Caught by the
Mission
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January 25, 2017. Feast
of the Conversion of Saint Paul, apostle
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Mark 16:15-18
Jesus appeared to
the Eleven and said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the
Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those
who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new
languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any
deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and
they will recover."
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, I renew my
faith in the power of Your word. I come to You today to listen to You and
allow You to lead me. I renew my trust in Your mercy: You are constantly
looking upon me and the world with love. I want to love You in return and
lead others to love You.
Petition: Fill me with the power of Your good news,
Lord.
1. The World Needs Messengers of Hope: Jesus Christ is the message that everyone
vitally needs. He is God’s message to man, the message that tells people that
God loves them deeply and offers them a way to true life and salvation. Our
world often looks for love in the wrong places; it needs to find the answer
to its deepest desires in Christ. But who will spread this message? Those
like St. Paul who take Christ’s love seriously and see that they, too, can
become messengers of hope. Am I meant to be a messenger of hope?
2. God Acts Powerfully in Those Who Trust
Him: St. Paul is an
example of what God can do through someone who trusts in him. St. Paul valued
the grace Christ gave him. He put his life totally in the hands of Christ and
was not afraid to proclaim him to everyone he met. Even though Paul faced
many difficulties, his work produced enormous fruit and helped extend the
number of Christian communities. Do I believe that Christ can work through me
as I participate in the New Evangelization? In what ways can I trust him
more?
3. Our Opportunity Is Now: St. Paul and the first apostles did not wait
until all the circumstances were right before beginning evangelization. Once
Christ had touched their lives and once he had given them the command to
begin, they began right away. The Church has asked us to begin again today.
Like St. Paul, we must feel that the fire of Christ’s love impels us (cf. 2
Corinthians 5:14). We cannot wait until the circumstances are favorable; we
must do whatever we can now. We have already experienced Christ’s love. Why
are we waiting to share it? What holds me back from a greater surrender to
the work of evangelization?
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, like Saint
Paul I have been touched by Your love, and I have heard Your command to go
out and spread the good news. I renew my trust in Your companionship, and I
resolve to do all I can to bring Your Gospel to others. Help me to keep my
eyes on You.
Resolution: Today I will share a thought from the Gospel or from the Holy Father’s teaching with at least two people whom I encourage.
Excerpts
from the DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
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].
301 Proclaim
that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All the works of My hands are
crowned with mercy.
341 November 5,
1934. One morning, when it was my duty to open the gate to let out our people
who deliver baked goods, I entered the little chapel to visit Jesus for a
minute and to renew the intentions of the day. Today, Jesus, I offer You all
my sufferings, mortifications and prayers for the intentions of the Holy
Father, so that he may approve the Feast of Mercy. But, Jesus, I have one
more word to say to You: I am very surprised that You bid me to talk about
this Feast of Mercy, for they tell me that there is already such a feast[81] and
so why should I talk about it? And Jesus said to me, And who knows
anything about this feast? No one! Even those who should be proclaiming My
mercy and teaching people about it often do not know about it themselves.
That is why I want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after
Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know
about it. Make a novena for the Holy Father's intention. It should consist of
thirty-three acts; that is, repetition that many times of the short
prayer-which I have taught you-to The Divine Mercy.
375 Particular
interior practice; that is, the examination of conscience. Self-denial,
denial of my own will.
I. The denial of my
reason. Subjecting it to the reason of those who represent God to me here on
earth.
II. The denial of my
will. Doing the will of God, which is revealed in the will of those who
represent God to me and which is contained in the rule of our order.
III. The denial of
my judgment. Accepting immediately and without reflection, analysis or
reasoning all orders given by those who represent God to me.
IV. The denial of my
tongue. I will not give it the least bit of freedom; but in one case only I
will give it complete freedom; that is, in proclaiming the glory of God.
Whenever I receive Holy Communion, I will ask Jesus to fortify and cleanse my
tongue that I may not injure my neighbor with it. That is why I have the
greatest respect for the rule which speaks about silence.
378 Once as I was
talking with my spiritual director, I had an interior vision-quicker than
lightning-of his soul in great suffering, in such agony that God touches very
few souls with such fire. The suffering arises from this work. There will
come a time when this work, which God is demanding so very much, will be as
though utterly undone. And then God will act with great power, which will
give evidence of its authenticity. It will be a new splendor for the Church,
although it has been dormant in it from long ago. That God is infinitely
merciful, no one can deny. He desires everyone to know this before He comes
again as Judge. He wants souls to come to know Him first as King of Mercy.
When this triumph comes, we shall already have entered the new life in which
there is no suffering. But before this, your soul [of the spiritual director]
will be surfeited with bitterness at the sight of the destruction of your
efforts. However, this will only appear to be so, because what God has once
decided upon, He does not change. But although this destruction will be such
only in outward appearance, the suffering will be real. When will this
happen? I do not know. How long will it last? I do not know.[89] But
God has promised a great grace especially to you and to all those... who
will proclaim My great mercy. I shall protect them Myself at the hour of
death, as My own glory. And even if the sins of soul are as dark as night,
when the sinner turns to My mercy he gives Me the greatest praise and is the
glory of My Passion. When a soul praises My goodness, Satan trembles before
it and flees to the very bottom of hell.
379 During one of
the adorations, Jesus promised me that: With souls that have recourse
to My mercy and with those that glorify and proclaim My great mercy to
others, I will deal according to My infinite mercy at the hour of their
death.
My Heart is sorrowful, Jesus said, because even chosen souls do not understand the greatness of My mercy. Their relationship [with Me] is, in certain ways, imbued with mistrust. Oh, how much that wounds My Heart 1 Remember My Passion, and if you do not believe My words, at least believe My wounds.
491 When I entered
the chapel, once again the majesty of God overwhelmed me. I felt that I was
immersed in God, totally immersed in Him and penetrated by Him, being aware
of how much the heavenly Father loves us. Oh, what great happiness fills my
heart from knowing God and the divine life! It is my desire to share this
happiness with all people. I cannot keep this happiness locked in my own
heart alone, for His flames burn me and cause my bosom and my entrails to
burst asunder. I desire to go throughout the whole world and speak to souls
about the great mercy of God. Priests, help me in this; use the strongest
words [at your disposal] to proclaim His mercy, for every word falls short of
how merciful He really is.
930 + O my Jesus, although I will go to You,
and You will fill me with Yourself, and that will make my happiness complete,
I will nevertheless not forget about humanity. I desire to draw aside the
veils of heaven, so that the earth would have no doubts about The Divine
Mercy. My repose is in proclaiming Your mercy. The soul gives the greatest
glory to its Creator when it turns with trust to The Divine Mercy.
1074 When I went for adoration, I heard
these words: My beloved daughter, write down these words, that today
My Heart has rested in this convent [the Cracow house]. Tell the
world about My mercy and My love.
The flames of mercy are burning me. I desire to pour them out upon human souls. Oh, what pain they cause Me when they do not want to accept them! My daughter, do whatever is within your power to spread devotion to My mercy. I will make up for what you lack. Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it -with peace. Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.
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.
1083 + That beautiful soul who is spreading this work of
divine mercy throughout the world is, by his deep humility, very pleasing to
God.
1104 Today there was a beautiful teaching
[by Father Plaza on the goodness and mercy of God. During this conference my
soul experienced the flames of God's love, and I understood that God's word
is a living word.
1142 June 4. Today
is the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. During Holy Mass, I was given
the knowledge of the Heart of Jesus and of the nature of the fire of love
with which He burns for us and of how He is an Ocean of Mercy. Then I heard a
voice: Apostle of My mercy, proclaim to the whole world My
unfathomable mercy. Do not be discouraged by the difficulties you encounter
in proclaiming My mercy. These difficulties that affect you so painfully are
needed for your sanctification and as evidence that this work is Mine. My
daughter, be diligent in writing down every sentence I tell you concerning My
mercy, because this is meant for a great number of souls who will profit from
it.
1160 When once I asked the Lord Jesus how He
could tolerate so many sins and crimes and not punish them, the Lord answered
me, I have eternity for punishing [these], and so I am
prolonging the time of mercy for the sake of [sinners]. But woe
to them if they do not recognize this time of My visitation. My daughter,
secretary of My mercy, your duty is not only to write about and proclaim My
mercy, but also to beg for this grace for them, so that they too may glorify
My mercy.
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.
1298 O God, show me
Your mercy
According to the
compassion of the Heart of Jesus.
Hear my sighs and
entreaties,
And the tears of a
contrite heart.
O Omnipotent,
ever-merciful God,
Your compassion is
never exhausted.
Although my misery
is as vast as the sea,
I have complete
trust in the mercy of the Lord.
O Eternal Trinity,
yet ever-gracious God,
Your compassion is
without measure.
And so I trust in
the sea of Your mercy,
And sense You, Lord,
though a veil holds me aloof.
May the omnipotence
of Your mercy, O Lord,
Be glorified all
over the world.
May its veneration
never cease.
Proclaim, my soul, God's mercy with fervor.
1463 + The Lord also
gave me to know that many bishops were considering the question of this
Feast, as well as a certain lay person. Some were enthusiastic about this
work of God, while others regarded it with disbelief; but in spite of
everything, the result was great glory for the work of God. Mother Irene and
Mother Mary Joseph were giving some kind of a report to these dignitaries,
but they were being questioned, not so much about the work, as about myself.227 As regards the work itself, there was no doubt, since the glory
of God was already being proclaimed.
1501 + Now that I have
difficulty sleeping at night, because my suffering won't allow it, I visit
all the churches and chapels and, if only for a brief moment, I make an act
of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. When I return to my chapel, I then
pray for certain priests who proclaim and glorify The Divine Mercy. I also
pray for the intentions of the Holy Father and to obtain mercy for
sinners-such are my nights.
1519 + Today before
Holy Communion, the Lord said to me, My daughter, today talk openly
to the Superior [Mother Irene] about My mercy because, of
all the superiors, she has taken the greatest part in proclaiming My
mercy. And in fact, Mother Superior came this afternoon,
and we talked about this Work of God. Mother told me that the images had
not come out too well and were not selling very well. "But," she
said, "I have taken a good quantity myself and am
distributing them wherever I can and do the best I can tospread the Work of
Mercy." When she had gone, the Lord gave me to know how pleasing this
soul was to Him.
1521 The Lord said
to me, My daughter, do not tire of proclaiming My mercy. In this way
you will refresh this Heart of Mine, which burns with a flame of pity for
sinners. Tell My priests that hardened sinners will repent on hearing their
words when they speak about My unfathomable mercy, about the compassion I
have for them in My Heart. To priests who proclaim and extol My mercy, I will
give wondrous power; I will anoint their words and touch the hearts of those
to whom they will speak.
1540 January 28,
1938. Today the Lord said to me, My daughter, write down these words:
All those souls who will glorify My mercy and spread its worship, encouraging
others to trust in My mercy, will not experience terror at the hour of death.
My mercy will shield them in that final battle...
1548 January 30,
1938. One-day retreat.
The Lord gave me to
know, during meditation, that as long as my heart beats in my breast, I must
always strive to spread the Kingdom of God on earth. I am to fight for the
glory of my Creator. I know that I will give God the glory He expects of me
if I try faithfully to cooperate with God's grace.
1680 Low Sunday.
Today, I again offered myself to the Lord as a holocaust for sinners. My
Jesus, if the end of my life is already approaching, I beg You most humbly,
accept my death in union with You as a holocaust which I offer You today,
while I still have full possession of my faculties and a fully conscious
will, and this for a threefold purpose:
Firstly: that the work of Your mercy may spread throughout the whole world and that the Feast of The Divine Mercy may be solemnly promulgated and celebrated. Secondly: that sinners, especially dying sinners, may have recourse to Your mercy and experience the unspeakable effects of this mercy. Thirdly: that all the work of Your mercy may be realized according to Your wishes, and for a certain person who is in charge of this work... Accept, most merciful Jesus, this, my inadequate sacrifice, which I offer to You today before heaven and earth. May Your Most Sacred Heart, so full of mercy, complete what is lacking in my offering, and offer it to Your Father for the conversion of sinners. I thirst after souls, O Christ.
1688 Today, the Lord
said to me, My daughter, look into My Merciful Heart and reflect its
compassion in your own heart and in your deeds, so that you, who proclaim My
mercy to the world, may yourself be aflame with it.
1749 + God's
Infinite Goodness in Adorning the Whole World with Beauty
in Order to Make Man's Stay on Earth Pleasant. O God, how generously Your mercy is spread everywhere, and You have done all this for man. Oh, how much You must love him, since Your love is so active on his behalf. O my Creator and Lord, I see on all sides the trace of Your hand and the seal of Your mercy, which embraces all created things. O my most compassionate Creator, I want to give You worship on behalf of all creatures and all inanimate creation; I call on the whole universe to glorify Your mercy. Oh, how great is Your goodness, O God!
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-49-50, 301, 341, 375, 378-379, 491)
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-783, 930)
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1074-1075, 1083, 1104, 1142, 1156)
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-IV-1298)
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1463, 1501, 1519, 1521, 1540, 1548)
(Diary of Sister
Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1680, 1688, 1692, 1749)
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Enero 25, 2017
Caught by the Mission-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
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