Unwelcome Homecoming
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Monday of the Third
Week of Lent
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Luke 4:24-30
Jesus
said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: "Amen, I say to you, no
prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were
many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three
and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to
none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the
land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of
Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the
Syrian." When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all
filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the
brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down
headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
Introductory
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as I
prepare for Easter during this Lenten season, I turn to You once again in
prayer. I believe that You are my creator and that You have created me to
know, love and serve You. I believe that You want to help me fulfill my
purpose in life; that is why You came to earth to suffer and die. I offer You
my prayer today as a small token of my gratitude, a small token of my desire
to live my life for You. I know that sometimes I can let things get between
us. Now, during this time of prayer, I want to give all my attention to You
so that You – and not my egoism or passions – may govern my life choices.
Petition:
Lord, help me to
have the humility to accept Your will for my life.
1.
No Special Privileges: Jesus’ fellow townsmen are upset with Jesus for pointing out
that there were times in history that God showed his favor to Gentiles and
not just Jews. They are upset because they had put their security in their
Jewish heritage and the promises made to their people through the Patriarchs.
They want to think that because they are Jews somehow God must show them more
favor than the Gentiles. We, too, can make this mistake. We think that
because we belong to this or that organization, or because we have this or
that position, somehow God must give us more attention and special
privileges. Isn’t this often the cause of indignation in our lives? We are
upset when do not receive preferential treatment. We think that we are
deserving of more. Does that indignation ever grow so strong that I try
to rid myself of Christ?
2.
Seeking God’s Blessings: Why did God send Elijah to help the widow in Zarephath and
Elisha to cleanse Naaman the Syrian? Surely it was not because they were more
important or holier people. God chose them because they welcomed him. The
widow in Zarephath happily went to fetch Elijah a drink of water when he
asked for it and obediently gave him the last of the food she had. Naaman
repented from his indignation and went to bathe in the Jordan as Elisha told
him to do. God gives his gifts to those who welcome him.
3.
Willful Acceptance of Christ: Christ is perhaps too familiar to his townsmen. They are not
able to recognize who he really is. They are upset with the way he speaks,
and so they do not accept him. Will I accept Christ in my life? Perhaps he is
too familiar to me. I think I know who he is. Perhaps I am unwilling to
accept his teachings. Perhaps I am indignant that he has blessed others more
than me. The people of Nazareth tried to throw Jesus over a cliff, but they
could not get rid of him. Their assault was futile. Christ simply walked
away. Christ cannot be gotten rid of. Perhaps there are times in my life when
I want to get rid of Christ, but I can never destroy or blot him out of
existence. He is always there waiting for me to accept him.
Conversation
with Christ: Lord,
please help me so that my ideas about how things should be will not cloud my
vision of who You are. As I prepare for the approaching Easter, help me to
purify myself of all egoism, sensuality, vanity and pride so that I can
accept Your love with an open heart.
Resolution:
I will look for an
instance during the day when I can welcome Christ’s teaching into my life.
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 afte rMass 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]
47 In the evening,
when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One
hand [was] raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the
garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside at the
breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In
silence I kept my gaze fixed on the Lord; my soul was struck with awe, but
also with great joy. After a while, Jesus said to me, Paint an image
according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You.
I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then]
throughout the world.
48 I promise
that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise
victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of
death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory.
49 When I told this
to my confessor,[29]
I received this for a reply: "That refers to your soul." He told
me, "Certainly, paint God's image in your soul." When I came out of
the confessional, I again heard words such as these: My image already is
in your soul. I desire that there be a Feast of Mercy. I want this image,
which you will paint with a brush, to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday
after Easter; that Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy.
50 + I desire
that priests proclaim this great mercy of Mine towards souls of sinners. Let
the sinner not be afraid to approach Me. The flames of mercy are burning Me -
clamoring to be spent; I want to pour them out upon these souls.
Jesus complained to me in these words, Distrust on the part of souls is tearing at My insides. The distrust of a chosen soul causes Me even greater pain; despite My inexhaustible love for them they do not trust Me. Even My death is not enough for them. Woe to the soul that abuses these [gifts].
72 O Jesus, eternal
Truth, our Life, I call upon You and I beg Your mercy for poor sinners. O
sweetest Heart of my Lord, full of pity and unfathomable mercy, I plead with
You for poor sinners. O Most Sacred Heart, Fount of Mercy from which gush
forth rays of inconceivable graces upon the entire human race, I beg of You
light for poor sinners. O Jesus, be mindful of Your own bitter Passion and do
not permit the loss of souls redeemed at so dear a price of Your most
precious Blood. O Jesus, when I consider the great price of Your Blood, I
rejoice at its immensity, for one drop alone would have been enough for the
salvation of all sinners. Although sin is an abyss of wickedness and
ingratitude, the price paid for us can never be equalled. Therefore, let
every soul trust in the Passion of the Lord, and place its hope in His mercy.
God will not deny His mercy to anyone. Heaven and earth may change, but God's
mercy will never be exhausted. Oh, what immense joy burns in my heart when I
contemplate Your incomprehensible goodness, O Jesus! I desire to bring all
sinners to Your feet that they may glorify Your mercy throughout endless
ages.
73 O my Jesus,
despite the deep night that is all around me and the dark clouds which hide
the horizon, I know that the sun never goes out. O Lord, though I cannot
comprehend You and do not understand Your ways, I nonetheless trust in Your
mercy. If it is Your will, Lord, that I live always in such darkness, may You
be blessed. I ask You only one thing, Jesus: do not allow me to offend You in
any way. O my Jesus, You alone know the longings and the sufferings of my
heart. I am glad I can suffer for You, however little. When I feel that the
suffering is more than I can bear, I take refuge in the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament,
and I speak to Him with profound silence.
83 Write this:
before I come as the just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy.
Before the day of justice arrives, there will be given to people a sign in
the heavens of this sort: All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and
there will be great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the cross
will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and the feet
of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up
the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last
day.
84 O Blood and
Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us,
I trust in You!
92 Humiliation is my daily food. I understand
that the bride must herself share in everything that is the groom's; and so
His cloak of mockery must cover me, too. At those times when I suffer much, I
try to remain silent, as I do not trust my tongue which, at such moments, is
inclined to talk for itself, while its duty is to help me praise God for all
the blessings and gifts which He has given me. When I receive Jesus in Holy
Communion, I ask Him fervently to deign to heal my tongue so that I would
offend neither God nor neighbor by it. I want my tongue to praise God without
cease. Great are the faults committed by the tongue. The soul will not attain
sanctity if it does not keep watch over its tongue.
94 O my Lord, inflame my heart with love for You, that my spirit may not grow weary amidst the storms, the sufferings and the trials. You see how weak I am. Love can do all.
95 +A Deeper Knowledge of God and the Terror of
the Soul.
In the beginning, God lets himself be known as Holiness, Justice, Goodness - that is to say, Mercy. The soul does not come to know this all at once, but piecemeal, in flashes; that is to say, when God draws near. And this does not last for long, because the soul could not bear such light. During prayer the soul experiences flashes of this light which make it impossible to pray as before. Try as it may to force itself to pray as it did before, all is in vain; it becomes completely impossible for it to continue to pray as it did before it received this light. This light which has touched the soul is alive within it, and nothing can either quench or diminish it. This flash of the knowledge of God draws the soul and enkindles its love for Him. But this same flash, at the same time, allows the soul to know itself as it is; the soul sees its whole interior in a superior light, and it rises up alarmed and terrified. Still, it does not remain under the effects of terror, but it begins to purify itself, to humble and abase itself before the Lord. These lights become stronger and more frequent; the more the soul is crystallized, the more these lights penetrate it. However, if the soul has responded faithfully and courageously to these first graces, God fills it with His consolations and gives himself to it in a perceptible manner. At certain moments, the soul, as it were, enters into intimacy with God and greatly rejoices in this; it believes that it has already reached the degree of perfection destined for it, because its defects and faults are asleep within it, and this makes it think that they no longer exist. Nothing seems difficult for it; it is ready for everything. It begins to plunge itself into God and taste the divine delights. It is carried along by grace and does not take account of the fact that the time of trial and testing may come. And, in fact, this state does not last long. Other moments will soon come. I should add here, however, that the soul will respond more faithfully to divine grace if it has a well - informed confessor to whom it can confide everything.
96 +Trials sent by
God to a soul which is particularly loved by Him.
Temptations and darkness; Satan. The soul's love [for God] is still not such as God would have it. The soul suddenly loses the tangible perception of God's presence. Various defects and imperfections rise up within it, and it must fight them furiously. All her faults lift up their heads, but the soul's vigilance is great. The former awareness of the presence of God gives place to coldness and spiritual dryness; the soul has no taste for spiritual exercises; it cannot pray, either in the old way, or in the manner in which it had just begun to pray. It struggles this way and that, but can find no satisfaction. God has hidden himself from it, and it can find no consolation in creatures, nor can any of these creatures find a way of consoling it. The soul craves passionately for God, but sees its own misery; it begins to sense God's justice; it seems to it that it has lost all the gifts that God had given it; its mind is dimmed, and darkness fills it; unspeakable torment begins. The soul tries to explain its state to the confessor, but it is not understood and is assailed by an even greater unrest. Satan begins his work.
97 Faith staggers under the impact; the struggle
is fierce. The soul tries hard to cling to God by an act of will. With God's
permission, Satan goes even further: hope and love are put to the test. These
temptations are terrible. God supports the soul in secret, so to speak. The
soul is not aware of this, but otherwise it would be impossible to stand
firm; and God knows very well how much He can allow to befall a soul. The
soul is tempted to unbelief in respect to revealed truths and to insincerity
toward the confessor. Satan says to it, "Look, no one understands you;
why speak about all this?" Words that terrify it sound in its ears, and
it seems to the soul that it is uttering these against God. It sees what it
does not want to see. It hears what it does not want to hear. And, oh, it is
a terrible thing at times like these not to have an experienced confessor!
The soul carries the whole burden alone. However, one should make every
effort to find, if it is at all possible, a well-informed confessor, for the
soul can collapse under the burden and come to the very edge of the
precipice. All these trials are heavy and difficult. God does not send them
to a soul which has not already been admitted to a deeper intimacy with Him
and which has not yet tasted the divine delights. Besides, in this God has
His own plans, which for us are impenetrable. God often prepares a soul in
this way for His future designs and great works. He wants to try it as pure
gold is tried. But this is not yet the end of the testing; there is still the
trial of trials, the complete abandonment of the soul by God.
+ The Trial of Trials, Complete Abandonment -
Despair
98 When the soul comes out victorious from the preceding trials, even though it may stumble here and there, it fights on valiantly, humbly calling upon God, "Save me, I am perishing!" And it is still able to fight on. At this point, however, the soul is engulfed in a horrible night. It sees within itself only sin. It feels terrible. It sees itself completely abandoned by God. It feels itself to be the object of His hatred. It is but one step away from despair. The soul does its best to defend itself; it tries to stir up its confidence; but prayer is an even greater torment for it, as this prayer seems to arouse God to an even greater anger. The soul finds itself poised on the summit of a lofty mountain on the very brink of a precipice. The soul is drawn to God, but feels repulsed. All other sufferings and tortures in the world are as nothing compared with this sensation into which it has been plunged; namely, that of being rejected by God. No one can bring it any relief; it finds itself completely alone; there is no one to defend it. It raises its eyes to heaven, but is convinced that this is not for her-for her all is lost. It falls deeper and deeper from darkness to darkness, and it seems to it that it has lost forever the God it used to love so dearly. This thought is torture beyond all description. But the soul does not agree to it and tries to lift its gaze toward heaven, but in vain! And this makes the torture even more intense. If God wishes to keep the soul in such darkness, no one will be able to give it light. It experiences rejection by God in a vivid and terrifying manner. From its heart burst forth painful moans, so painful that no priest will comprehend it, unless he himself has been through these trials. In the midst of this, the evil spirit adds to the soul's suffering, mocking it: "Will you persist in your faithfulness? This is your reward; you are in our power!" But Satan has only as much influence over the soul as God allows him, and God knows how much we can bear. "What have you gotten out of your mortifications," says Satan, "and out of your fidelity to the rule? What use are all these efforts? You have been rejected by God!" This word, rejected, becomes a fire which penetrates every nerve to the marrow of the bone. It pierces right through her entire being. The ordeal reaches its climax. The soul no longer looks for help anywhere. It shrinks into itself and loses sight of everything; it is as though it has accepted the torture of being abandoned. This is a moment for which I have no words. This is the agony of the soul.
106 Though these are frightening things, the
soul should not be too fearful, because God will never test us beyond what we
are able to bear. On the other hand, He may never send us such sufferings,
but I write this because, if it pleases the Lord to let a soul pass through
such sufferings, it should not be afraid but, insofar as this depends on the
soul itself, it should remain faithful to God. God will do a soul no harm,
because He is Love itself, and in this unfathomable love has called it into
being. However, when I was so tormented, I myself did not understand this.
107 O my God, I have come to know that I am not
of this earth; You, O Lord, have poured this profound awareness into my soul.
My communion is more with heaven than with earth, though I in no way neglect
my duties.
115 + When a soul
has come out of these tribulations, it is deeply humble. Its purity of soul
is great. It knows better without need of reflecting, as it were, what it
ought to do at a given moment and what to forbear. It feels the lightest
touch of grace and is very faithful to God. It recognizes God from afar and
continuously rejoices in Him. It discovers God very quickly in other souls
and in its environment in general. The soul has been purified by God himself.
God, as Pure Spirit, introduces the soul to a life which is purely spiritual.
God himself has first prepared and purified the soul; that is, He has made it
capable of close communion with himself. The soul, in a state of loving
repose, communes spiritually with the Lord. It speaks to God without the need
of expressing itself through the senses. God fills it with His light.
The enlightened mind sees clearly and distinguishes the various degrees of the spiritual life. It recognizes [that state] when its union with God was imperfect: where the senses were involved, and the spirit was linked with the senses in a manner-exalted and special, to be sure but not yet perfect. There is a higher and more perfect union with God; namely, intellectual union. Here, the soul is safer from illusions; its spirituality is purer and more profound. In a life where the senses are involved, there is more danger of illusion. Both for the soul and for its confessor, prudence must play a greater part. There are moments when God introduces the soul to a purely spiritual state. The senses dim and are seemingly dead. The soul is most closely united to God; it is immersed in the Deity; its knowledge is complete and perfect, not sporadic as before, but total and absolute. It rejoices in this. But I want to say more about those moments of trial; at those times the confessor must have patience with such a soul. But the soul must have even greater patience with itself.
140 Pure love is
capable of great deeds, and it is not broken by difficulty or adversity. As
it remains strong in the midst of great difficulties, so too it perseveres in
the toilsome and drab life of each day. It knows that only one thing is
needed to please God: to do even the smallest things out of great love-love,
and always love.
Pure love never errs. Its light is strangely plentiful. It will not do anything that might displease God. It is ingenious at doing what is more pleasing to God, and no one will equal it. It is happy when it can empty itself and burn like a pure offering. The more it gives of itself, the happier it is. But also, no one can sense dangers from afar as can love; it knows how to unmask and also knows with whom it has to deal.
145
Oh, how wretched my soul is for having wasted so many graces! I was running
away from God, and He pursued me with his graces. I most often experienced
God's graces when I least expected them. From the moment He gave me a
spiritual director, I have been more faithful to grace. Thanks to the
director and his watchfulness over my soul, I have learned what guidance
means and how Jesus looks at it. Jesus warned me of the least fault and
stressed that He himself judges the matter that I present to my confessor;
and [He told me] that ... any transgressions against the confessor touch
Me myself.
When under his direction my soul began to experience deep recollection and peace, I often heard these words in my soul: Strengthen yourself for combat - repeated over and over at various times. +Jesus often makes known to me what He does not like in my soul, and He has more than once rebuked me for what seemed to be trifles, but which were, in fact, things of great importance. He has warned me and tried me like a Master. For many years He himself educated me, until the moment when He gave me a spiritual director. Previously, He himself had made clear to me what I did not understand; but now, He tells me to ask my confessor about everything and often says, I will answer you through his mouth. Be at peace. It has never happened to me that I have received an answer which was contrary to what the Lord wanted of me, when I presented it to the spiritual director [Father Sopocko]. It sometimes happens that Jesus first asks certain things of me, about which no one knows anything, and then, when I kneel at the confessional, my confessor gives me the same order-however, this is infrequent. +When, over a long period of time, a soul has received much light and many inspirations, and when the confessors have confirmed the source of these inspirations and set the soul at peace; if its love is great, Jesus now makes it known that it is time to put into action what it has received. The soul recognizes that God is counting on it, and this knowledge fortifies it. It knows that to be faithful it will often have to face various difficulties, but it trusts in God and, thanks to this trust, it reaches that point to which God is calling it. Difficulties do not terrify it; they are its daily bread, as it were. They do not frighten or terrify the soul, just as a warrior who is constantly in battle is not terrified by the roar of the cannon. Far from being frightened, it listens to determine from which side the enemy is launching his attack, in order to defeat him. It does nothing blindly, but examines and ponders everything deeply and, not counting on itself, it prays fervently and asks advice of other warriors who are experienced and wise. When the soul acts in this way, it nearly always wins. There are attacks when a soul has no time to think or seek advice; then it must enter into a life-or-death struggle. Sometimes it is good to flee for cover in the wound of the Heart of Jesus, without answering a single word. By this very act the enemy is already defeated. In time of peace, as well, the soul continues making efforts, just as in time of battle. It must exercise itself, and do so with energy; otherwise it has no chance of attaining victory. I regard the time of peace as a time of preparation for victory. The soul must be ever watchful; watchfulness and again, watchfulness. The soul that reflects receives much light. A distracted soul runs the risk of a fall, and let it not be surprised when it does fall. O Spirit of God, Director of the soul, wise is he whom You have trained! But for the Spirit of God to act in the soul, peace and recollection are needed.
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.
186
+Today Jesus said to me, I desire that you know more profoundly the love
that burns in My Heart for souls, and you will understand this when you
meditate upon My Passion. Call upon My mercy on behalf of sinners; I desire
their salvation. When you say this prayer, with a contrite heart and with
faith on behalf of some sinner, I will give him the grace of conversion. This
is the prayer:
187
"O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a
fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You."
190
Once during an adoration, the Lord demanded that I give myself up to Him as
an offering, by bearing a certain suffering in atonement, not only for the
sins of the world in general, but specifically for transgressions committed
in this house. Immediately I said, "Very good; I am ready." But
Jesus gave me to see what I was going to suffer, and in one moment the whole
passion unfolded itself before my eyes. Firstly, my intentions will not be
recognized; there will be all kinds of suspicion and distrust as well as
various kinds of humiliations and adversities. I will not mention everything
here. All these things stood before my soul's eye like a dark storm from
which lightning was ready to strike at any moment, waiting only for my
consent. For a moment, my nature was frightened. Then suddenly the dinner
bell rang. I left the chapel, trembling and undecided. But the sacrifice was
ever present before me, for I had neither decided to accept it, nor had I
refused the Lord. I wanted to place myself completely in His will. If the
Lord Jesus himself were to impose it on me, I was ready. But Jesus gave me to
know that I myself was to give my free consent and accept it with full
consciousness, or else it would be meaningless. Its whole power was contained
in my free act before God. But at the same time, Jesus gave me to understand
that the decision was completely within my power. I could do it or not do it.
And so I then answered immediately, "Jesus, I accept everything that You
wish to send me; I trust in Your goodness." At that moment, I felt that
by this act I glorified God greatly. But I armed myself with patience. As
soon as I left the chapel, I had an encounter with reality. I do not want to
describe the details, but there was as much of it as I was able to bear. I
would not have been able to bear even one drop more.
198
On one occasion the Lord said to me, My daughter, your confidence and love
restrain My justice, and I cannot inflict punishment because you hinder Me
from doing so. Oh, how great is the power of a soul filled with
confidence!
200 O Jesus, how
deeply it hurts the soul when it is always trying to be sincere and they
accuse it of hypocrisy and behave with mistrust toward it. O Jesus, You also
suffered like this to make satisfaction to Your Father.
The
little novice of Jesus-Sister Faustina.
229 +At the beginning of the retreat, Jesus told me, During this retreat, I myself will direct your soul. I want to confirm you in peace and love. And so the first few days passed by. On the fourth day, doubts began to trouble me: Is not this tranquillity of mine false? Then I heard these words, My daughter, imagine that you are the sovereign of all the world and have the power to dispose of all things according to your good pleasure. You have the power to do all the good you want, and suddenly a little child knocks on your door, all trembling and in tears and, trusting in your kindness, asks for a piece of bread lest he die of starvation. What would you do for this child? Answer Me, my daughter. And I said, "Jesus, I would give the child all it asked and a thousand times more. "And the Lord said to me, That is how I am treating your soul. In this retreat I am giving you, not only peace, but also such a disposition of soul that even if you wanted to experience uneasiness you could not do so. My love has taken possession of your soul, and I want you to be confirmed in it. Bring your ear close to My Heart, forget everything else, and meditate upon My wondrous mercy. My love will give you the strength and courage you need in these matters.
230
Jesus, living Host, You are my Mother, You are my all! It is with simplicity
and love, with faith and trust that I will always come to You, O Jesus! I
will share everything with You, as a child with its loving mother, my joys
and sorrows-in a word, everything.
249
+Jesus, I trust in You; I trust in the ocean of your mercy. You are a Mother
to me.
275
Jesus loves hidden souls. A hidden flower is the most fragrant. I must strive
to make the interior of my soul a resting place for the Heart of Jesus. In
difficult and painful moments, O my Creator, I sing You a hymn of trust, for
bottomless is the abyss of my trust in You and in Your mercy!
294 +Once the Lord said to me, Act like a beggar who does not back
away when he gets more alms [than he asked for], but offers thanks the more
fervently. You too should not back away and say that you are not worthy of
receiving greater graces when I give them to you. I know you are unworthy,
but rejoice all the more and take as many treasures from My Heart as you can
carry, for then you will please Me more. And I will tell you one more thing:
Take these graces not only for yourself, but also for others; that is,
encourage the souls with whom you come in contact to trust in My infinite
mercy. Oh, how I love those souls who have complete confidence in Me. I will
do everything for them.
+The
Mystery of the Soul. Vilnius, 1934
299 When, on one occasion, my confessor told me to ask the Lord Jesus the meaning of the two rays in the image,[77] I answered, "Very well, I will ask the Lord." During prayer I heard these words within me: The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls... These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy.
300
+Ask of my faithful servant [Father Sopocko] that, on this day, he tell
the whole world of My great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fount of Life
on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment.
+Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy. +Oh, how much I am hurt by a soul's distrust! Such a soul professes that I am Holy and Just, but does not believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in My Goodness. Even the devils glorify My Justice but do not believe in My Goodness. My Heart rejoices in this title of Mercy.
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.
580 On a certain
occasion, the Lord said to me, I am more deeply wounded by the small
imperfections of chosen souls than by the sins of those living in the world.
It made me very sad that chosen souls make Jesus suffer, and Jesus told me, These
little imperfections are not all. I will reveal to you a secret of My Heart:
what I suffer from chosen souls. Ingratitude in return for so many graces is
My Heart's constant food, on the part of [such] a chosen soul. Their love is
lukewarm, and My Heart cannot bear it; these souls force Me to reject them.
Others distrust My goodness and have no desire to experience that sweet
intimacy in their own hearts, but go in search of Me, off in the distance,
and do not find Me. This distrust of My goodness hurts Me very much. If My
death has not convinced you of My love, what will? Often a soul wounds Me
mortally, and then no one can comfort Me. They use My graces to offend Me.
There are souls who despise My graces as well as all the proofs of My love.
They do not wish to hear My call, but proceed into the abyss of hell. The
loss of these souls plunges Me into deadly sorrow. God though I am, I cannot
help such a soul because it scorns Me; having a free will, it can spurn Me or
love Me. You, who are the dispenser of My mercy, tell all the world about My
goodness, and thus you will comfort My Heart.
654 Now I
understand that confession is only the confessing of one's sins, and
spiritual guidance is a different thing altogether. But this is not what I
want to speak about. I want to tell about a strange thing that happened to me
for the first time. When the confessor started talking to me, I did not
understand a single word. Then I saw Jesus Crucified and He said to me, It
is in My Passion that you must seek light and strength. After the
confession, I meditated on Jesus' terrible Passion, and I understood that
what I was suffering was nothing compared to the Savior's Passion, and that
even the smallest imperfection was the cause of this terrible suffering. Then
my soul was filled with very great contrition, and only then I sensed that I
was in the sea of the unfathomable mercy of God. Oh, how few words I have to
express what I am experiencing! I feel I am like a drop of dew engulfed in
the depths of the bottomless ocean of divine mercy.
666 I understood
that all striving for perfection and all sanctity consist in doing God's
will. Perfect fulfillment of God's will is maturity in sanctity; there is no
room for doubt here. To receive God's light and recognize what God wants of
us and yet not do it is a great offense against the majesty of God. Such a
soul deserves to be completely forsaken by God. It resembles Lucifer, who had
great light, but did not do God's will. An extraordinary peace entered my
soul when I reflected on the fact that, despite great difficulties, I had
always faithfully followed God's will as I knew it. O Jesus, grant me the
grace to put Your will into practice as I have come to know it, O God.
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.
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.
1059
Jesus is commanding me to make a novena before the Feast of Mercy, and today
I am to begin it for the conversion of the whole world and for the
recognition of The Divine Mercy... so
that every soul will praise My goodness. I desire trust from My creatures.
Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak,
sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins than
there are grains of sand in the world, all would be drowned in the
unmeasurable depths of My mercy.
1064
+ O my most sweet Master, good Jesus, I give You my heart. You shape and mold
it after Your liking. O fathomless love, I open the calyx of my heart to You,
like a rosebud to the freshness of dew. To You alone, my Betrothed, is known
the fragrance of the flower of my heart. Let the fragrance of my sacrifice be
pleasing to You. O Immortal God, my everlasting delight, already here on
earth You are my heaven. May every beat of my heart be a new hymn of praise
to You, O Holy Trinity! Had I as many hearts as there are drops of water in
the ocean or grains of sand in the whole world, I would offer them all to
You, O my Love, O Treasure of my heart! Whomever I shall meet in my life, no
matter who they may be, I want to draw them all to love You, O my Jesus, my
Beauty, my Repose, my sole Master, Judge, Savior and Spouse, all in one; I
know that one title will modify the other-I have entrusted everything to Your
mercy.
1065
+ My Jesus, support me when difficult and stormy days come, days of testing,
days of ordeal, when suffering and fatigue begin to oppress my body and my
soul. Sustain me, Jesus, and give me strength to bear suffering. Set a guard
upon my lips that they may address no word of complaint to creatures. Your
most merciful Heart is all my hope. I have nothing for my defense but only
Your mercy; in it lies all my trust.
1074
When I went for adoration, I heard these words: My beloved daughter, write down
these words, that today My Heart has rested in this convent [the
Cracow house]. Tell
the world about My mercy and My love.
The flames of mercy are burning me. I desire to pour them out upon human souls. Oh, what pain they cause Me when they do not want to accept them! My daughter, do whatever is within your power to spread devotion to My mercy. I will make up for what you lack. Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it -with peace. Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.
1075
Souls who spread the
honor of My mercy I shield through their entire lives as a tender mother her
infant, and at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the
Merciful Savior. At that last hour, a soul has nothing with which to defend
itself except My mercy. Happy is the soul that during its lifetime immersed
itself in the Fountain of Mercy, because justice will have no hold on it.
1076
Write this: Everything
that exists is enclosed in the bowels of My mercy, more deeply than an infant
in its mother's womb. How painfully distrust of My goodness wounds Me! Sins
of distrust wound Me most painfully.
1165 Know this,
My daughter: if you strive for perfection you will sanctify many souls; and
if you do not strive for sanctity, by the same token, many souls will remain
imperfect. Know that their perfection will depend on your perfection, and the
greater part of the responsibility for these souls will fall on you.
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.
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.
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].
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."
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. 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.
1293 It so happened
that I fell again into a certain error, in spite of a sincere resolution not
to do so-even though the lapse was a minor imperfection and rather
involuntary-and at this I felt such acute pain in my soul that I interrupted
my work and went to the chapel for a while. Falling at the feet of Jesus,
with love and a great deal of pain, I apologized to the Lord, all the more
ashamed because of the fact that in my conversation with Him after Holy
Communion this very morning I had promised to be faithful to Him. Then I
heard these words: If it hadn't been for this small imperfection, you
wouldn't have come to Me. Know that as often as you come to Me, humbling
yourself and asking My forgiveness, I pour out a superabundance of graces on
your soul, and your imperfection vanishes before My eyes, and I see only your
love and your humility. You lose nothing but gain much...
1566 When I was
apologizing to the Lord Jesus for a certain action of mine which, a little
later, turned out to be imperfect, Jesus put me at ease with these words:
My daughter, I reward you for the purity of your intention which you had at
the time when you acted. My Heart rejoiced that you had My love under
consideration at the time you acted, and that in so distinct a way; and even
now you still derive benefit from this; that is, from the humiliation. Yes,
My child, I want you to always have such great purity of intention in the
very least things you undertake.
1584 O
inconceivable goodness of God, which shields us at every step, may Your mercy
be praised without cease. That You became a brother to humans, not to angels,
is a miracle of the unfathomable mystery of Your mercy. All our trust is in
You, our first-born Brother, Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. My heart
flutters with joy to see how good God is to us wretched and ungrateful
people. And as a proof of His love, He gives us the incomprehensible gift of
Himself in the person of His Son. Throughout all eternity we shall never
exhaust that mystery of love. O mankind, why do you think so little about God
being truly among us? O Lamb of God, I do not know what to admire in You
first: Your gentleness, Your hidden life, the emptying of Yourself for the
sake of man, or the constant miracle of Your mercy, which transforms souls
and raises them up to eternal life. Although You are hidden in this way, Your
omnipotence is more manifest here than in the creation of man. Though the
omnipotence of Your mercy is at work in the justification of the sinner, yet
Your action is gentle and hidden.
1683
Write for the benefit
of religious souls that it delights Me to come to their hearts in Holy
Communion. But if there is anyone else in such a heart, I cannot bear it and
quickly leave that heart, taking with Me all the gifts and graces I have
prepared for the soul. And the soul does not even notice My going. After some
time, inner emptiness and dissatisfaction will come to her attention. Oh, if
only she would turn to Me then, I would help her to cleanse her heart, and I
would fulfill everything in her soul; but without her knowledge and consent,
I cannot be the Master of her heart.
1690 After Holy Communion today, Jesus said, My daughter give Me
souls. Know that it is your mission to win souls for Me by prayer and
sacrifice, and by encouraging them to trust in My mercy.
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-6,
18, 19, 47-50, 72-73, 83-84, 92)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I-94-98, 106-107, 115, 140, 145, 148)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I-186-187, 190, 200, 229-230)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-249, 275, 294, 299-300,
497 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-II-580, 654, 666, 678, 724, 954)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1059, 1064, 1065,
1074-1076 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-III-1165, 1180-1184, 1199-1200)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-III-1204-1205, 1207-1208)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-IV-1237, 1239, 1241, 1243-1244)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-IV-1255-1256, 1262, 1293)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-V-1566, 1584)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1683, 1690)
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Marso 24, 2014
Unwelcome Homecoming-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
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