Ready or Not! Love God’s Presence
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August 31, 2018. Friday of the
Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time
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Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ´Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!´ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ´Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.´ But the wise ones replied, ´No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.´ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ´Lord, Lord, open the door for us!´ But he said in reply, ´Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.´ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come to You again in prayer. Even
though I cannot see You, I know through faith that You are present in my
life. I hope in Your promise to be with me. I love You, and I know You love
me. Accept this prayer as a token of my love.
Petition: Lord, make me long for and strive to enter the
kingdom of heaven.
1. A Severe Oil Shortage: The Gospel invites us to have oil for our
lamps, that is, to be always ready for the coming of the Lord. He appears in
moments and ways we do not expect and at all times throughout our day. The
foolish virgins failed to anticipate when and how the Lord would come to
them, and they were not prepared. So often we, too, get caught up in a
thousand affairs and worries, and we can miss what is essential. We miss the
presence of Christ in the people around us, in the circumstances in which we
are living. Sometimes, Christ comes to us through some sacrifice or
suffering; but we do not recognize him in it, and we reject it. We need to
strengthen our faith and see how the Lord may appear in our lives.
2. The Door Closes: Over and over in the New Testament, Jesus
makes clear that there is a real possibility some people, due to their own
choices, may not be saved. The most terrible thing that could happen to any
person would be to hear those words from the Lord who created us and died to
save us: “I do not know you.” The Lord takes our freedom to choose very
seriously. He never forces our will. He never imposes himself on us. Rather
he invites us to make a free response of love and obedience to him and the
way of life he taught us. We must choose to remain steadfast in the way of
the Christian life. God cannot save us without our cooperation.
3. Stay Awake: Saint Augustine said, “Beware of the
grace of God that passes and does not return.” We need to perceive God’s
presence in the little things of each day and never let the opportunity to
love and serve him pass us by. Our faith must be ready and watching for him.
If we take him for granted, or presume that we are already saved, we can miss
our chance to be with him.
Conversation with Christ: Jesus, thank You for teaching us so clearly
about the seriousness of our choices. How terrible it would be to opt for
death instead of eternal life with You! I want to choose You and Your ways,
but I am weak. Make me watch and wait always, ready to see You in all things
and do Your will.
Resolution: I will actively look for signs of Christ in
others today.
Excerpts from the
DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
36 Once I was summoned to the judgment [seat] of God. I
stood alone before the Lord. Jesus appeared such as we know Him during His
Passion. After a moment, His wounds disappeared except for five, those in His
hands, His feet and His side. Suddenly I saw the complete condition of my
soul as God sees it. I could clearly see all that is displeasing to God. I
did not know that even the smallest transgressions will have to be accounted
for. What a moment! Who can describe it? To stand before the Thrice-Holy God!
Jesus asked me, Who are you? I answered, "I am Your servant,
Lord." You are guilty of one day of fire in purgatory. I wanted to
throw myself immediately into the flames of purgatory, but Jesus stopped me
and said, Which do you prefer, suffer now for one day in purgatory or for a
short while on earth? I replied, "Jesus, I want to suffer in
purgatory, and I want to suffer also the greatest pains on earth, even if it
were until the end of the world." Jesus said, One [of the two] is
enough; you will go back to earth, and there you will suffer much, but not
for long; you will accomplish My will and My desires, and a faithful servant
of Mine will help you to do this. Now, rest your head on My bosom, on My
heart, and draw from it strength and power for these sufferings, because you
will find neither relief nor help nor comfort anywhere else. Know that you
will have much, much to suffer, but don't let this frighten you; I am with
you
83 Write this: before I come as the just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy. Before the day of justice arrives, there will be given to people a sign in the heavens of this sort: All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and the feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day.
112 +A few words about confession and confessors. I shall
speak only of what I have experienced and gone through within my own soul.
There are three things which hinder the soul from drawing profit from
confession in these exceptional moments.
The first thing: when the confessor has little knowledge of extraordinary ways and shows surprise if a soul discloses to him the great mysteries worked in it by God. Such surprise frightens a sensitive soul, and it notices that the confessor hesitates to give his opinion; and if it does notice this, it will not be set at peace, but will have even more doubts after confession than before, because it will sense that the confessor is trying to set it at peace while he himself is uncertain. Or else, as has happened to me, a confessor, unable to penetrate some of the soul's mysteries, refuses to hear the confession, showing a certain fear when the soul approaches the confessional. How can a soul in this state obtain peace in the confessional when it has become so oversensitive to every word of the priest? In my opinion, at times of such special trials sent by God to a soul, the priest, if he does not understand the soul, should direct it to some other experienced and well-instructed confessor. Or else he himself should seek light in order to give the soul what it needs, instead of downrightly denying it confession. For in this way he is exposing the soul to a great danger; and more than one soul may well leave the road along which God wanted it to journey. This is a matter of great importance, for I have experienced it myself. I myself began to waver; despite special gifts from God, and even though God himself reassured me, I have nevertheless always wanted to have the Church's seal as well. The second thing: the confessor does not allow the soul to express itself frankly, and shows impatience. The soul then falls silent and does not say everything [it has to say] and, by this, profits nothing. It profits even less when the confessor, without really knowing the soul, proceeds to put it to the test. Instead of helping the soul, he does it harm. The soul is aware that the confessor does not know it, because he did not allow it to lay itself open fully as regards both its graces and its misery. And so the test is ill-adapted. I have been submitted to some tests at which I have had to laugh. I will express this better thus: The confessor is the doctor of the soul, but how can a doctor prescribe a suitable remedy if he does not know the nature of the sickness? Never will he be able to do so. For either the remedy will not produce the desired effect, or else it will be too strong and will aggravate the illness, and sometimes-God forbid-even bring about death. I am speaking from my own experience because, in certain instances, it was the Lord himself who directly sustained me. The third thing: it also happens sometimes that the confessor makes light of little things. There is nothing little in the spiritual life. Sometimes a seemingly insignificant thing will disclose a matter of great consequence and will be for the confessor a beam of light which helps him to get to know the soul. Many spiritual undertones are concealed in little things. A magnificent building will never rise if we reject the insignificant bricks. God demands great purity of certain souls, and so He gives them a deeper knowledge of their own misery. Illuminated by light from on high, the soul can better know what pleases God and what does not. Sin depends upon the degree of knowledge and light that exists within the soul. The same is true of imperfections. Although the soul knows that it is only sin in the strict sense of the term which pertains to the sacrament of penance, yet these petty things are of great importance to a soul which is tending to sanctity, and the confessor must not treat them lightly. The patience and kindness of the confessor open the way to the innermost secrets of the soul. The soul, unconsciously as it were, reveals its abysmal depth and feels stronger and more resistant; it fights with greater courage and tries to do things better because it knows it must give an account of them. I will mention one more thing regarding the confessor. It is his duty to occasionally put to the test, to try, to exercise, to learn whether he is dealing with straw, with iron or with pure gold. Each of these three types of souls needs different kinds of training. The confessor must-and this is absolutely necessary-form a clear judgment of each soul in order to know how heavy a burden it can carry at certain times, in certain circumstances, or in particular situations. As for myself, it was only later on, after many [negative] experiences, that, when I saw that I was not understood, I no longer laid bare my soul or allowed my peace to be disturbed. But this happened only when all these graces had already been submitted to the judgement of a wise, well-instructed and experienced confessor. Now I know what to go by in certain cases.
145 Oh, how wretched my soul is for having wasted so many
graces! I was running away from God, and He pursued me with his graces. I
most often experienced God's graces when I least expected them. From the
moment He gave me a spiritual director, I have been more faithful to grace.
Thanks to the director and his watchfulness over my soul, I have learned what
guidance means and how Jesus looks at it. Jesus warned me of the least fault
and stressed that He himself judges the matter that I present to my
confessor; and [He told me] that ... any transgressions against the
confessor touch Me myself.
When under his direction my soul began to experience deep recollection and peace, I often heard these words in my soul: Strengthen yourself for combat - repeated over and over at various times. +Jesus often makes known to me what He does not like in my soul, and He has more than once rebuked me for what seemed to be trifles, but which were, in fact, things of great importance. He has warned me and tried me like a Master. For many years He himself educated me, until the moment when He gave me a spiritual director. Previously, He himself had made clear to me what I did not understand; but now, He tells me to ask my confessor about everything and often says, I will answer you through his mouth. Be at peace. It has never happened to me that I have received an answer which was contrary to what the Lord wanted of me, when I presented it to the spiritual director [Father Sopocko]. It sometimes happens that Jesus first asks certain things of me, about which no one knows anything, and then, when I kneel at the confessional, my confessor gives me the same order-however, this is infrequent. +When, over a long period of time, a soul has received much light and many inspirations, and when the confessors have confirmed the source of these inspirations and set the soul at peace; if its love is great, Jesus now makes it known that it is time to put into action what it has received. The soul recognizes that God is counting on it, and this knowledge fortifies it. It knows that to be faithful it will often have to face various difficulties, but it trusts in God and, thanks to this trust, it reaches that point to which God is calling it. Difficulties do not terrify it; they are its daily bread, as it were. They do not frighten or terrify the soul, just as a warrior who is constantly in battle is not terrified by the roar of the cannon. Far from being frightened, it listens to determine from which side the enemy is launching his attack, in order to defeat him. It does nothing blindly, but examines and ponders everything deeply and, not counting on itself, it prays fervently and asks advice of other warriors who are experienced and wise. When the soul acts in this way, it nearly always wins. There are attacks when a soul has no time to think or seek advice; then it must enter into a life-or-death struggle. Sometimes it is good to flee for cover in the wound of the Heart of Jesus, without answering a single word. By this very act the enemy is already defeated. In time of peace, as well, the soul continues making efforts, just as in time of battle. It must exercise itself, and do so with energy; otherwise it has no chance of attaining victory. I regard the time of peace as a time of preparation for victory. The soul must be ever watchful; watchfulness and again, watchfulness. The soul that reflects receives much light. A distracted soul runs the risk of a fall, and let it not be surprised when it does fall. O Spirit of God, Director of the soul, wise is he whom You have trained! But for the Spirit of God to act in the soul, peace and recollection are needed.
282 Once the Lord said to me, My Heart was moved by
great mercy towards you, My dearest child, when I saw you torn to shreds
because of the great pain you suffered in repenting for your sins. I see your
love, so pure and true that I give you first place among the virgins. You are
the honor and glory of My Passion. I see every abasement of your soul, and
nothing escapes my attention. I lift up the humble even to my very throne,
because I want it so.
374 J.M.J Vilnius, Februrary 4, 1935
[page in the Dairy with the words "From today on my will does not exist" crossed out with a large 'X'] The moment I knelt down to cross out my own will, as the Lord had bid me to do, I heard this voice in my soul:From today on, do not fear God's judgment, for you will not be judged [The next page has...] J.M.J Vilnius, February 4, 1935 From today on, I do the Will of God everywhere, always, and in everything.[88]
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.
423 Praise the Lord, my soul, for everything, and glorify
His mercy, for His goodness is without end. Everything will pass, but His
mercy is without limit or end. And although evil will attain its measure, in
mercy there is no measure.
O my God, even in the punishments You send down upon the earth I see the abyss of Your mercy, for by punishing us here on earth You free us from eternal punishment. Rejoice, all you creatures, for you are closer to God in His infinite mercy than a baby to its mother's heart. O God, You are compassion itself for the greatest sinners who sincerely repent. The greater the sinner, the greater his right to God's mercy.
496 Confession Day. From early morning, the turmoil in my
soul was more violent than anything I had ever experienced before. Complete
abandonment by God; I felt the utter weakness that I was. Thoughts bore in
upon me: why should I leave this convent where I am loved by the sisters and
superiors, where life is so tranquil; [where I am] bound by perpetual vows
and carry out my duties without difficulty; why should I listen to the voice
of my conscience; why follow an inspiration coming from who knows where;
wouldn't it be better to carry on like all the other sisters? Perhaps the
Lord's words could be stifled, not taken heed of; maybe God will not demand
an account of them on the day of judgment. Where will this inner voice lead
me? If I follow it, what tremendous difficulties, tribulations and adversities
are in store for me. I fear the future, and I am agonizing in the present.
This suffering continued with the same intensity throughout the whole day. When, in the evening, my turn came for confession, I could not make a full confession, even though I had been preparing for a long time. I received absolution and left, not knowing what was going on within me. When I went to bed, the suffering grew even worse; or rather, it changed into a fire which penetrated all the faculties of my soul like lightning, piercing me to the marrow, and to the most secret recesses of my heart. In the midst of this suffering, I was unable to bring myself to do anything. "Your will be done, Lord." At times I could not even think these words. Truly, a deadly fear had taken hold of me, and the flames of hell were touching me. Toward morning, silence set in, and my tribulations disappeared in the twinkling of an eye, but I felt so frightfully exhausted that I could not even move. During my conversation with Mother Superior, my strength returned bit by bit, but God alone knows how I felt throughout that whole day.
566 One day, after Holy Communion, I suddenly saw the
Infant Jesus standing by my kneeler and holding on to it with His two little
hands. Although He was but a little Child, my soul was filled with awe and
fear, for I see in Him my Judge, my Lord, and my Creator, before whose
holiness the Angels tremble. At the same time, my soul was flooded with such
unspeakable love that I thought I would die under its influence. I now see
that Jesus first strengthens my soul and makes it capable of abiding with
Him, for otherwise I would not be able to bear what I experience at such a
moment.
660 O my Jesus, on the day of the last judgment, You will
demand from me an account of this work of mercy. O just Judge, but my Spouse
as well, help me to do Your holy will. O mercy, O divine virtue!
O most merciful Heart of Jesus, my Betrothed, make my heart like unto Yours.
717 All night long, I was preparing to receive Holy
Communion, since I could not sleep because of physical suffering. My soul was
flooded with love and repentance.
852 Today the Lord's gaze shot through me suddenly, like
lightning. At once, I came to know the tiniest specks in my soul, and knowing
the depths of my misery, I fell to my knees and begged the Lord's pardon, and
with great trust I immersed myself in His infinite mercy. Such knowledge does
not depress me nor keep me away from the Lord, but rather it arouses in my
soul greater love and boundless trust. The repentance of my heart is linked
to love. These extraordinary flashes from the Lord educate my soul. O sweet
rays of God, enlighten me to the most secret depth, for I want to arrive at
the greatest possible purity of heart and soul.
854 December 29, [1936]. Today after Holy Communion, I
heard a voice in my soul: My daughter, stand ready, for I will come
unexpectedly. Jesus, You do not want to tell me the hour I am looking
forward to with such longing? My daughter, it is for your own good. You
will learn it, but not now; keep watch. O Jesus, do with me as You
please. I know You are the merciful Savior and You will not change towards me
at the hour of my death. If at this time you are showing me so much special
love, and are condescending to unite Yourself with me is such an intimate way
and with such great kindness, I expect even more at the hour of my death.
You, my Lord-God, cannot change. You are always the same. Heaven can change,
as well as everything that is created; but You, Lord, are ever the same and
will endure forever. So come as You like and when You like. Father of
infinite mercy, I, Your child, wait longingly for Your coming. O Jesus, You
said in the Holy Gospel, "Out of your mouth do I judge you." Well,
Jesus, I am always speaking of Your inconceivable mercy, so I trust that You
will judge me according to Your unfathomable mercy.
895 January 23, [1937]. I did not feel like writing today.
Then I heard a voice in my soul:My daughter, you do not live for yourself
but for souls; write for their benefit. You know that My will as to your
writing has been confirmed many times by your confessors. You know what is
pleasing to Me, and if you have any doubts about what I am saying, you also
know whom you are to ask. I grant him light to pronounce judgment on my case.
My eye watches over him. My daughter, you are to be like a child towards him,
full of simplicity and candor. Put his judgment above all My demands. He will
guide you according to My will. If he doesn't allow you to carry out My
demands, be at peace; I will not judge you, but the matter will remain
between Me and him. You are to be obedient.
934 Small practices for Lent. Although I wish and desire
to do so, I cannot practice big mortifications as before, because I am under
the strict surveillance of the doctor. But I can practice little things:
first-sleep without a pillow; keep myself a little hungry; every day, with my
arms outstretched, say the chaplet which the Lord taught me; occasionally,
with arms outstretched, for an indefinite period of time pray informally.
Intention: to beg divine mercy for poor sinners, and for priests, the power
to bring sinful hearts to repentance.
1052 O my Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church:
Grant it love and the light of Your Spirit, and give power to the words of
priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to
You, O Lord. Lord, give us holy priests; You yourself maintain them in
holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of Your mercy
accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares
which are continually being set for the souls of priests. May the power of
Your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the
sanctity of priests, for You can do all things.
1054 When Jesus was taking leave of me, such great pain
filled my soul that it is impossible to express it. Physical strength left
me; I left the chapel quickly and went to bed. I was oblivious of what was
going on around me. My soul was filled with longing for the Lord, and all the
bitterness of His Divine Heart was imparted to me. This lasted for about
three hours. I asked the Lord to protect me from the eyes of those around me.
Although I wanted to, I could not take any food all day, until evening.
I earnestly desired to spend the whole night with Jesus in the dark prison cell. [184] I prayed until eleven o'clock. At eleven, the Lord said to me, Lie down and take your rest. I have let you experience in three hours what I suffered during the whole night. And immediately I went to bed. I had no physical strength left; the suffering had deprived me of it completely. Throughout all this time, I had been in a sort of swoon. Every beat of Jesus' Heart was reflected in my heart and pierced my soul. If these tortures had concerned me only, I would have suffered less; but as I looked at the One whom my heart has loved with all its might and saw that He was suffering, and that I could not bring Him any relief, my heart dissolved in love and bitterness. I was dying with Him, and yet I could not die. But I would not have exchanged that martyrdom for all the pleasures in the whole world. In the course of this suffering, my love grew immeasurably. I know that the Lord was supporting me with His omnipotence, for otherwise I would not have been able to endure it for even a moment. Together with Him, I underwent, in a special way, all the various tortures. The world still has no idea of all that Jesus suffered. I accompanied Him to the Garden of Gethsemane; I stayed with Him in the prison; I went with Him before the judges; I underwent with Him each of the tortures. Not a single one of His movements or looks escaped my notice. I came to know all the omnipotence of His love and of His mercy toward souls.
1064 + O my most sweet Master, good Jesus, I give You my
heart. You shape and mold it after Your liking. O fathomless love, I open the
calyx of my heart to You, like a rosebud to the freshness of dew. To You alone,
my Betrothed, is known the fragrance of the flower of my heart. Let the
fragrance of my sacrifice be pleasing to You. O Immortal God, my everlasting
delight, already here on earth You are my heaven. May every beat of my heart
be a new hymn of praise to You, O Holy Trinity! Had I as many hearts as there
are drops of water in the ocean or grains of sand in the whole world, I would
offer them all to You, O my Love, O Treasure of my heart! Whomever I shall
meet in my life, no matter who they may be, I want to draw them all to love
You, O my Jesus, my Beauty, my Repose, my sole Master, Judge, Savior and
Spouse, all in one; I know that one title will modify the other-I have
entrusted everything to Your mercy.
1074 When I went for adoration, I heard these words: My
beloved daughter, write down these words, that today My Heart has rested in
this convent [the Cracow house]. Tell the world about My mercy and My
love.
The flames of mercy are burning me. I desire to pour them out upon human souls. Oh, what pain they cause Me when they do not want to accept them! My daughter, do whatever is within your power to spread devotion to My mercy. I will make up for what you lack. Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it -with peace. Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.
1075 Souls who spread the honor of My mercy I shield
through their entire lives as a tender mother her infant, and at the hour of
death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior. At that last
hour, a soul has nothing with which to defend itself except My mercy. Happy
is the soul that during its lifetime immersed itself in the Fountain of
Mercy, because justice will have no hold on it.
1076 Write this: Everything that exists is enclosed in
the bowels of My mercy, more deeply than an infant in its mother's womb. How
painfully distrust of My goodness wounds Me! Sins of distrust wound Me most
painfully.
1093 + O Jesus, shield me with Your mercy and also judge
me leniently, or else Your justice may rightly damn me.
1146 [Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My
mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy.
My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an
appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than
they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to
My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and
inscrutable mercy. Write: before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide
the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy
must pass through the door of My justice...
1158 A member of this group ought to perform at least one
act of mercy a day; at least one, but there can be many more, for such deeds
can easily be carried out by anyone, even the very poorest. For there are
three ways of performing an act of mercy: the merciful word, by forgiving and
by comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray-that too is
mercy; and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be
judged from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict.
1159 God's floodgates have been opened for us. Let us want
to take advantage of them before the day of God's justice arrives. And that
will be a dreadful day!
1317 I understand Your words, Lord, and the magnitude of
the mercy that ought to shine in my soul. Jesus: I know, My daughter, that
you understand it and that you do everything within your power. But write
this for the many souls who are often worried because they do not have the
material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy,
which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious
and is within the grasp of every soul. If a soul does not exercise mercy
somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if
only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not
be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy.
1426 Christ, give me souls. Let anything You like happen
to me, but give me souls in return. I want the salvation of souls. I want
souls to know Your mercy. I have nothing left for myself, because I have
given everything away to souls, with the result that on the day of judgment I
will stand before You empty-handed, since I have given everything away to
souls. Thus You will have nothing on which to judge me, and we shall meet on
that day: Love and mercy... + J. M. J.
1515 + I spent this whole night
with Jesus in the dark dungeon. This was a night of adoration. The sisters
were praying in the chapel, and I was uniting myself with them in spirit,
because poor health prevents me from going to the chapel. But all night long
I could not fall asleep, so I spent the night in the dark prison with Jesus.
Jesus gave me to know of the sufferings He experienced there. The world will
learn about them on the day of judgment.
1528 + When I complained to the
Lord Jesus about a certain person [saying], "Jesus, how can this person
pass judgment like that, even about an intention?" the Lord answered, Do
not be surprised. That soul does not even know her own self, so how could she
pass a fair judgment on another soul?
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I- 36, 83, 112, 145, 282, 374, 378)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I-423, 496)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-II-566, 660, 717, 852, 854, 895, 934)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-III-1052, 1054, 1064, 1074-1076, 1093)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-III-1146, 1158-1159)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-IV-1317)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-V-1426, 1515, 1528)
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Agosto 31, 2018
Ready or Not! Love God’s Presence-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
Agosto 30, 2018
No Sleeping on the Job-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
No Sleeping on the Job
August 30, 2018. Thursday of the Twenty-first
Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 24:42-51
Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ´My master is long delayed,´ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant´s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ´My master is long delayed,´ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant´s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come to You again in prayer. Even
though I cannot see You, I know through faith that You are present in my life.
I hope in Your promise to be with me. I love You, and I know You love me.
Accept this prayer as a token of my love.
Petition: Lord, help me to remain alert, keeping the
goal of heaven always in mind.
1. Days and Hours: None of us knows how long we have to live, nor
did Jesus reveal how long human history would continue before he came again for
the Final Judgment. This should make us realize we need to be always ready to
meet Our Lord, to have our actions true, and our conscience always clear. We
need to be living as if each day were our last, as if our eternal happiness
depended on the choices and actions of this very day. Every moment is precious
and important in God’s eyes, and the one necessary thing is working to attain
our salvation. This is more important than anything else we can accomplish in
life.
2. True Prudence: The servant who is constant and steady, who
does what he is supposed to do at each moment, is the truly prudent person. God
wants us to be faithful and follow his will every single day. This is the path
to holiness and union with God; there is no other way we can be close to God
except by doing his will, out of love and gratitude. How do my actions today
reflect loving obedience to God’s will? Am I putting God at the center of my
life, or do I have him and his will relegated to the margins, paying attention
to what he wants of me only from time to time?
3. A Long Delay: Often it can seem that God is distant and not
involved in our lives. It can seem that he is not coming back anytime soon, and
this can lead us to become distracted with many other things. Every day we need
to renew our spirit of faith in God and in his constant presence, living each
day to please him, no matter how long the delay seems to be. We need to live in
his presence through faith in him and his revelation, which guides us along the
pathway to eternal life. We need to keep a lively, operative faith in God and
in his presence every day.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, teach me to pray with real faith in You
and in Your word which gives life. Help me believe at every moment so that I
can please You, do Your will and grow in holiness.
Resolution: I will renew my faith each day, frequently making conscious and
fervent acts of faith.
Excerpts from the
DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
83 Write this: before I come as the just Judge, I am
coming first as the King of Mercy. Before the day of justice arrives, there
will be given to people a sign in the heavens of this sort: All light in the
heavens will be extinguished, and there will be great darkness over the whole
earth. Then the sign of the cross will be seen in the sky, and from the
openings where the hands and the feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth
great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take
place shortly before the last day.
112 +A few words about confession and confessors. I shall
speak only of what I have experienced and gone through within my own soul.
There are three things which hinder the soul from drawing profit from
confession in these exceptional moments.
The first thing: when the confessor has little knowledge of extraordinary ways and shows surprise if a soul discloses to him the great mysteries worked in it by God. Such surprise frightens a sensitive soul, and it notices that the confessor hesitates to give his opinion; and if it does notice this, it will not be set at peace, but will have even more doubts after confession than before, because it will sense that the confessor is trying to set it at peace while he himself is uncertain. Or else, as has happened to me, a confessor, unable to penetrate some of the soul's mysteries, refuses to hear the confession, showing a certain fear when the soul approaches the confessional.
How can a soul in this state obtain peace in the confessional when it has become so oversensitive to every word of the priest? In my opinion, at times of such special trials sent by God to a soul, the priest, if he does not understand the soul, should direct it to some other experienced and well-instructed confessor. Or else he himself should seek light in order to give the soul what it needs, instead of downrightly denying it confession. For in this way he is exposing the soul to a great danger; and more than one soul may well leave the road along which God wanted it to journey. This is a matter of great importance, for I have experienced it myself. I myself began to waver; despite special gifts from God, and even though God himself reassured me, I have nevertheless always wanted to have the Church's seal as well.
The second thing: the confessor does not allow the soul to express itself frankly, and shows impatience. The soul then falls silent and does not say everything [it has to say] and, by this, profits nothing. It profits even less when the confessor, without really knowing the soul, proceeds to put it to the test. Instead of helping the soul, he does it harm. The soul is aware that the confessor does not know it, because he did not allow it to lay itself open fully as regards both its graces and its misery. And so the test is ill-adapted. I have been submitted to some tests at which I have had to laugh.
I will express this better thus: The confessor is the doctor of the soul, but how can a doctor prescribe a suitable remedy if he does not know the nature of the sickness? Never will he be able to do so. For either the remedy will not produce the desired effect, or else it will be too strong and will aggravate the illness, and sometimes-God forbid-even bring about death. I am speaking from my own experience because, in certain instances, it was the Lord himself who directly sustained me.
The third thing: it also happens sometimes that the confessor makes light of little things. There is nothing little in the spiritual life. Sometimes a seemingly insignificant thing will disclose a matter of great consequence and will be for the confessor a beam of light which helps him to get to know the soul. Many spiritual undertones are concealed in little things.
A magnificent building will never rise if we reject the insignificant bricks. God demands great purity of certain souls, and so He gives them a deeper knowledge of their own misery. Illuminated by light from on high, the soul can better know what pleases God and what does not. Sin depends upon the degree of knowledge and light that exists within the soul. The same is true of imperfections. Although the soul knows that it is only sin in the strict sense of the term which pertains to the sacrament of penance, yet these petty things are of great importance to a soul which is tending to sanctity, and the confessor must not treat them lightly. The patience and kindness of the confessor open the way to the innermost secrets of the soul. The soul, unconsciously as it were, reveals its abysmal depth and feels stronger and more resistant; it fights with greater courage and tries to do things better because it knows it must give an account of them.
I will mention one more thing regarding the confessor. It is his duty to occasionally put to the test, to try, to exercise, to learn whether he is dealing with straw, with iron or with pure gold. Each of these three types of souls needs different kinds of training. The confessor must-and this is absolutely necessary-form a clear judgment of each soul in order to know how heavy a burden it can carry at certain times, in certain circumstances, or in particular situations. As for myself, it was only later on, after many [negative] experiences, that, when I saw that I was not understood, I no longer laid bare my soul or allowed my peace to be disturbed. But this happened only when all these graces had already been submitted to the judgement of a wise, well-instructed and experienced confessor. Now I know what to go by in certain cases.
The first thing: when the confessor has little knowledge of extraordinary ways and shows surprise if a soul discloses to him the great mysteries worked in it by God. Such surprise frightens a sensitive soul, and it notices that the confessor hesitates to give his opinion; and if it does notice this, it will not be set at peace, but will have even more doubts after confession than before, because it will sense that the confessor is trying to set it at peace while he himself is uncertain. Or else, as has happened to me, a confessor, unable to penetrate some of the soul's mysteries, refuses to hear the confession, showing a certain fear when the soul approaches the confessional.
How can a soul in this state obtain peace in the confessional when it has become so oversensitive to every word of the priest? In my opinion, at times of such special trials sent by God to a soul, the priest, if he does not understand the soul, should direct it to some other experienced and well-instructed confessor. Or else he himself should seek light in order to give the soul what it needs, instead of downrightly denying it confession. For in this way he is exposing the soul to a great danger; and more than one soul may well leave the road along which God wanted it to journey. This is a matter of great importance, for I have experienced it myself. I myself began to waver; despite special gifts from God, and even though God himself reassured me, I have nevertheless always wanted to have the Church's seal as well.
The second thing: the confessor does not allow the soul to express itself frankly, and shows impatience. The soul then falls silent and does not say everything [it has to say] and, by this, profits nothing. It profits even less when the confessor, without really knowing the soul, proceeds to put it to the test. Instead of helping the soul, he does it harm. The soul is aware that the confessor does not know it, because he did not allow it to lay itself open fully as regards both its graces and its misery. And so the test is ill-adapted. I have been submitted to some tests at which I have had to laugh.
I will express this better thus: The confessor is the doctor of the soul, but how can a doctor prescribe a suitable remedy if he does not know the nature of the sickness? Never will he be able to do so. For either the remedy will not produce the desired effect, or else it will be too strong and will aggravate the illness, and sometimes-God forbid-even bring about death. I am speaking from my own experience because, in certain instances, it was the Lord himself who directly sustained me.
The third thing: it also happens sometimes that the confessor makes light of little things. There is nothing little in the spiritual life. Sometimes a seemingly insignificant thing will disclose a matter of great consequence and will be for the confessor a beam of light which helps him to get to know the soul. Many spiritual undertones are concealed in little things.
A magnificent building will never rise if we reject the insignificant bricks. God demands great purity of certain souls, and so He gives them a deeper knowledge of their own misery. Illuminated by light from on high, the soul can better know what pleases God and what does not. Sin depends upon the degree of knowledge and light that exists within the soul. The same is true of imperfections. Although the soul knows that it is only sin in the strict sense of the term which pertains to the sacrament of penance, yet these petty things are of great importance to a soul which is tending to sanctity, and the confessor must not treat them lightly. The patience and kindness of the confessor open the way to the innermost secrets of the soul. The soul, unconsciously as it were, reveals its abysmal depth and feels stronger and more resistant; it fights with greater courage and tries to do things better because it knows it must give an account of them.
I will mention one more thing regarding the confessor. It is his duty to occasionally put to the test, to try, to exercise, to learn whether he is dealing with straw, with iron or with pure gold. Each of these three types of souls needs different kinds of training. The confessor must-and this is absolutely necessary-form a clear judgment of each soul in order to know how heavy a burden it can carry at certain times, in certain circumstances, or in particular situations. As for myself, it was only later on, after many [negative] experiences, that, when I saw that I was not understood, I no longer laid bare my soul or allowed my peace to be disturbed. But this happened only when all these graces had already been submitted to the judgement of a wise, well-instructed and experienced confessor. Now I know what to go by in certain cases.
145 Oh, how wretched my soul is for having wasted so many
graces! I was running away from God, and He pursued me with his graces. I most
often experienced God's graces when I least expected them. From the moment He
gave me a spiritual director, I have been more faithful to grace. Thanks to the
director and his watchfulness over my soul, I have learned what guidance means
and how Jesus looks at it. Jesus warned me of the least fault and stressed that
He himself judges the matter that I present to my confessor; and [He told me]
that ... any transgressions against the confessor touch Me myself.
When under his direction my soul began to experience deep recollection and peace, I often heard these words in my soul: Strengthen yourself for combat - repeated over and over at various times.
+Jesus often makes known to me what He does not like in my soul, and He has more than once rebuked me for what seemed to be trifles, but which were, in fact, things of great importance. He has warned me and tried me like a Master. For many years He himself educated me, until the moment when He gave me a spiritual director. Previously, He himself had made clear to me what I did not understand; but now, He tells me to ask my confessor about everything and often says, I will answer you through his mouth. Be at peace. It has never happened to me that I have received an answer which was contrary to what the Lord wanted of me, when I presented it to the spiritual director [Father Sopocko]. It sometimes happens that Jesus first asks certain things of me, about which no one knows anything, and then, when I kneel at the confessional, my confessor gives me the same order-however, this is infrequent.
+When, over a long period of time, a soul has received much light and many inspirations, and when the confessors have confirmed the source of these inspirations and set the soul at peace; if its love is great, Jesus now makes it known that it is time to put into action what it has received. The soul recognizes that God is counting on it, and this knowledge fortifies it. It knows that to be faithful it will often have to face various difficulties, but it trusts in God and, thanks to this trust, it reaches that point to which God is calling it. Difficulties do not terrify it; they are its daily bread, as it were. They do not frighten or terrify the soul, just as a warrior who is constantly in battle is not terrified by the roar of the cannon. Far from being frightened, it listens to determine from which side the enemy is launching his attack, in order to defeat him. It does nothing blindly, but examines and ponders everything deeply and, not counting on itself, it prays fervently and asks advice of other warriors who are experienced and wise. When the soul acts in this way, it nearly always wins.
There are attacks when a soul has no time to think or seek advice; then it must enter into a life-or-death struggle. Sometimes it is good to flee for cover in the wound of the Heart of Jesus, without answering a single word. By this very act the enemy is already defeated.
In time of peace, as well, the soul continues making efforts, just as in time of battle. It must exercise itself, and do so with energy; otherwise it has no chance of attaining victory. I regard the time of peace as a time of preparation for victory. The soul must be ever watchful; watchfulness and again, watchfulness. The soul that reflects receives much light. A distracted soul runs the risk of a fall, and let it not be surprised when it does fall. O Spirit of God, Director of the soul, wise is he whom You have trained! But for the Spirit of God to act in the soul, peace and recollection are needed.
When under his direction my soul began to experience deep recollection and peace, I often heard these words in my soul: Strengthen yourself for combat - repeated over and over at various times.
+Jesus often makes known to me what He does not like in my soul, and He has more than once rebuked me for what seemed to be trifles, but which were, in fact, things of great importance. He has warned me and tried me like a Master. For many years He himself educated me, until the moment when He gave me a spiritual director. Previously, He himself had made clear to me what I did not understand; but now, He tells me to ask my confessor about everything and often says, I will answer you through his mouth. Be at peace. It has never happened to me that I have received an answer which was contrary to what the Lord wanted of me, when I presented it to the spiritual director [Father Sopocko]. It sometimes happens that Jesus first asks certain things of me, about which no one knows anything, and then, when I kneel at the confessional, my confessor gives me the same order-however, this is infrequent.
+When, over a long period of time, a soul has received much light and many inspirations, and when the confessors have confirmed the source of these inspirations and set the soul at peace; if its love is great, Jesus now makes it known that it is time to put into action what it has received. The soul recognizes that God is counting on it, and this knowledge fortifies it. It knows that to be faithful it will often have to face various difficulties, but it trusts in God and, thanks to this trust, it reaches that point to which God is calling it. Difficulties do not terrify it; they are its daily bread, as it were. They do not frighten or terrify the soul, just as a warrior who is constantly in battle is not terrified by the roar of the cannon. Far from being frightened, it listens to determine from which side the enemy is launching his attack, in order to defeat him. It does nothing blindly, but examines and ponders everything deeply and, not counting on itself, it prays fervently and asks advice of other warriors who are experienced and wise. When the soul acts in this way, it nearly always wins.
There are attacks when a soul has no time to think or seek advice; then it must enter into a life-or-death struggle. Sometimes it is good to flee for cover in the wound of the Heart of Jesus, without answering a single word. By this very act the enemy is already defeated.
In time of peace, as well, the soul continues making efforts, just as in time of battle. It must exercise itself, and do so with energy; otherwise it has no chance of attaining victory. I regard the time of peace as a time of preparation for victory. The soul must be ever watchful; watchfulness and again, watchfulness. The soul that reflects receives much light. A distracted soul runs the risk of a fall, and let it not be surprised when it does fall. O Spirit of God, Director of the soul, wise is he whom You have trained! But for the Spirit of God to act in the soul, peace and recollection are needed.
282 Once the Lord said to me, My Heart was moved by great
mercy towards you, My dearest child, when I saw you torn to shreds because of
the great pain you suffered in repenting for your sins. I see your love, so
pure and true that I give you first place among the virgins. You are the honor
and glory of My Passion. I see every abasement of your soul, and nothing
escapes my attention. I lift up the humble even to my very throne, because I
want it so.
374 J.M.J Vilnius, Februrary 4, 1935
[page in the Dairy with the words "From today on my will does not exist" crossed out with a large 'X']
The moment I knelt down to cross out my own will, as the Lord had bid me to do, I heard this voice in my soul:From today on, do not fear God's judgment, for you will not be judged
[The next page has...]
J.M.J Vilnius, February 4, 1935
From today on, I do the Will of God everywhere, always, and in everything.[88]
[page in the Dairy with the words "From today on my will does not exist" crossed out with a large 'X']
The moment I knelt down to cross out my own will, as the Lord had bid me to do, I heard this voice in my soul:From today on, do not fear God's judgment, for you will not be judged
[The next page has...]
J.M.J Vilnius, February 4, 1935
From today on, I do the Will of God everywhere, always, and in everything.[88]
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.
423 Praise the Lord, my soul, for everything, and glorify
His mercy, for His goodness is without end. Everything will pass, but His mercy
is without limit or end. And although evil will attain its measure, in mercy
there is no measure.
O my God, even in the punishments You send down upon the earth I see the abyss of Your mercy, for by punishing us here on earth You free us from eternal punishment. Rejoice, all you creatures, for you are closer to God in His infinite mercy than a baby to its mother's heart. O God, You are compassion itself for the greatest sinners who sincerely repent. The greater the sinner, the greater his right to God's mercy.
O my God, even in the punishments You send down upon the earth I see the abyss of Your mercy, for by punishing us here on earth You free us from eternal punishment. Rejoice, all you creatures, for you are closer to God in His infinite mercy than a baby to its mother's heart. O God, You are compassion itself for the greatest sinners who sincerely repent. The greater the sinner, the greater his right to God's mercy.
496 Confession Day. From early morning, the turmoil in my
soul was more violent than anything I had ever experienced before. Complete
abandonment by God; I felt the utter weakness that I was. Thoughts bore in upon
me: why should I leave this convent where I am loved by the sisters and
superiors, where life is so tranquil; [where I am] bound by perpetual vows and
carry out my duties without difficulty; why should I listen to the voice of my
conscience; why follow an inspiration coming from who knows where; wouldn't it
be better to carry on like all the other sisters? Perhaps the Lord's words
could be stifled, not taken heed of; maybe God will not demand an account of
them on the day of judgment. Where will this inner voice lead me? If I follow
it, what tremendous difficulties, tribulations and adversities are in store for
me. I fear the future, and I am agonizing in the present.
This suffering continued with the same intensity throughout the whole day. When, in the evening, my turn came for confession, I could not make a full confession, even though I had been preparing for a long time. I received absolution and left, not knowing what was going on within me. When I went to bed, the suffering grew even worse; or rather, it changed into a fire which penetrated all the faculties of my soul like lightning, piercing me to the marrow, and to the most secret recesses of my heart. In the midst of this suffering, I was unable to bring myself to do anything. "Your will be done, Lord." At times I could not even think these words. Truly, a deadly fear had taken hold of me, and the flames of hell were touching me. Toward morning, silence set in, and my tribulations disappeared in the twinkling of an eye, but I felt so frightfully exhausted that I could not even move. During my conversation with Mother Superior, my strength returned bit by bit, but God alone knows how I felt throughout that whole day.
This suffering continued with the same intensity throughout the whole day. When, in the evening, my turn came for confession, I could not make a full confession, even though I had been preparing for a long time. I received absolution and left, not knowing what was going on within me. When I went to bed, the suffering grew even worse; or rather, it changed into a fire which penetrated all the faculties of my soul like lightning, piercing me to the marrow, and to the most secret recesses of my heart. In the midst of this suffering, I was unable to bring myself to do anything. "Your will be done, Lord." At times I could not even think these words. Truly, a deadly fear had taken hold of me, and the flames of hell were touching me. Toward morning, silence set in, and my tribulations disappeared in the twinkling of an eye, but I felt so frightfully exhausted that I could not even move. During my conversation with Mother Superior, my strength returned bit by bit, but God alone knows how I felt throughout that whole day.
566 One day, after Holy Communion, I suddenly saw the Infant
Jesus standing by my kneeler and holding on to it with His two little hands.
Although He was but a little Child, my soul was filled with awe and fear, for I
see in Him my Judge, my Lord, and my Creator, before whose holiness the Angels
tremble. At the same time, my soul was flooded with such unspeakable love that
I thought I would die under its influence. I now see that Jesus first
strengthens my soul and makes it capable of abiding with Him, for otherwise I
would not be able to bear what I experience at such a moment.
660 O my Jesus, on the day of the last judgment, You will
demand from me an account of this work of mercy. O just Judge, but my Spouse as
well, help me to do Your holy will. O mercy, O divine virtue!
O most merciful Heart of Jesus, my Betrothed, make my heart like unto Yours.
O most merciful Heart of Jesus, my Betrothed, make my heart like unto Yours.
717 All night long, I was preparing to receive Holy
Communion, since I could not sleep because of physical suffering. My soul was
flooded with love and repentance.
852 Today the Lord's gaze shot through me suddenly, like
lightning. At once, I came to know the tiniest specks in my soul, and knowing
the depths of my misery, I fell to my knees and begged the Lord's pardon, and
with great trust I immersed myself in His infinite mercy. Such knowledge does
not depress me nor keep me away from the Lord, but rather it arouses in my soul
greater love and boundless trust. The repentance of my heart is linked to love.
These extraordinary flashes from the Lord educate my soul. O sweet rays of God,
enlighten me to the most secret depth, for I want to arrive at the greatest
possible purity of heart and soul.
854 December 29, [1936]. Today after Holy Communion, I heard
a voice in my soul: My daughter, stand ready, for I will come unexpectedly. Jesus,
You do not want to tell me the hour I am looking forward to with such longing?
My daughter, it is for your own good. You will learn it, but not now; keep
watch. O Jesus, do with me as You please. I know You are the merciful
Savior and You will not change towards me at the hour of my death. If at this
time you are showing me so much special love, and are condescending to unite
Yourself with me is such an intimate way and with such great kindness, I expect
even more at the hour of my death. You, my Lord-God, cannot change. You are
always the same. Heaven can change, as well as everything that is created; but
You, Lord, are ever the same and will endure forever. So come as You like and
when You like. Father of infinite mercy, I, Your child, wait longingly for Your
coming. O Jesus, You said in the Holy Gospel, "Out of your mouth do I
judge you." Well, Jesus, I am always speaking of Your inconceivable mercy,
so I trust that You will judge me according to Your unfathomable mercy.
895 January 23, [1937]. I did not feel like writing today.
Then I heard a voice in my soul:My daughter, you do not live for yourself
but for souls; write for their benefit. You know that My will as to your
writing has been confirmed many times by your confessors. You know what is pleasing
to Me, and if you have any doubts about what I am saying, you also know whom
you are to ask. I grant him light to pronounce judgment on my case. My eye
watches over him. My daughter, you are to be like a child towards him, full of
simplicity and candor. Put his judgment above all My demands. He will guide you
according to My will. If he doesn't allow you to carry out My demands, be at
peace; I will not judge you, but the matter will remain between Me and him. You
are to be obedient.
934 Small practices for Lent. Although I wish and desire to
do so, I cannot practice big mortifications as before, because I am under the
strict surveillance of the doctor. But I can practice little things:
first-sleep without a pillow; keep myself a little hungry; every day, with my
arms outstretched, say the chaplet which the Lord taught me; occasionally, with
arms outstretched, for an indefinite period of time pray informally. Intention:
to beg divine mercy for poor sinners, and for priests, the power to bring
sinful hearts to repentance.
1052 O my Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church:
Grant it love and the light of Your Spirit, and give power to the words of
priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to
You, O Lord. Lord, give us holy priests; You yourself maintain them in
holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of Your mercy accompany
them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares which are
continually being set for the souls of priests. May the power of Your mercy, O
Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of
priests, for You can do all things.
1054 When Jesus was taking leave of me, such great pain
filled my soul that it is impossible to express it. Physical strength left me;
I left the chapel quickly and went to bed. I was oblivious of what was going on
around me. My soul was filled with longing for the Lord, and all the bitterness
of His Divine Heart was imparted to me. This lasted for about three hours. I asked
the Lord to protect me from the eyes of those around me. Although I wanted to,
I could not take any food all day, until evening.
I earnestly desired to spend the whole night with Jesus in the dark prison cell. [184] I prayed until eleven o'clock. At eleven, the Lord said to me, Lie down and take your rest. I have let you experience in three hours what I suffered during the whole night. And immediately I went to bed.
I had no physical strength left; the suffering had deprived me of it completely. Throughout all this time, I had been in a sort of swoon. Every beat of Jesus' Heart was reflected in my heart and pierced my soul. If these tortures had concerned me only, I would have suffered less; but as I looked at the One whom my heart has loved with all its might and saw that He was suffering, and that I could not bring Him any relief, my heart dissolved in love and bitterness. I was dying with Him, and yet I could not die. But I would not have exchanged that martyrdom for all the pleasures in the whole world. In the course of this suffering, my love grew immeasurably. I know that the Lord was supporting me with His omnipotence, for otherwise I would not have been able to endure it for even a moment. Together with Him, I underwent, in a special way, all the various tortures. The world still has no idea of all that Jesus suffered. I accompanied Him to the Garden of Gethsemane; I stayed with Him in the prison; I went with Him before the judges; I underwent with Him each of the tortures. Not a single one of His movements or looks escaped my notice. I came to know all the omnipotence of His love and of His mercy toward souls.
I earnestly desired to spend the whole night with Jesus in the dark prison cell. [184] I prayed until eleven o'clock. At eleven, the Lord said to me, Lie down and take your rest. I have let you experience in three hours what I suffered during the whole night. And immediately I went to bed.
I had no physical strength left; the suffering had deprived me of it completely. Throughout all this time, I had been in a sort of swoon. Every beat of Jesus' Heart was reflected in my heart and pierced my soul. If these tortures had concerned me only, I would have suffered less; but as I looked at the One whom my heart has loved with all its might and saw that He was suffering, and that I could not bring Him any relief, my heart dissolved in love and bitterness. I was dying with Him, and yet I could not die. But I would not have exchanged that martyrdom for all the pleasures in the whole world. In the course of this suffering, my love grew immeasurably. I know that the Lord was supporting me with His omnipotence, for otherwise I would not have been able to endure it for even a moment. Together with Him, I underwent, in a special way, all the various tortures. The world still has no idea of all that Jesus suffered. I accompanied Him to the Garden of Gethsemane; I stayed with Him in the prison; I went with Him before the judges; I underwent with Him each of the tortures. Not a single one of His movements or looks escaped my notice. I came to know all the omnipotence of His love and of His mercy toward souls.
1064 + O my most sweet Master, good Jesus, I give You my
heart. You shape and mold it after Your liking. O fathomless love, I open the
calyx of my heart to You, like a rosebud to the freshness of dew. To You alone,
my Betrothed, is known the fragrance of the flower of my heart. Let the
fragrance of my sacrifice be pleasing to You. O Immortal God, my everlasting
delight, already here on earth You are my heaven. May every beat of my heart be
a new hymn of praise to You, O Holy Trinity! Had I as many hearts as there are
drops of water in the ocean or grains of sand in the whole world, I would offer
them all to You, O my Love, O Treasure of my heart! Whomever I shall meet in my
life, no matter who they may be, I want to draw them all to love You, O my
Jesus, my Beauty, my Repose, my sole Master, Judge, Savior and Spouse, all in
one; I know that one title will modify the other-I have entrusted everything to
Your mercy.
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.
The flames of mercy are burning me. I desire to pour them out upon human souls. Oh, what pain they cause Me when they do not want to accept them!
My daughter, do whatever is within your power to spread devotion to My mercy. I will make up for what you lack. Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it -with peace.
Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.
1075 Souls who spread the honor of My mercy I shield
through their entire lives as a tender mother her infant, and at the hour of
death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior. At that last
hour, a soul has nothing with which to defend itself except My mercy. Happy is
the soul that during its lifetime immersed itself in the Fountain of Mercy,
because justice will have no hold on it.
1076 Write this: Everything that exists is enclosed in
the bowels of My mercy, more deeply than an infant in its mother's womb. How
painfully distrust of My goodness wounds Me! Sins of distrust wound Me most
painfully.
1093 + O Jesus, shield me with Your mercy and also judge me
leniently, or else Your justice may rightly damn me.
1146 [Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My
mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My
daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an
appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they
ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My
compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and
inscrutable mercy. Write: before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the
door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass
through the door of My justice...
1158 A member of this group ought to perform at least one
act of mercy a day; at least one, but there can be many more, for such deeds
can easily be carried out by anyone, even the very poorest. For there are three
ways of performing an act of mercy: the merciful word, by forgiving and by
comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray-that too is mercy;
and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be judged
from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict.
1159 God's floodgates have been opened for us. Let us want
to take advantage of them before the day of God's justice arrives. And that
will be a dreadful day!
1317 I understand Your words, Lord, and the magnitude of the
mercy that ought to shine in my soul. Jesus: I know, My daughter, that you
understand it and that you do everything within your power. But write this for
the many souls who are often worried because they do not have the material
means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which
requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is
within the grasp of every soul. If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or
other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls
knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged,
for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy.
1515 + I spent this whole night with
Jesus in the dark dungeon. This was a night of adoration. The sisters were
praying in the chapel, and I was uniting myself with them in spirit, because
poor health prevents me from going to the chapel. But all night long I could
not fall asleep, so I spent the night in the dark prison with Jesus. Jesus gave
me to know of the sufferings He experienced there. The world will learn about
them on the day of judgment.
1528 + When I complained to the Lord
Jesus about a certain person [saying], "Jesus, how can this person pass
judgment like that, even about an intention?" the Lord answered, Do not
be surprised. That soul does not even know her own self, so how could she pass
a fair judgment on another soul?
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I- 83, 112, 145, 282, 374, 378, 423, 496)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-II-566, 660, 717, 852, 854, 895, 934)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-III-1052, 1054, 1064, 1074-1076, 1093)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-III-1146, 1158-1159)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-IV-1317)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-V-1515, 1528)
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