Forgiveness from
the Heart
|
February 26, 2018. Monday of the Second Week of Lent
|
Luke 6: 36-38
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is
merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you
will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will
be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and
overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you
measure will in return be measured out to you."
Introductory Prayer: Dear Jesus, too often I compare
myself with others. It´s easy for me to find or imagine my superiority to
them. I ignore You and Your great goodness. I forget that everything I have
comes from You and that I can´t claim the credit for any quality and virtue,
although I would like to. I wish to keep this truth in mind and to have an
attitude of genuine humility in my heart. Here I am, Lord, to know and love
You more through prayer.
Petition: Lord, help me to forgive from the
heart.
1. The True Battlefield: Although it is difficult, we can
usually bring ourselves around to excuse an injustice we have suffered. We
forget about what happened, and we try to move forward. However, it is more
difficult for us to forgive when we look into our offender’s heart and refuse
to turn a blind eye to the goodness that is there. Our hearts are a
battleground for good and evil, and to forgive is to be willing to help both
the offender and ourselves overcome the logic of evil. It is to wager on the
side of good and to trust that goodness is ultimately more attractive to the
human heart than the idol of evil. Christ always looked into the heart and
wagered on the side of good.
2. Turning the Other Cheek: “For if you love
those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who
love them” (Luke 6:32). Christian forgiveness involves waiving our claim to
damages. It means turning the other cheek. It means giving up our cloak as
well. Yet all this is relatively easy in comparison to giving over our good
name, to proceeding in charity even when we will be misunderstood. Even here,
we must waive our claim to damages, willingly die in the furrow, and
patiently await the Father to raise us up again.
3. Going the Entire Distance: The Christian
ethic is positive. It does not consist merely in not doing bad things
but in doing good things; building up positively. We change the world
little by not doing things. Christ was not satisfied with that. He
gave up his tunic, he gave up his good name, and he gave up everything—to the
last drop of his blood. So often we feel good about ourselves because we
measure up to our neighbor; but it is not our neighbor with whom we must
compare ourselves. It is God with whom we must compare ourselves, and he has
shown us how to be fruitful: by paying our ransom with his own blood. In
forgiveness and mercy, his generosity is without measure.
Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, help
me to seek perfection in loving You and my neighbor constantly. I want to
travel the path of generous love because it is Your path, and you are the
source of all my happiness.
Resolution: I will be the first to offer an
apology or a solution to build unity in my home and workplace.
Excerpts
from the DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
163 JMJ The Year
1937 General Exercises
+O Most Holy
Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many
times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want
to glorify Your mercy.
+I want to be
completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection, 0
Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable
mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord,
that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from
appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors' souls and come
to their rescue.
Help me, that my
ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors' needs and not
be indifferent to their pains and moanings. Help me, O Lord, that my tongue
may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but
have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord,
that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do
only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and
toilsome tasks.
Help me, that my
feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming
my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord,
that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of
my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with
those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the
most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May
Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.
+You yourself
command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first: the act of
mercy, of whatever kind. The second: the word of mercy-if I cannot carry out
a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third: prayer-if I cannot
show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. My prayer reaches
out even there where I cannot reach out physically.
O my Jesus,
transform me into Yourself, for you can do all things.
[four pages left
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216
We have come to Cracow today [April 18, 1933]. What a joy it is to find
myself again where I took my first steps in the spiritual life! Dear Mother
Directress [Mary Joseph] is ever the same, cheerful and full of love of
neighbor. I entered the chapel for a moment and joy filled my soul. In a
flash I recalled the whole ocean of graces that had been given me as a novice
here.
241
Love of neighbor. First: Helpfulness towards the sisters. Second: Do not
speak about those who are absent, and defend the good name of my neighbor.
Third: Rejoice in the success of others.
243
I will thank the Lord Jesus for every humiliation and will pray specially for
the person who has given me the chance to be humiliated. I will immolate
myself for the benefit of souls. I will not count the cost of any sacrifice.
I will cast myself beneath the feet of the sisters, like a carpet on which
they can not only tread, but also wipe their feet. My place is under the feet
of the sisters. I will make every effort to obtain that place unnoticed by
others. It is enough that God sees this.
362 +One day,
during the morning meditation, I heard this voice: I myself am your director;
I was, I am, and I will be. And since
you asked for visible help, I chose and gave you a director even before you
had asked, for My work required this. Know that the faults you commit against
him wound My Heart. Be especially on your guard against self-willfulness;
even the smallest thing should bear the seal of obedience.
With a crushed and
humbled heart I begged forgiveness of Jesus for these faults. I also begged
pardon of my spiritual director and resolved to do nothing rather than to do
many things wrongly.
390 He who knows
how to forgive prepares for himself many graces from God. As often as I look
upon the cross, so often will I forgive with all my heart.
588
On one occasion, I heard these words within me: Every movement of your
heart is known to me. Know, My daughter, that one glance of yours directed at
someone else would wound Me more than many sins committed by another person.
590
When I receive Holy Communion, I entreat and beg the Savior to heal my
tongue, that I may never fail in love of neighbor.
612 One time, I was
in doubt as to whether what had happened to me had seriously offended the
Lord Jesus or not. As I could not solve this doubt, I made up my mind not to
go to Communion before first going to confession, although I immediately made
an act of contrition, as it is my habit to ask for forgiveness after the
slightest transgression. During those days when I did not receive Holy
Communion, I did not feel the presence of God. This caused me unspeakable
pain, but I took it as a punishment for sin. However, at the time of Holy
Confession I was reproached for not going to Holy Communion, because what had
happened to me was not an obstacle to receiving Holy Communion. After
confession, I received Holy Communion, and I saw the Lord Jesus who said to me,
Know, My daughter, that you caused Me
more sorrow by not uniting yourself with Me in Holy Communion than you did by
that small transgression.
692
+ O Jesus, I understand that Your mercy is beyond all imagining, and
therefore I ask You to make my heart so big that there will be room in it for
the needs of all the souls living on the face of the earth. O Jesus, my love
extends beyond the world, to the souls suffering in purgatory, and I want to
exercise mercy toward them by means of indulgenced prayers. God's mercy is
unfathomable and inexhaustible, just as God himself is unfathomable. Even if
I were to use the strongest words there are to express this mercy of God, all
this would be nothing in comparison with what it is in reality. O Jesus, make
my heart sensitive to all the sufferings of my neighbor, whether of body or
of soul. O my Jesus, I know that You act toward us as we act toward our
neighbor.
My Jesus, make my heart like unto Your merciful Heart. Jesus, help me to go through life doing good to everyone.
699 On one
occasion, I heard these words: My
daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that
the Feast of Mercy [139] be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and
especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy
are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach
the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy
Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that
day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no
soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is
so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it
throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very
depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will
contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged
from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly
celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace
until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.
700
+ Once, when I was very tired and in much pain, I told Mother Superior
[Irene] about it and received the answer that I should get used to suffering.
I listened to everything that Mother told me, and then I went out. Our Mother
Superior has great love of neighbor and especially great love for the sick
sisters, as everyone knows. And yet, as regards me, it is extraordinary that
the Lord Jesus has permitted that she not understand me and that she test me
much in this respect.
704
I spend every free moment at the feet of the hidden God. He is my Master; I
ask Him about everything; I speak to Him about everything. Here I obtain
strength and light; here I learn everything; here I am given light on how to
act toward my neighbor. From the time I left the novitiate, I have enclosed
myself in the tabernacle together with Jesus, my Master. He himself drew me
into the fire of living love on which everything converges.
742
My daughter, if I demand through you that people revere My mercy, you
should be the first to distinguish yourself by this confidence in My mercy. I
demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You
are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not
shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.
I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first-by deed, the second-by word, the third-by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works. O my Jesus, You yourself must help me in everything, because You see how very little I am, and so I depend solely on Your goodness, O God.
901 + There is a
certain person [Stanislava Kwietniewska [163]] who tests my patience. I must
devote much time to her. When I talk with her, I feel that she is lying, and
this, continually. And because she tells me about things far away which I
cannot verify, she is able to get away with the lie. But I am inwardly
convinced that there is no truth in what she says. When it occurred to me
once that I might be mistaken and that she might be telling the truth, I
asked the Lord Jesus to give me the following sign: if she is really lying,
let her admit to me herself that she has lied about any one of the things ;
concerning which I am inwardly convinced that she is lying. And if she is
telling the truth, let the Lord Jesus take this conviction away from me. A
little later, she came to me again and said, "Sister, I beg your
forgiveness, but I have lied about such and such a thing," and I
understood that the inner light concerning that person had not misled me.
1148 June 20,
[1937]. We resemble God most when we forgive our neighbors. God is Love,
Goodness, and Mercy...
Every
soul, and especially the soul of every religious, should reflect My mercy. My
Heart overflows with compassion and mercy for all. The heart of My beloved
must resemble Mine; from her heart must spring the fountain of My mercy for
souls; otherwise I will not acknowledge her as Mine.
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...
1332 Second day. As
I was meditating on the sin of the Angels and their immediate punishment, I
asked Jesus why the Angels had been punished as soon as they had sinned. I
heard a voice: Because of their
profound knowledge of God. No person on earth, even though a great saint, has
such knowledge of God as an Angel has. Nevertheless, to me who am so
miserable, You have shown Your mercy, O God, and this, time and time again.
You carry me in the bosom of Your mercy and forgive me every time that I ask
Your forgiveness with a contrite heart.
1460 + My daughter, I have something to tell
you. I replied, "Speak, Jesus, for I thirst for Your words." It displeases Me that, because
the sisters were murmuring, you did not ask to have Father Andrasz hear your
confession in your cell. Know that, because of this, you gave them even
greater cause for murmuring. Very humbly I begged the Lord's forgiveness.
O my Master, rebuke me; do not overlook my faults, and do not let me err.
1485 The mercy of
God, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, the voice of the Lord who speaks to us
from the throne of mercy: Come to Me,
all of you.
Conversation of the
Merciful God with a Sinful Soul.
Jesus: Be not afraid of your Savior, O sinful
soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you
are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father;
be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of
pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have
inscribed your name upon My hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My
Heart.
Soul: Lord, I hear
your voice calling me to turn back from the path of sin, but I have neither
the strength nor the courage to do so.
Jesus: I am your strength, I will help you in
the struggle.
Soul: Lord, I
recognize your holiness, and I fear You.
Jesus: My child, do you fear the God of mercy?
My holiness does not prevent Me from being merciful. Behold, for you I have
established a throne of mercy on earth- the tabernacle-and from this throne I
desire to enter into your heart. I am not surrounded by a retinue or guards. You
can come to me at any moment, at any time; I want to speak to you and desire
to grant you grace.
Soul: Lord, I doubt
that You will pardon my numerous sins; my misery fills me with fright.
Jesus: My mercy is greater than your sins and
those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of my goodness? For you
I descended from heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to
the cross; for you I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus
opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come, then, with trust to draw
graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has
disappeared in the depths of My mercy. Do not argue with Me about your
wretchedness. You will give me pleasure if you hand over to me all your
troubles and griefs. I shall heap upon you the treasures of My grace.
Soul: You have
conquered, O Lord, my stony heart with Your goodness. In trust and humility I
approach the tribunal of Your mercy, where You yourself absolve me by the
hand of your representative. O Lord, I feel Your grace and Your peace filling
my poor soul. I feel overwhelmed by Your mercy, O Lord. You forgive me, which
is more than I dared to hope for or could imagine. Your goodness surpasses
all my desires. And now, filled with gratitude for so many graces, I invite
You to my heart. I wandered, like a prodigal child gone astray; but you did
not cease to be my Father. Increase Your mercy toward me, for You see how
weak I am.
Jesus: Child, speak no more of your misery; it
is already forgotten. Listen, My child, to what I desire to tell you. Come
close to My wounds and draw from the Fountain of Life whatever your heart
desires. Drink copiously from the Fountain of Life and you will not weary on
your journey. Look at the splendors of My mercy and do not fear the enemies
of your salvation. Glorify My mercy.
1488 Conversation
of the Merciful God with a Soul Striving after Perfection.
Jesus: I am pleased with your efforts, O soul
aspiring for perfection, but why do I see you so often sad and depressed? Tell
Me, My child, what is the meaning of this sadness, and what is its cause?
Soul: Lord, the
reason for my sadness is that, in spite of my sincere resolutions, I fall
again into the same faults. I make resolutions in the morning, but in the
evening I see how much I have departed from them.
Jesus: You see, My child, what you are of
yourself. The cause of your falls is that you rely too much upon yourself and
too little on Me. But let this not sadden you so much. You are dealing with
the God of mercy, which your misery cannot exhaust. Remember, I did not allot
only a certain number of pardons.
Soul: Yes, I know
all that, but great temptations assail me, and various doubts awaken within
me and, moreover, everything irritates and discourages me.
Jesus: My child, know that the greatest
obstacles to holiness are discouragement and an exaggerated anxiety. These
will deprive you of the ability to practice virtue. All temptations united
together ought not disturb your interior peace, not even momentarily. Sensitiveness
and discouragement are the fruits of self-love. You should not become
discouraged, but strive to make My love reign in place of your self-love.
Have confidence, My child. Do not lose heart in coming for pardon, for I am
always ready to forgive you. As often as you beg for it, you glorify My
mercy.
Soul: I understand
what is the better thing to do, what pleases You more, but I encounter great
obstacles in acting on this understanding.
Jesus: My child, life on earth is a struggle
indeed; a great struggle for My kingdom.
But
fear not, because you are not alone. I am always supporting you, so lean on
Me as you struggle, fearing nothing. Take the vessel of trust and draw from
the fountain of life-for yourself, but also for other souls, especially such
as are distrustful of My goodness.
Soul: O Lord, I
feel my heart being filled with Your love and the rays of Your mercy and love
piercing my soul. I go, Lord, at Your command. I go to conquer souls.
Sustained by Your grace, I am ready to follow You, Lord, not only to Tabor,
but also to Calvary. I desire to lead souls to the fount of Your mercy so
that the splendor of Your mercy may be reflected in all souls, and the home
of our Father be filled to overflowing. And when the enemy begins to attack
me, I shall take refuge behind the shield of Your mercy.
1489 Conversation
of the Merciful God with a Perfect Soul.
Soul: My Lord and
Master, I desire to converse with You.
Jesus: Speak, My beloved child, for I am always
listening. I wait for you. What do you desire to say?
Soul: Lord, first
let me pour out my heart at Your feet in a fragrant anointing of gratitude
for the many blessings which You lavish upon me; even if I wanted to, I could
not count them. I only recall that there has never been a moment in my life
in which I have not experienced Your protection and goodness.
Jesus: Your words please Me, and your
thanksgiving opens up new treasures of graces. But, My child, we should talk
in more detail about the things that lie in your heart. Let us talk confidentially
and frankly, as two hearts that love one another do.
Soul: O my merciful
Lord, there are secrets in my heart which no one knows or will ever know
except You because, even if I wanted to reveal them, no one would understand
me. Your minister knows some because I confess to him, but he knows only the
bit of these mysteries that I am capable of revealing; the rest remains
between us for eternity, O My Lord! You have covered me with the cloak of
Your mercy, pardoning my sins. Not once did You refuse Your pardon; You
always had pity on me, giving me a new life of grace. To prevent doubts, You
have entrusted me to the loving care of Your Church, that tender mother, who
in Your name assures me of the truths of faith and watches lest I wander.
Especially in the tribunal of Your mercy does my soul meet an ocean of
favors, though You did not give the Fallen Angels time to repent or prolong
their time of mercy. O my Lord, you have provided saintly priests to show me
the sure way. Jesus, there is one more secret in my life, the deepest and
dearest to my heart: it is You yourself when You come to my heart under the
appearance of bread. Herein lies the whole secret of my sanctity. Here my
heart is so united with Yours as to be but one. There are no more secrets, because
all that is Yours is mine, and all that is mine is Yours. Such is the
omnipotence and the miracle of Your mercy. All the tongues of men and of
angels united could not find words adequate to this mystery of Your love and
mercy.
When I contemplate
this mystery, my heart falls into a new ecstasy. In silence I tell You
everything, Lord, because the language of love is without words; not a single
stirring of my heart escapes You. O Lord, the extent of Your great
condescension has awakened in my soul an even greater love for You, the sole
object of my love. The life of union manifests itself in perfect purity, deep
humility, gentle silence, and great zeal for the salvation of souls.
O my sweetest Lord,
You watch over me each moment and inspire me as to how I should act in a
precise situation, when my heart wavers between two things. You yourself
frequently intervened in the resolution of a difficulty. Countless times, by
means of a sudden enlightenment, You have given me to know what is the more
pleasing to You.
Oh, how numerous
are the instances of forgiveness about which no one knows! How often You have
poured into my soul courage and perseverance to go forward. It is You
yourself who removed obstacles from my road, intervening directly in the
actions of people. O Jesus, everything I have said to You is but a pale
shadow of what is taking place in my heart. O my Jesus, how ardently I desire
the conversion of sinners! You know what I am doing for them to win them for
You. Every offense against You wounds me deeply. I spare neither strength,
nor health, nor life itself in defense of Your kingdom. Although my efforts
may remain invisible on earth, they are no less valuable in Your eyes.
O Jesus, I want to
bring souls to the fount of Your mercy to draw the reviving water of life
with the vessel of trust. The soul desirous of more of God's mercy should
approach God with greater trust; and if her trust in God is unlimited, then
the mercy of God toward it will be likewise limitless. O my God, Who know
every beat of my heart, You know how eagerly I desire that all hearts would
beat for You alone, that every soul glorify the greatness of Your mercy.
Jesus: My beloved child, delight of My Heart,
your words are dearer and more pleasing to me than the angelic chorus. All the
treasures of My Heart are open to you. Take from this Heart all that you need
for yourself and for the whole world. For the sake of your love, I withhold
the just chastisements, which mankind has deserved. A single act of pure love
pleases Me more than a thousand imperfect prayers. One of your sighs of love
atones for many offenses with which the godless overwhelm Me. The smallest
act of virtue has unlimited value in My eyes because of your great love for
Me. In a soul that lives on My love alone, I reign as in heaven. I watch over
it day and night. In it I find My happiness; My ear is attentive to each
request of its heart; often I anticipate its requests. O child, especially
beloved by Me, apple of My eye, rest a moment near My Heart and taste of the
love in which you will delight for all eternity.
But
child, you are not yet in your homeland; so go, fortified by My grace, and
fight for My kingdom in human souls; fight as a king's child would; and
remember that the days of your exile will pass quickly, and with them the
possibility of earning merit for heaven. I expect from you, My child, a great
number of souls who will glorify My mercy for all eternity. My child, that
you may answer My call worthily, receive Me daily in Holy Communion. It will
give you strength...
Jesus, do not leave
me alone in suffering. You know, Lord, how weak I am. I am an abyss of
wretchedness, I am nothingness itself; so what will be so strange if You
leave me alone and I fall? I am an infant, Lord, so I cannot get along by
myself. However, beyond all abandonment I trust, and in spite of my own
feeling I trust, and I am being completely transformed into trust-often in
spite of what I feel. Do not lessen any of my sufferings, only give me
strength to bear them. Do with me as You please, Lord, only give me the grace
to be able to love You in every event and circumstance. Lord, do not lessen
my cup of bitterness, only give me strength that I may be able to drink it
all.
O Lord, sometimes
You lift me up to the brightness of visions, and then again You plunge
me into the
darkness of night and the abyss of my nothingness, and my soul feels as if it
were alone in the wilderness. Yet, above all things, I trust in You, Jesus,
for You are unchangeable. My moods change, but You are always the same, full
of mercy.
1656 I do not know
how to describe all that I suffer, and what I have written thus far is merely
a drop. There are moments of suffering about which I really cannot write. But
there are also moments in my life when my lips are silent, and there are no
words for my defense, and I submit myself completely to the will of God; then
the Lord Himself defends me and makes claims on my behalf, and His demands
are such that they can be noticed exteriorly. Nevertheless, when I perceive
His major interventions, which manifest themselves by way of punishment, then
I beg Him earnestly for mercy and forgiveness. Yet I am not always heard. The
Lord acts toward me in a mysterious manner. There are times when He Himself
allows terrible sufferings, and then again there are times when He does not
let me suffer and removes everything that might afflict my soul. These are
His ways, unfathomable and incomprehensible to us. It is for us to submit
ourselves completely to His holy will. There are mysteries that the human
mind will never fathom here on earth; eternity will reveal them.
1692 I adore You,
Lord and Creator, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament. I adore You for all the
works of Your hands, that reveal to me so much wisdom, goodness and mercy, O
Lord. You have spread so much beauty over the earth, and it tells me about
Your beauty, even though these beautiful things are but a faint reflection of
You, Incomprehensible Beauty. And although You have hidden Yourself and
concealed Your beauty, my eye, enlightened by faith, reaches You, and my soul
recognizes its Creator, its Highest Good; and my heart is completely immersed
in prayer of adoration.
My Lord and
Creator, Your goodness encourages me to converse with You. Your mercy
abolishes the chasm which separates the Creator from the creature. To
converse with You, O Lord, is the delight of my heart. In You I find
everything that my heart could desire. Here Your light illumines my mind,
enabling it to know You more and more deeply. Here streams of graces flow
down upon my heart. Here my soul draws eternal life. O my Lord and Creator,
You alone, beyond all these gifts, give Your own self to me and unite
Yourself intimately with Your miserable creature. Here, without searching for
words, our hearts understand each other. Here, no one is able to interrupt
our conversation. What I talk to You about, Jesus, is our secret, which
creatures shall not know and Angels dare not ask about. These are secret acts
of forgiveness, known only to Jesus and me; this is the mystery of His mercy,
which embraces each soul separately. For this incomprehensible goodness of
Yours, I adore You, O Lord and Creator, with all my heart and all my soul.
And, although my worship is so little and poor, I am at peace because I know
that You know it is sincere, however inadequate...
1698 l often attend
upon the dying and through entreaties obtain for them trust in God's mercy,
and I implore God for an abundance of divine grace, which is always
victorious. God's mercy sometimes touches the sinner at the last moment in a
wondrous and mysterious way. Outwardly, it seems as if everything were lost,
but it is not so. The soul, illumined by a ray of God's powerful final grace,
turns to God in the last moment with such a power of love that, in an
instant, it receives from God forgiveness of sin and punishment, while
outwardly it shows no sign either of repentance or of contrition, because
souls [at that stage] no longer react to external things. Oh, how beyond
comprehension is God's mercy! But-horror!- there are also souls who
voluntarily and consciously reject and scorn this grace! Although a person is
at the point of death, the merciful God gives the soul that interior vivid
moment, so that if the soul is willing, it has the possibility of returning
to God. But sometimes, the obduracy in souls is so great that consciously
they choose hell; they [thus] make useless all the prayers that other souls
offer to God for them and even the efforts of God Himself...
1744 May You be adored, O merciful God of ours,
O All-powerful Lord and Creator.
In deepest humility, we give You praise,
Plunging ourselves into the ocean of Your Godhead.
But man did not persevere in the hour of trial.
At the instigation of the evil one, he became
unfaithful to You.
He lost Your grace and gifts; only misery was left him,
And tears, suffering, sorrow and bitterness, until he
would rest in the grave.
But you, O merciful God, did not let humanity perish,
And gave it the promise of a Redeemer.
You did not let us despair, despite our grave offenses,
And You sent Your prophets to Israel.
Still, day and night, mankind cries out to You,
From the abyss of misery, sin and all pain.
Hear the moaning and the tears, You who reign in
heaven,
God of great mercy, God of compassion.
Man erred, but he cannot ask pardon,
Because a gaping chasm has appeared between God and
man.
With the voice of his misery, he cries out,
"Mercy!"
But Yahweh is silent... and century after century
passes on.
But the longing of all humankind grows deeper.
A longing for Him who has been promised.
Come, Lamb of God, take away our vile sins,
Come, illumine our darkness like a ray of light.
Humanity calls out to You unceasingly, O Lord of lords,
Calls out to Your unfathomable mercy, to Your
compassion.
O great Yahweh, grant that we may make atonement,
Remember Your goodness, and forgive us our sins.
Third
Day.
1768 My daughter, in this meditation, consider the love of neighbor. Is your love for your neighbor guided by My love? Do you pray for your enemies? Do you wish well to those who have, in one way or another, caused you sorrow or offended you? Know that whatever good you do to any soul, I accept it as if you had done it to Me.
1769
Application: O Jesus, my Love, You know that it has only been for a short
while that I have acted toward my neighbor guided solely by Your love. You
alone know of my efforts to do this. It comes to me more easily now, but if
You Yourself did not kindle that love in my soul, I would not be able to
persevere in this. This is due to Your Eucharistic love which daily sets me
afire.
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-163, 216,
241, 243, 362, 390)
(Diary of Sister Faustina
Kowalska Notebook-II-588, 590, 612, 692, 699, 700, 704, 742)
(Diary of Sister Faustina
Kowalska Notebook-II-901
(Diary of Sister Faustina
Kowalska Notebook-III-1148)
(Diary of Sister Faustina
Kowalska Notebook-IV-1239)
(Diary of Sister Faustina
Kowalska Notebook-V-1332, 1460, 1485, 1488-1489)
(Diary of Sister Faustina
Kowalska Notebook-IV-1656, 1692, 1698, 1744)
(Diary of Sister Faustina
Kowalska Notebook-IV-1768-1769)
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