The Power of the Spirit
Pentecost Sunday
John 20: 19-23
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors
were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and
stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he
had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced
when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As
the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he
breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins
you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Introductory
Prayer: Today, Lord, we celebrate the gift of Your Holy Spirit to the
Church, which You won for us through Your patient suffering on the cross. I
believe and trust in his power to make me a better apostle of Your Kingdom, to
bring fervor where I have grown tepid, to instill detachment where I have
become too indulgent, and to perfect the innocence of my baptism, which leaves
my soul more pure and worthy to serve and honor You each day.
Petition: Come Holy
Spirit, fill my heart with your grace and enkindle in me the fire of your love.
1. The Doors
Were Locked: What is it that makes a disciple of Christ stop cold in the path
of conversion and commitment? Cloaked underneath our spiritual inertia and lack
of zeal are not so much our personal defects or our lack of human virtue as
blindness to the dynamic power of the Crucified and Risen Lord. We can leave
our self-made prisons only by opening our hearts to a faith in Christ that is
total: total trust (in spite of the confusion of the present and uncertainty of
the future), total hope (by breaking away from having to see the ideal in
ourselves before we will act), and total divine confidence (in setting aside
the sins of others and our personal failures that keep us stuck in myopic
visions of life). Christ comes through bolted doors again today to ask us to
unlock them with a real experience of the Risen Lord in the power of the Spirit.
2. Peace Be
With You: It is vital to examine our “peace” and see if it truly speaks of
the peace of the Upper Room. Substitute “satisfaction” for the word “peace,”
and see where our hearts have tried to find consolation this past week. Then
substitute the word “fulfillment.” This is the peace that Christ brings through
the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some passing satisfactions are part of life, and
we can be grateful for them. When we seek them for their own sake, however, we
can easily drown out the life of the Spirit, who comes to bring us deep peace
and fulfillment in life. Pentecost must convince us above all about prayer and
the order of life that permit us to have constant contact with sources of grace
and divine inspiration.
3. Receive
the Holy Spirit: In the sacrament of penance, we are forgiven our sins through
the action of the Holy Spirit, who makes the actions of Christ present through
the priest. We believe that mercy founds hope and change in our soul. Why,
then, do we not believe that this same grace from the Holy Spirit can make us
heroic saints, victorious in trial, patient in difficult relationships and more
effective as apostles? Christ assures us that his power will never leave us, so
we have no reason to “slip into neutral” after a few bad incidents in our life.
Rather, the Holy Spirit’s goal moves us from mercy to transformation into
Christ, permitting us spiritually to carry and reveal his wounds to an
unbelieving world.
Conversation
with Christ: Oh, Jesus, I will trust more in the power of Your Holy Spirit to
change me than in my own efforts. I will depend on You in that face-to-face
encounter I need to have with You every day. Let the sources of divine grace
become my true food, and may I move away from feeding my soul on passing
pleasures and vain ambitions.
Resolution: This week, I
will write down daily all the lights and inspirations of the Holy Spirit I
receive, and I will try to act on them with promptness, confidence and
generosity.
Excerpts from the DIARY of
Saint Faustina Kowalska
56
O my God, I understand well that You demand this spiritual childhood[32]
of me, because You are constantly asking it of me through Your representatives.
At the beginning of my religious life, suffering and adversities frightened and disheartened me. So I prayed continuously, asking Jesus to strengthen me and to grant me the power of His Holy Spirit that I might carry out His holy will in all things, because from the beginning I have been aware of my weakness. I know very well what I am of myself, because for this purpose Jesus has opened the eyes of my soul; I am an abyss of misery, and hence I understand that whatever good there is in my soul consists solely of His holy grace. The knowledge of my own misery allows me, at the same time, to know the immensity of Your mercy. In my own interior life, I am looking with one eye at the abyss of my misery and baseness, and with the other, at the abyss of Your mercy, O God.
At the beginning of my religious life, suffering and adversities frightened and disheartened me. So I prayed continuously, asking Jesus to strengthen me and to grant me the power of His Holy Spirit that I might carry out His holy will in all things, because from the beginning I have been aware of my weakness. I know very well what I am of myself, because for this purpose Jesus has opened the eyes of my soul; I am an abyss of misery, and hence I understand that whatever good there is in my soul consists solely of His holy grace. The knowledge of my own misery allows me, at the same time, to know the immensity of Your mercy. In my own interior life, I am looking with one eye at the abyss of my misery and baseness, and with the other, at the abyss of Your mercy, O God.
148
+A noble and delicate soul, even the most simple, but one of delicate
sensibilities, sees God in everything, finds Him everywhere, and knows how to
find Him in even the most hidden things. It finds all things important, it
highly appreciates all things, it thanks God for all things, it draws profit
for the soul from all things, and it gives all glory to God. It places its
trust in God and is not confused when the time of ordeals comes. It knows that God
is always the best of Fathers and makes little of human opinion. It follows
faithfully the faintest breath of the Holy Spirit; it rejoices in this
Spiritual Guest and holds onto Him like a child to its mother. Where other
souls come to a standstill and fear, this soul passes on without fear or
difficulty.
167
Today [November, 1932], I arrived in Warsaw for the third probation. After a
cordial meeting with the dear Mothers, I went into the small chapel for a
moment. Suddenly God's presence filled my soul, and I heard these words, My
daughter, I desire that your heart be formed after the model of My merciful
Heart. You must be completely imbued with My mercy.
Dear Mother Directress [Margaret]
at once asked me whether I had had a retreat that year, and I said no. "Then you must first have a retreat of at least three days." Thanks be to God there was at Walendows[57] an eight-day retreat in which I could take part. But difficulties arose in regard to my leaving for this retreat. A certain person opposed my going very much, and it already [appeared that] I was not to go. After dinner, I went into the chapel for a five-minute adoration. Suddenly I saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me, My daughter, I am preparing many graces for you, which you will receive during this retreat which you will begin tomorrow. I answered, "Jesus, the retreat has already begun, and I am not supposed to go." And He said to me, Get ready for it, because you will begin the retreat tomorrow. And as for your departure, I will arrange that with the superiors. And in an instant, Jesus disappeared.
I began to wonder how this was going to happen. But after a moment I rejected all such thoughts and devoted the time I had to prayer, begging the Holy Spirit for light to see the whole misery that I am. After a short while, I left the little chapel to go about my duties. Soon Mother General [Michael] called me and said, "Sister, you will go to Walendow today with Mother Valeria so that you can start the retreat tomorrow. Fortunately, Mother Valeria happens to be here and you can go together." Within two hours I was already in Walendow. I reflected for a moment within myself and recognized that only Jesus can arrange things in such a way.
Dear Mother Directress [Margaret]
at once asked me whether I had had a retreat that year, and I said no. "Then you must first have a retreat of at least three days." Thanks be to God there was at Walendows[57] an eight-day retreat in which I could take part. But difficulties arose in regard to my leaving for this retreat. A certain person opposed my going very much, and it already [appeared that] I was not to go. After dinner, I went into the chapel for a five-minute adoration. Suddenly I saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me, My daughter, I am preparing many graces for you, which you will receive during this retreat which you will begin tomorrow. I answered, "Jesus, the retreat has already begun, and I am not supposed to go." And He said to me, Get ready for it, because you will begin the retreat tomorrow. And as for your departure, I will arrange that with the superiors. And in an instant, Jesus disappeared.
I began to wonder how this was going to happen. But after a moment I rejected all such thoughts and devoted the time I had to prayer, begging the Holy Spirit for light to see the whole misery that I am. After a short while, I left the little chapel to go about my duties. Soon Mother General [Michael] called me and said, "Sister, you will go to Walendow today with Mother Valeria so that you can start the retreat tomorrow. Fortunately, Mother Valeria happens to be here and you can go together." Within two hours I was already in Walendow. I reflected for a moment within myself and recognized that only Jesus can arrange things in such a way.
170
The first day of the retreat. I tried to be the first in the chapel in the
morning; before the meditation I had a bit of time for prayer to the Holy
Spirit and to Our Lady. I earnestly begged the Mother of God to obtain for me the
grace of fidelity to these inner inspirations and of faithfully carrying out
God's will, whatever it might be. I began this retreat with a very special kind
of courage.
248
The words of the Bishop [Rospond[73]],
spoken at the ceremony of the taking of perpetual vows: "Accept this
candle as a sign of heavenly light and of burning love." While giving the
ring: "I betroth you to Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father Most High; may
He keep you unblemished. Take this ring as a sign of the eternal covenant you
are making with Christ, the Spouse of Virgins. May it be for you the ring of
faith and the sign of the Holy Spirit, that you may be called the bride of
Christ and, if you serve Him faithfully, be crowned [as such] for all eternity.
291
On a certain occasion, I saw a person about to commit a mortal sin. I asked the
Lord to send me the greatest torments so that that soul could be saved. Then I
suddenly felt the terrible pain of a crown of thorns on my head. It lasted for
quite a long time, but that person remained in the Lord's grace. 0 my Jesus,
how very easy it is to become holy; all that is needed is a bit of good will.
If Jesus sees this little bit of good will in the soul, He hurries to give
himself to the soul, and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings nor
falls-absolutely nothing. Jesus is anxious to help that soul, and if it is
faithful to this grace from God, it can very soon attain the highest holiness
possible for a creature here on earth. God is very generous and does not deny
His grace to anyone. Indeed He gives more than what we ask of Him. Faithfulness
to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit-that is the shortest route.
356
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the testament of God's mercy for us, and
especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus as proof of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained life eternal and of infinite mercy, dispensed in abundance to us and especially to poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the mercy of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit toward us, and especially toward poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the infinite price of mercy which will compensate for all our debts, and especially those of poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fountain of living water which springs from infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fire of purest love which blazes forth from the bosom of the Eternal Father, as from an abyss of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the medicine for all our infirmities, flowing from infinite mercy, as from a fount, for us and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the union between God and us through His infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom are contained all the sentiments of the most sweet Heart of Jesus toward us, and especially poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in all the sufferings and adversities of life.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of darkness and of storms within and without.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in life and at the hour of our death.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of adversities and floods of despair.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of falsehood and treason.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the darkness and godlessness which inundate the earth. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the longing and pain in which no one will understand us.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the toil and monotony of everyday life.
O Blessed Host, our only hope amid the ruin of our hopes and endeavors.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the ravages of the enemy and the efforts of hell.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when the burdens are beyond my strength and I find my efforts are fruitless.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when storms toss my heart about and my fearful spirit tends to despair.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my heart is about to tremble and mortal sweat moistens my brow.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when everything conspires against me and black despair creeps into my soul.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my eyes will begin to grow dim to all temporal things and, for the first time, my spirit will behold the unknown worlds.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my tasks will be beyond my strength and adversity will become my daily lot.
O Blessed Host I trust in You when the practice of virtue will appear difficult for me and my nature will grow rebellious.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when hostile blows will be aimed against me.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my toils and efforts will be misjudged by others.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when Your judgments will resound over me; it is then that I will trust in the sea of Your mercy.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus as proof of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained life eternal and of infinite mercy, dispensed in abundance to us and especially to poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the mercy of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit toward us, and especially toward poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the infinite price of mercy which will compensate for all our debts, and especially those of poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fountain of living water which springs from infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fire of purest love which blazes forth from the bosom of the Eternal Father, as from an abyss of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the medicine for all our infirmities, flowing from infinite mercy, as from a fount, for us and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the union between God and us through His infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom are contained all the sentiments of the most sweet Heart of Jesus toward us, and especially poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in all the sufferings and adversities of life.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of darkness and of storms within and without.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in life and at the hour of our death.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of adversities and floods of despair.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of falsehood and treason.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the darkness and godlessness which inundate the earth. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the longing and pain in which no one will understand us.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the toil and monotony of everyday life.
O Blessed Host, our only hope amid the ruin of our hopes and endeavors.
O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the ravages of the enemy and the efforts of hell.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when the burdens are beyond my strength and I find my efforts are fruitless.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when storms toss my heart about and my fearful spirit tends to despair.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my heart is about to tremble and mortal sweat moistens my brow.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when everything conspires against me and black despair creeps into my soul.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my eyes will begin to grow dim to all temporal things and, for the first time, my spirit will behold the unknown worlds.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my tasks will be beyond my strength and adversity will become my daily lot.
O Blessed Host I trust in You when the practice of virtue will appear difficult for me and my nature will grow rebellious.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when hostile blows will be aimed against me.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my toils and efforts will be misjudged by others.
O Blessed Host, I trust in You when Your judgments will resound over me; it is then that I will trust in the sea of Your mercy.
359
January 10, 1935. +Thursday. In the evening during benediction,[85]
such thoughts as these began to distress me: Is not perhaps all this that I am
saying about God's great mercy just a lie or an illusion...? And I wanted to
think about this for a while, when I heard a strong and clear inner voice
saying, Everything that
you say about My goodness is true; language has no adequate expression to extol
My goodness. These words were so filled with power and so clear
that I would give my life in declaring they came from God. I can tell this by
the profound peace that accompanied them at that time and that still remains
with me. This peace gives me such great strength and power that all
difficulties, adversities, sufferings, and death itself are as nothing. This
light gave me a glimpse of the truth that all my efforts to bring souls to know
the mercy of the Lord are very pleasing to God. And from this springs such great
joy in my soul that I do not know whether it could be any greater in heaven.
Oh, if souls would only be willing to listen, at least a little, to the voice
of conscience and the voicethat is, the inspirations-of the Holy Spirit! I say
"at least a little," because once we open ourselves to the influence
of the Holy Spirit, He himself will fulfill what is lacking in us.
392
The Lord God grants His graces in two ways: by inspiration and by
enlightenment. If we ask God for a grace, He will give it to us; but let us be
willing to accept it. And in order to accept it, self-denial is needed. Love
does not consist in words or feelings, but in deeds. It is an act of the will;
it is a gift; that is to say, a giving. The reason, the will, the heart-these
three faculties must be exercised during prayer. I will rise from the dead in
Jesus, but first I must live in Him. If I do not separate myself from the
Cross, then the Gospel will be revealed in me. Jesus in me makes up for all my
deficiencies. His grace operates without ceasing. The Holy Trinity grants me
Its life abundantly, by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Three Divine Persons
live in me. When God loves, He loves with all His Being, with all the power of
His Being. If God has loved me in this way, how should I respond I, His spouse?
451 Once after Holy Communion, I heard these
words: You are Our
dwelling place. At that moment, I felt in my soul the presence
of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I felt that I was
the temple of God. I felt I was a child of the Father. I cannot explain all
this, but the spirit understands it well. O infinite Goodness, how low You
stoop to Your miserable creature!
472
I knew, more distinctly than ever before, the Three Divine Persons, the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. But their being, their equality and their majesty
are one. My soul is in communion with these Three; but I do not know how to
express this in words; yet my soul understands it well. Whoever is united to
One of the Three Persons is thereby united to the whole Blessed Trinity, for
this Oneness is indivisible. This vision, or rather, this knowledge filled my
soul with unimaginable happiness, because God is so great. What I am describing
I did not see with my eyes, as on previous occasions, but in a purely interior
manner, in a purely spiritual way, independent of the senses. This continued
until the end of Holy Mass.
This now happens often to me, and not only in the chapel, but also at work and at times when I least expect it.
This now happens often to me, and not only in the chapel, but also at work and at times when I least expect it.
477
Silence is a sword in the spiritual struggle. A talkative soul will never
attain sanctity. The sword of silence will cut off everything that would like
to cling to the soul. We are sensitive to words and quickly want to answer
back, without taking any regard as to whether it is God's will that we should
speak. A silent soul 14 strong; no adversities will harm it if it perseveres in
silence. The silent soul is capable of attaining the closest union with God. It
lives almost always under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God works in a
silent soul without hindrance.
478
O my Jesus, You know, You alone know well that m heart knows no other love but
You! All my virginal love is drowned eternally in You, O Jesus! I sense keenly
ho Your divine Blood is circulating in my heart; I have no the least doubt that
Your most pure love has entered m heart with Your most sacred Blood. I am aware
did You are dwelling in me, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, or
ratherIam aware that it is I who it living in You, O incomprehensible God! I am
aware that I am dissolving in You like a drop in an ocean. I am aware that You
are within me and all about me, that You are in all things that surround me, in
all that happens to me. O my God, I have come to know You within my heart, and
I have loved You above all things that exist on earth or in heaven. Our hearts
have a mutual understanding, and no one of humankind will comprehend this.
486
Jesus, when You come to me in Holy Communion, You who together with the Father
and the Holy Spirit have deigned to dwell in the little heaven of my heart, I
try to keep You company throughout the day, I do not leave You alone for even a
moment. Although I am in the company of other people or with our wards, my
heart is always united to Him. When I am asleep I offer Him every beat of my
heart; when I awaken I immerse myself in Him without saying a word. When I
awaken I adore the Holy Trinity for a short while and thank God for having
deigned to give me yet another day, that the mystery of the incarnation of His
Son may once more be repeated in me, and that once again His sorrowful Passion
may unfold before my eyes. I then try to make it easier for Jesus to pass
through me to other souls. I go everywhere with Jesus; His presence accompanies
me everywhere.
501
Oh, how great is Your beauty, Jesus my Spouse! Living Flower enclosing
life-giving dew for a thirsting soul! My soul is drowned in You. You alone are
the object of my desires and strivings. Unite me as closely as possible to
Yourself, to the Father and to the Holy Spirit. Let me live and die in You.
525
O Holy Trinity, in whom is contained the inner life of God, the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, eternal joy, inconceivable depth of love, poured out
upon all creatures and constituting their happiness, honor and glory be to Your
holy name forever and ever. Amen.
When I consider Your greatness and beauty, O my God, I rejoice exceedingly that the Lord I serve is so great. With love and joy I carry out His will, and the more I come to know Him, the more I desire to love Him. I burn with the desire to love Him ever more and more.
When I consider Your greatness and beauty, O my God, I rejoice exceedingly that the Lord I serve is so great. With love and joy I carry out His will, and the more I come to know Him, the more I desire to love Him. I burn with the desire to love Him ever more and more.
552
In addition to the vows, I see one rule as most important. Although all the
rules are important, I put this one in first place, and it is silence. Truly,
if this rule were to be observed strictly, I would not worry about the others.
Women are very fond of talking, but the Holy Spirit does not speak to a soul
that is distracted and garrulous. He speaks by His quiet inspirations to a soul
that is recollected, to a soul that knows how to keep silence. If silence were
strictly observed, there would not be any grumbling, bitterness, slandering, or
gossip, and charity would not be tarnished. In a word, many wrongs would not be
done. Silent lips are pure gold and bear witness to holiness within.
647
From this, I came to understand one thing: that I must pray much for each of my
confessors, that he might obtain the light of the Holy Spirit, for when I
approach the confessional without first praying, fervently, the confessor does
not understand me very well. Father encouraged me to pray fervently for these
intentions, that God would give better knowledge and understanding of the
things He is asking of me. "Make novena after novena, Sister, and God will
not refuse the graces."
June,
1936. Conversation with Father A. [Andrasz]
658 "Know that these are hard and difficult things. Your principal spiritual director is the Holy Spirit. We can only give direction to these inspirations, but your real director is the Holy Spirit. If you yourself have decided to leave, Sister, I neither prohibit nor order you to do so. You take the responsibility for yourself. I say this to you, Sister: you can begin to take action. You are capable of doing so, and therefore you can do so. These things are indeed probable; all you have told me up to now [before perpetual vows in Cracow in 1933] speaks in favor of taking action. Still, you have to be very careful in all this. Pray much and ask that I be given light."
658 "Know that these are hard and difficult things. Your principal spiritual director is the Holy Spirit. We can only give direction to these inspirations, but your real director is the Holy Spirit. If you yourself have decided to leave, Sister, I neither prohibit nor order you to do so. You take the responsibility for yourself. I say this to you, Sister: you can begin to take action. You are capable of doing so, and therefore you can do so. These things are indeed probable; all you have told me up to now [before perpetual vows in Cracow in 1933] speaks in favor of taking action. Still, you have to be very careful in all this. Pray much and ask that I be given light."
734
I see that Jesus himself is acting in my soul during this retreat. And as for
me, I try only to be faithful to His grace. I have submitted my soul completely
to the influence of God. This Mighty Ruler of Heaven has taken entire
possession of my soul. I feel that I am being lifted up above earth and heaven
into the inner life of God, where I come to know the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit, but always in the unity of majesty.
777
November 27, [1936]. Today I was in heaven, in spirit, and I saw its
inconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death. I saw how
all creatures give ceaseless praise and glory to God. I saw how great is
happiness in God, which spreads to all creatures, making them happy; and then
all the glory and praise which springs from this happiness returns to its
source; and they enter into the depths of God, contemplating the inner life of
God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, whom they will never comprehend
or fathom.
This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who said, "Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him."
This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who said, "Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him."
1073
April 4, 1937. Low Sunday; that is, the Feast of Mercy. In the morning, after
Holy Communion, my soul was immersed in the Godhead. I was united to the Three
Divine Persons in such a way that when I was united to Jesus, I was
simultaneously united to the Father and to the Holy Spirit. My soul was flooded
with joy beyond understanding, and the Lord gave me to experience the whole
ocean and abyss of His fathomless mercy. Oh, if only souls would want to
understand how much God loves them! All comparisons, even if they were the most
tender and the most vehement, are but a mere shadow when set against the
reality.
When I was united to the Lord, I came to know how many souls are glorifying God's mercy.
When I was united to the Lord, I came to know how many souls are glorifying God's mercy.
1090
And this happened on the last day of my novena to the Holy Spirit. After this
return to health, I found myself united with the Lord Jesus in a purely
spiritual way. Jesus gave me strong assurances; that is, He confirmed me in
respect to His demands. I remained close to the Lord Jesus all that day and
talked with Him about the details concerning that congregation.
Jesus infused my soul with power and courage to act. Now I understand that if the Lord demands something of a soul, He gives it the means to carry it out, and through grace He makes it capable of doing this. So, even if the soul be utterly miserable, at the Lord's command it can undertake things beyond its expectation, because this is the sign by which it can be known that the Lord is with that soul: if God's power and strength, which make the soul courageous and valiant, is manifest within it. As for myself, I am always at first a bit frightened at the Lord's greatness, but afterwards my soul is filled with profound peace which nothing can disturb, as well as an inner strength to do what the Lord is demanding at that particular moment....
Jesus infused my soul with power and courage to act. Now I understand that if the Lord demands something of a soul, He gives it the means to carry it out, and through grace He makes it capable of doing this. So, even if the soul be utterly miserable, at the Lord's command it can undertake things beyond its expectation, because this is the sign by which it can be known that the Lord is with that soul: if God's power and strength, which make the soul courageous and valiant, is manifest within it. As for myself, I am always at first a bit frightened at the Lord's greatness, but afterwards my soul is filled with profound peace which nothing can disturb, as well as an inner strength to do what the Lord is demanding at that particular moment....
1106
+ Virtue without prudence is not virtue at all. We should often pray to the
Holy Spirit for this grace of prudence. Prudence consists in discretion,
rational reflection and courageous resolution. The final decision is always up
to us. We must decide; we can and we ought to seek advice and light...
1174
July 4, 1937. First Sunday of the month.
Monthly retreat.
This evening, I prepared with great care and prayed long to the Holy Spirit that He might deign to grant me His light and take me under His special guidance; [I prayed] also to Our Lady, to my Guardian Angel, and to our patron saints. [200]
Monthly retreat.
This evening, I prepared with great care and prayed long to the Holy Spirit that He might deign to grant me His light and take me under His special guidance; [I prayed] also to Our Lady, to my Guardian Angel, and to our patron saints. [200]
1286
+ Thank You, O God, for all the graces
Which unceasingly You lavish upon me,
Graces which enlighten me with the brilliance of the sun,
For by them You show me the sure way.
Thank You, 0 Lord, for creating me,
For calling me into being from nothingness,
For imprinting Your divinity on my soul,
The work of sheer merciful love.
Thank You, O God, for Holy Baptism
Which engrafted me into Your family,
A gift great beyond all thought or expression
Which transforms my soul.
Thank You, O Lord, for Holy Confession,
For that inexhaustible spring of great mercy,
For that inconceivable fountain of graces
In which sin-tainted souls become purified.
Thank You, O Jesus, for Holy Communion
In which You give us Yourself.
I feel Your Heart beating within my breast
As You cause Your divine life to unfold within me.
Thank You, O Holy Spirit, for the Sacrament of Confirmation,
Which dubs me Your knight
And gives strength to my soul at each moment,
Protecting me from evil.
Thank You, O God, for the grace of a vocation.
For being called to serve You alone,
Leading me to make You my sole love,
An unequal honor for my soul.
Thank You, O Lord, for perpetual vows,
For that union of pure love,
For having deigned to unite Your pure heart with mine
And uniting my heart to Yours in the purest of bonds.
Thank You, O Lord, for the Sacrament of Anointing
Which, in my final moments, will give me strength;
My help in battle, my guide to salvation,
Fortifying my soul till we rejoice forever.
Thank You, O God, for all the inspirations
That Your goodness lavishes upon me,
For the interior lights given my soul,
Which the heart senses, but words cannot express.
Thank You, O Holy Trinity, for the vastness of the graces
Which You have lavished on me unceasingly through life.
My gratitude will intensify as the eternal dawn rises,
When, for the first time, I sing to Your glory.
Which unceasingly You lavish upon me,
Graces which enlighten me with the brilliance of the sun,
For by them You show me the sure way.
Thank You, 0 Lord, for creating me,
For calling me into being from nothingness,
For imprinting Your divinity on my soul,
The work of sheer merciful love.
Thank You, O God, for Holy Baptism
Which engrafted me into Your family,
A gift great beyond all thought or expression
Which transforms my soul.
Thank You, O Lord, for Holy Confession,
For that inexhaustible spring of great mercy,
For that inconceivable fountain of graces
In which sin-tainted souls become purified.
Thank You, O Jesus, for Holy Communion
In which You give us Yourself.
I feel Your Heart beating within my breast
As You cause Your divine life to unfold within me.
Thank You, O Holy Spirit, for the Sacrament of Confirmation,
Which dubs me Your knight
And gives strength to my soul at each moment,
Protecting me from evil.
Thank You, O God, for the grace of a vocation.
For being called to serve You alone,
Leading me to make You my sole love,
An unequal honor for my soul.
Thank You, O Lord, for perpetual vows,
For that union of pure love,
For having deigned to unite Your pure heart with mine
And uniting my heart to Yours in the purest of bonds.
Thank You, O Lord, for the Sacrament of Anointing
Which, in my final moments, will give me strength;
My help in battle, my guide to salvation,
Fortifying my soul till we rejoice forever.
Thank You, O God, for all the inspirations
That Your goodness lavishes upon me,
For the interior lights given my soul,
Which the heart senses, but words cannot express.
Thank You, O Holy Trinity, for the vastness of the graces
Which You have lavished on me unceasingly through life.
My gratitude will intensify as the eternal dawn rises,
When, for the first time, I sing to Your glory.
1504 + Lord, You know that
since my youth I have always sought Your will and, recognizing it, have always
tried to carry it out. My heart has been accustomed to the inspirations of the Holy
Spirit, to whom I am faithful. In the midst of the greatest din I have heard
the voice of God. I always know what is going on in my interior...
1556 When I had gone to
the chapel for a moment, the Lord gave me to know that, among His chosen ones,
there are some who are especially chosen, and whom He calls to a higher form of
holiness, to exceptional union with Him. These are seraphic souls, from whom
God demands greater love than He does from others. Although all live in the
same convent, yet He sometimes demands of a particular soul a greater degree of
love. Such a soul understands this call, because God makes this known to it
interiorly, but the soul may either follow this call or not. It depends on the
soul itself whether it is faithful to these touches of the Holy Spirit, or
whether it resists them. I have learned that there is a place in purgatory
where souls will pay their debt to God for such transgressions; this kind of torment
is the most difficult of all. The soul which is specially marked by God will be
distinguished everywhere, whether in heaven or in purgatory or in hell. In
heaven, it will be distinguished from other souls by greater glory and radiance
and deeper knowledge of God. In purgatory, by greater pain, because it knows
God more profoundly and desires Him more vehemently. In hell, it will suffer
more profoundly than other souls, because it knows more fully whom it has lost.
This indelible mark of God's exclusive love, in the [soul], will not be obliterated.
1557 O Jesus, keep me in holy fear, so that I may not waste graces. Help
me to be faithful to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Grant that my heart
may burst for love of You, rather than I should neglect even one act of love
for You.
1567 As I took the pen in hand, I
addressed a short prayer to the Holy Spirit and said, "Jesus, bless this
pen so that everything You order me to write may be for the glory of God."
Then I heard a voice: Yes,
I bless [it],
because this writing bears the seal of obedience to your superior and
confessor, and by that very fact I am already given glory, and many souls will
be drawing profit from it. My daughter, I demand that you devote all your free
moments to writing about My goodness and mercy. It is your office and your
assignment throughout your life to continue to make known to souls the great
mercy I have for them and to exhort them to trust in My bottomless mercy.
1670 + Easter [April 17,
1938]. During Mass, I thanked the Lord Jesus for having deigned to redeem us
and for having given us that greatest of all gifts; namely, His love in Holy Communion;
that is, His very own Self. At that moment, I was drawn into the bosom of the Most
Holy Trinity, and I was immersed in the love of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit. These moments are hard to describe.
1828 16. + Today, the
Majesty of God is surrounding me. There is no way that I can help myself to
prepare better. I am thoroughly enwrapped in God. My soul is being inflamed by
His love. I only know that I love and am loved. That is enough for me. I am
trying my best to be faithful throughout the day to the Holy Spirit and to
fulfill His demands. I am trying my best for interior silence in order to be
able to hear His voice...
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-56, 148, 167,
170, 248, 291, 356, 359)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-392, 451, 472,
477-478, 486, 501 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-525-526, 552,
647, 658, 734, 777 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1073, 1090, 1106,
1174)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-IV-1286)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1504,
1556-1557, 1567)
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1670, 1828)
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