soul: Do not be afraid, My
daughter; it is My will that you should remain here. Human plans will be
thwarted, since they must conform to My will.
1181 When I was close to the Lord, He said to
me, Why are you afraid to begin the work which I have commanded you to carry
out? I answered, "Why do You leave me on my own at such times, Jesus,
and why do I not feel Your presence?" My daughter, even though you do
not perceive Me in the most secret depths of your heart, you still cannot say
that I am not there. I only remove from you the awareness of My presence, and
that should not be an obstacle to the carrying out of My will. I do this to
achieve My unfathomable ends, which you will know of later on.
My daughter, know without doubt, and once and for all, that only mortal sin drives Me out of a soul, and nothing else.
1182 + Today the Lord said to me, My daughter, My pleasure and delight, nothing will stop Me from granting you graces. Your misery does not hinder My mercy. My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all. On the cross, the fountain of My mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls-no one have I excluded!
1183 O Jesus, I want to live in the present moment, to live as if this were the last day of my life. I want to use every moment scrupulously for the greater glory of God, to use every circumstance for the benefit of my soul. I want to look upon everything, from the point of view that nothing happens without the will of God.
My daughter, know without doubt, and once and for all, that only mortal sin drives Me out of a soul, and nothing else.
1182 + Today the Lord said to me, My daughter, My pleasure and delight, nothing will stop Me from granting you graces. Your misery does not hinder My mercy. My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all. On the cross, the fountain of My mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls-no one have I excluded!
1183 O Jesus, I want to live in the present moment, to live as if this were the last day of my life. I want to use every moment scrupulously for the greater glory of God, to use every circumstance for the benefit of my soul. I want to look upon everything, from the point of view that nothing happens without the will of God.
1184 On an earlier occasion.
In the evening, I saw the Lord Jesus upon the cross. From His hands, feet and side, the Most Sacred Blood was flowing. After some time, Jesus said to me, All this is for the salvation of souls. Consider well, My daughter, what you are doing for their salvation. I answered, "Jesus, when I look at Your suffering, I see that I am doing next to nothing for the salvation of souls." And the Lord said to me, Know, My daughter, that your silent day-to-day martyrdom in complete submission to My will ushers many souls into heaven. And when it seems to you that your suffering exceeds your strength, contemplate My wounds, and you will rise above human scorn and judgment. Meditation on My Passion will help you rise above all things. I understood many things I had been unable to comprehend before.
In the evening, I saw the Lord Jesus upon the cross. From His hands, feet and side, the Most Sacred Blood was flowing. After some time, Jesus said to me, All this is for the salvation of souls. Consider well, My daughter, what you are doing for their salvation. I answered, "Jesus, when I look at Your suffering, I see that I am doing next to nothing for the salvation of souls." And the Lord said to me, Know, My daughter, that your silent day-to-day martyrdom in complete submission to My will ushers many souls into heaven. And when it seems to you that your suffering exceeds your strength, contemplate My wounds, and you will rise above human scorn and judgment. Meditation on My Passion will help you rise above all things. I understood many things I had been unable to comprehend before.
1199 [July] 29. I am to leave for Rabka
today. I went into the chapel and asked the Lord Jesus for a safe journey. But
within my soul there was silence and darkness. I felt I was all alone and had
no one [to turn to]. I asked Jesus to be with me. Then I felt a tiny ray of
light in my soul as a sign that Jesus was with me but, after this grace, the
darkness and shadows in my soul increased. Then I said, "Your will be
done, for everything is possible to You." When I was on the train and
gazed through the window at the beautiful countryside and the mountains, the
torments of my soul grew even greater. As the sisters welcomed me and began to
surround me with their warmth, my sufferings redoubled.
1200 I would have like to hide and rest for a while in solitude, in a word, to be alone. At such moments, no creature is capable of giving me comfort, and even if I had wanted to say something about myself, I would have experienced new anguish. Therefore, I have kept silent at such moments and submitted myself, in silence, to the will of God-and that has given me relief. I demand nothing from creatures and communicate with them only in so far as is necessary. I will not take them into my confidence unless this is for the greater glory of God. My communing is with the angels [cf. Mt. 18:10; Ex. 23:20].
1200 I would have like to hide and rest for a while in solitude, in a word, to be alone. At such moments, no creature is capable of giving me comfort, and even if I had wanted to say something about myself, I would have experienced new anguish. Therefore, I have kept silent at such moments and submitted myself, in silence, to the will of God-and that has given me relief. I demand nothing from creatures and communicate with them only in so far as is necessary. I will not take them into my confidence unless this is for the greater glory of God. My communing is with the angels [cf. Mt. 18:10; Ex. 23:20].
1202 I could not even go to Holy Mass or
receive Holy Communion today but, amidst the sufferings of body and soul, I
kept on repeating, "May the Lord's will be done. I know that Your bounty
is without limit." Then 1 heard an angel who sang out my whole life
history and everything it comprised. I was surprised, but also strengthened.
1204 A retreat of suffering. O Jesus, in
these days of suffering, I am not capable of any kind of prayer. The oppression
of my body and soul has increased. O my Jesus, You do see that Your child is on
the decline. I am not forcing myself further, but simply submitting my will to
the will of Jesus. O Jesus, You are always Jesus to me.
1205 When I went to confession, I did not
even know how to confess. However, the priest [probably Father Casimir
Ratkiewicz [205]]
recognized the condition of my soul at once and said to me, "Despite
everything, you are on the way to salvation; you are on the right path, but God
may leave your soul in this darkness and obscurity until death, and the former
light may never return. But in all things abandon yourself to the will of
God."
1207 August 10. Today I am returning to
Cracow, in the company of one of the sisters. My soul is shrouded in suffering.
I am continually uniting myself to Him by an act of the will. He is my power
and strength.
1208 May You be blessed, O God, for
everything You send me. Nothing under the sun happens without Your will. I
cannot penetrate Your secrets with regard to myself, but I press my lips to the
chalice You offer me.
1237 O Jesus, what darkness is enveloping me
and what nothingness is penetrating me. But, my Jesus, do not leave me alone;
grant me the grace of faithfulness. Although I cannot penetrate the mystery of
God's visitation, it is in my power to say: Your will be done.
1239 O living Host, O hidden Jesus. You see
the condition of my soul. Of myself, I am unable to utter Your Holy Name. I
cannot bring forth from my heart the fire of love but, kneeling at Your feet, I
cast upon the Tabernacle the gaze of my soul, a gaze of faithfulness. As for
You, You are ever the same, while within my soul a change takes place. I trust
that the time will come when You will unveil Your countenance, and Your child
will again see Your sweet face. I am astonished, Jesus, that You can hide
yourself from me for so long and that You can restrain the enormous love You
have for me. In the dwelling of my heart, I am listening and waiting for Your
coming, O only Treasure of my heart!
1241 + 0 my Jesus, when someone is unkind and
unpleasant toward us, it is difficult enough to bear this kind of suffering.
But this is very little in comparison to a suffering which I cannot bear;
namely, that which I experience when someone exhibits kindness towards me and
then lays snares at my feet at every step I take. What great will power is
necessary to love such a soul for God's sake. Many a time one has to be heroic
in loving such a soul as God demands. If contact with that person were
infrequent, it would be easier to endure, but when one lives in close contact
with the person and experiences this at each step, this demands a very great
effort.
1243 "These times of dryness and stark
awareness of one's wretchedness, which God has permitted, allow the soul to
know how little it can do by itself. They will teach you how much you should
appreciate God's graces. Secondly, faithfulness in all exercises and duties,
faithfulness in everything, just as in times of joy. Thirdly, as regards the
matters in question, be absolutely obedient to the Archbishop [Jalbrzykowski]
although, from time to time, the matter can be brought to his attention, but
peacefully. Sometimes, a little bitter truth is necessary."
At the end of the conversation, I asked the priest to allow me to commune with Jesus as I had done formerly. He answered, "I cannot give orders to the Lord Jesus, but if He himself draws you to himself you may follow the attraction. However, always remember to show Him great reverence, for the Lord is great indeed. If you are truly seeking God's will in all this and desire to fulfill it, you can be at peace; the Lord will not allow any sort of error. As to the mortifications and sufferings, you will give me an account next time of how you carry them out. Place yourself in the hands of the Most Holy Mother."
At the end of the conversation, I asked the priest to allow me to commune with Jesus as I had done formerly. He answered, "I cannot give orders to the Lord Jesus, but if He himself draws you to himself you may follow the attraction. However, always remember to show Him great reverence, for the Lord is great indeed. If you are truly seeking God's will in all this and desire to fulfill it, you can be at peace; the Lord will not allow any sort of error. As to the mortifications and sufferings, you will give me an account next time of how you carry them out. Place yourself in the hands of the Most Holy Mother."
1244 August 15, 1937. During meditation,
God's presence pervaded me keenly, and I was aware of the Virgin Mary's joy at
the moment of Her Assumption. Towards the end of the ceremony carried out in
honor of the Mother of God, I saw the Virgin Mary, and She said to me, Oh, how
very pleased I am with the homage of your love! And at that moment She covered
all the sisters of our Congregation with Her mantle. With Her right hand, She
clasped Mother General Michael to herself, and with Her left hand She did so to
me, while all the sisters were at Her feet, covered with Her mantle. Then the
Mother of God said, Everyone who perseveres zealously till death in My
Congregation will be spared the fire of purgatory, and I desire that each one
distinguish herself by the following virtues: humility and meekness; chastity
and love of God and neighbor; compassion and mercy. After these words, the
whole Congregation disappeared from my sight, and I remained alone with the
Most Holy Mother who instructed me about the will of God and how to apply it to
my life, submitting completely to His most holy decrees. It is impossible for
one to please God without obeying His holy will. My daughter, I strongly
recommend that you faithfully fulfill all God's wishes, for that is most pleasing
in His holy eyes. I very much desire that you distinguish yourself in this
faithfulness in accomplishing God's will. Put the will of God before all
sacrifices and holocausts. While the heavenly Mother was talking to me, a
deep understanding of this will of God was entering my soul.
1255 "As concerns yourself, Sister, it
is good that you are remaining in a state of holy indifference in everything
that pertains to the will of God, and that you are better maintaining a state
of equilibrium. Please do your best to keep this equanimity. Now, as regards
all these matters, you are to depend exclusively on Father Andrasz; I am in
complete agreement with him. Do nothing on your own, Sister, but in all matters
take counsel from your spiritual director. I beg you to keep your
levelheadedness and as great a calm as possible.One more thing-I am having
printed the chaplet which is to be on the back of the image, as well as the
invocations that resemble a litany; these too will be placed on the back.
Another large image has also been printed, and with it a few pages which
contain the Novena to The Divine Mercy. [208] Pray,
Sister, that this be approved."
1256 [August] 30. Reverend Father Sopocko
left this morning. When I was steeped in a prayer of thanksgiving for the great
grace that I had received from God; namely, that of seeing Father, I became
united in a special way with the Lord who said to me, He is a priest after
My own Heart; his efforts are pleasing to Me. You see, My daughter, that My
will must be done and that which I had promised you, I shall do. Through him I
spread comfort to suffering and careworn souls. Through him it pleased Me to
proclaim the worship of My mercy. And through this work of mercy more souls
will come close to Me than otherwise would have, even if he had kept giving
absolution day and night for the rest of his life, because by so doing, he
would have labored only for as long as he lived; whereas, thanks to this work
of mercy, he will be laboring till the end of the world.
1262 September 3. First Friday of the month.
During Holy Mass, I became united with God. Jesus gave me to know that even the
smallest thing does not happen on earth without His will. After having seen
this, my soul entered into an unusual repose; I found myself completely at
peace as to the work in its full extent. God can deal with me as He pleases,
and I will bless Him for everything.
1264 Act of total abandonment to the will of
God, which is for me, love and mercy itself.
Act of Oblation
Jesus-Host, whom I have this very moment received into my heart, through this union with You I offer myself to the heavenly Father as a sacrificial host, abandoning myself totally and completely to the most merciful and holy will of my God. From today onward, Your will, Lord, is my food. Take my whole being; dispose of me as You please. Whatever Your fatherly hand gives me, I will accept with submission, peace and joy. I fear nothing, no matter in what direction You lead me; helped by Your grace I will carry out everything You demand of me. I no longer fear any of Your inspirations nor do I probe anxiously to see where they will lead me. Lead me, O God, along whatever roads You please; I have placed all my trust in Your will which is, for me, love and mercy itself.
Bid me to stay in this convent, I will stay; bid me to undertake the work, I will undertake it; leave me in uncertainty about the work until I die, be blessed; give me death when, humanly speaking, my life seems particularly necessary, be blessed. Should You take me in my youth, be blessed; should You let me live to a ripe old age, be blessed. Should You give me health and strength, be blessed; should You confine me to a bed of pain for my whole life, be blessed. Should you give only failures and disappointments in life, be blessed. Should You allow my purest intentions to be condemned, be blessed. Should You enlighten my mind, be blessed. Should You leave me in darkness and all kinds of torments, be blessed.
From this moment on, I live in the deepest peace, because the Lord himself is carrying me in the hollow of His hand. He, Lord of unfathomable mercy, knows that I desire Him alone in all things, always and everywhere.
Act of Oblation
Jesus-Host, whom I have this very moment received into my heart, through this union with You I offer myself to the heavenly Father as a sacrificial host, abandoning myself totally and completely to the most merciful and holy will of my God. From today onward, Your will, Lord, is my food. Take my whole being; dispose of me as You please. Whatever Your fatherly hand gives me, I will accept with submission, peace and joy. I fear nothing, no matter in what direction You lead me; helped by Your grace I will carry out everything You demand of me. I no longer fear any of Your inspirations nor do I probe anxiously to see where they will lead me. Lead me, O God, along whatever roads You please; I have placed all my trust in Your will which is, for me, love and mercy itself.
Bid me to stay in this convent, I will stay; bid me to undertake the work, I will undertake it; leave me in uncertainty about the work until I die, be blessed; give me death when, humanly speaking, my life seems particularly necessary, be blessed. Should You take me in my youth, be blessed; should You let me live to a ripe old age, be blessed. Should You give me health and strength, be blessed; should You confine me to a bed of pain for my whole life, be blessed. Should you give only failures and disappointments in life, be blessed. Should You allow my purest intentions to be condemned, be blessed. Should You enlighten my mind, be blessed. Should You leave me in darkness and all kinds of torments, be blessed.
From this moment on, I live in the deepest peace, because the Lord himself is carrying me in the hollow of His hand. He, Lord of unfathomable mercy, knows that I desire Him alone in all things, always and everywhere.
1265 Prayer. O Jesus, stretched out upon the
cross, I implore You, give me the grace of doing faithfully the most holy will
of Your Father, in all things, always and everywhere. And when this will of God
will seem to me very harsh and difficult to fulfill, it is then I beg You,
Jesus, may power and strength flow upon me from Your wounds, and may my lips
keep repeating, "Your will be done, O Lord." O Savior of the world,
Lover of man's salvation, who in such terrible torment and pain forget Yourself
to think only of the salvation of souls, O most compassionate Jesus, grant me
the grace to forget myself that I may live totally for souls, helping You in
the work of salvation, according to the most holy will of Your Father....
1266 August 5, [1937]. [209] The
Lord let me know how much our dear Mother Superior [Irene] is defending me
against... not only by prayer but also by deed. Thank You, Jesus, for this
grace. It will not go unrequited in my heart; when I am with Jesus, I do not
forget about her.
1267 September 6, 1937. Today, I begin a new
assignment. I go from the garden to the desert of the gate. [210] I went
in to talk to the Lord for a while. I asked Him for a blessing and for graces
to faithfully carry out the duties entrusted to me. I heard these words: My
daughter, I am always with you. I have given you the opportunity to practice
deeds of mercy which you will perform according to obedience. You will give Me
much pleasure if, each evening, you will speak to Me especially about this
task. I felt that Jesus had given me a new grace in relation to my new
duties; but, despite this, I have locked myself deeper in His Heart.
1268 Today I felt more ill, but Jesus has
given me many more opportunities on this day to practice virtue. It so happened
that I was busier than usual, and the sister in charge of the kitchen made it
clear to me how irritated she was that I had come late for dinner, although it
was quite impossible for me to have come sooner. At any rate, I felt so unwell
that I had to ask Mother Superior to allow me to lie down. I went to ask Sister
N. to take my place, and again I got a scolding: "What is this, Sister,
you're so exhausted that you're going back to bed again! Confound you with all
this lying in bed!" I put up with all that, but that wasn't the end. I
still had to ask the sister who was in charge of the sick to bring me my meal.
When I told her this, she burst out of the chapel into the corridor after me to
give me a piece of her mind: "Why on earth are you going to bed, Sister,
etc...... I asked her not to bother bringing me anything. I am writing all this
very briefly because it is not my intention to write about such things, and I
am doing so merely to dissuade souls from treating others in this way, for this
is displeasing to the Lord. In a suffering soul we should see Jesus Crucified,
and not a loafer or burden on the community. A soul who suffers with submission
to the will of God draws down more blessings on the whole convent than all the
working sisters. Poor indeed is a convent where there are no sick sisters. God
often grants many and great graces out of regard for the souls who are
suffering, and He withholds many punishments solely because of the suffering
souls.
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-6, 18-19, 497)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-678, 724, 742, 954)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1180-1184, 1199-1200, 1202, 1204)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1207-1208, 1237, 1239, 1241, 1244 )
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-121255-1256, 1262, 1264-1268)
http://www.saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS10.shtml
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