A
Decisive Response
|
November 30, 2018 - Feast of Saint Andrew, apostle
|
By
Father Edward Hopkins, LC
Matthew
4:18-22
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.
Introductory Prayer: Dear Jesus, I believe
that You have called me to follow You more closely today. I trust that in
this prayer, You will help me see the concrete implications of following Your
will. I love You and want to respond to all that You ask of me, today and
always. Thank You for watching over me and guiding me home to heaven.
Petition: Make me a fisher of men, here
and now, Lord!
1. As Jesus Walked
By: One summer afternoon a priest just happened to be in the area
and visited my home. Within three years, two of my brothers and I were
following Christ on the road to the priesthood. Jesus didn’t just happen to
walk by these two pairs of brothers! He had every intention of inviting those
brothers to become “fishers of men.” How much happens in my life, prepared
and intended by God, to help me follow him more closely? And all I see is an
accident, a coincidence? Ask him when was the last time he just happened by.
2. At Once They Followed Him: Jesus
never calls someone when it’s perfectly convenient, when that person has
nothing better to do. No, he calls precisely when we are in the middle of
living our life, doing what we do best, what we do most, “casting or mending
our nets.” “What a losing formula!” we are tempted to conclude. Yet what is
it he really wants of us when he calls? He wants a response -- a reply of
love. Love is all about preference and priority. If I love him more than
myself, I can follow him “at once.” If I prefer him over my own activities
and life, I can follow him “immediately.” What is the response of love I am
giving or want to give Jesus today in my life?
3. They Left Something Behind: “Pro-choice:”
That’s what God is! He wants us to choose. But he is not indifferent about
what we choose. Every choice implies the rejection of other options. We
cannot follow someone somewhere without leaving something and someone else
behind. Peter and Andrew left their nets behind. James and John left their
boat and their father behind. This was possible only with Jesus before them.
Yet we, too, often try to follow Christ without leaving things and others
behind: the world, comforts, my preferences... We think that we can have it
all. We can’t. We are in danger of “taming our faith,” bending to the demands
of our passions and the world’s insistence. Love requires a choice, a choice
for the real, complete Jesus. It asks me to reject everything in me that is
not him. How wholehearted is my following of Christ?
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, You have called me and continue to call me throughout this day. Help me to respond with love, a love that trumps all my other loves, likes and desires. I don’t want You to have to wait for me, Lord. Just show me what You want and give me the courage and generosity to give it to You, no matter the cost.
Resolution: I will give up something today
that diminishes the attention that I give to my spouse, family or friends
Excerpts
from the DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
19
I came to my cell. The sisters were already in bed - the lights were out. I
entered the cell full of anguish and discontent; I did not know what to do
with myself. I threw myself headlong on the ground and began to pray
fervently that I might come to know the will of God. There is silence
everywhere as in the tabernacle. All the sisters are resting like white hosts
enclosed in Jesus’ chalice. It is only from my cell that God can hear the
moaning of a soul. I did not know that one was not allowed to pray in the
cell after nine without permission. [8]
After
a while a brightness filled my cell, and on the curtain I saw the very
sorrowful Face of Jesus. There were open wounds on His Face, and large tears
were falling on my bedspread. Not knowing what all this meant, I asked Jesus,
“Jesus who has hurt You so?” And Jesus said to me, It is you who will cause
Me this pain if you leave this convent. It is to this place that I called you
and nowhere else; and I have prepared many graces for you. I begged pardon of
Jesus and immediately changed my decision.
The
next day was confession day. I related all that had taken place in my soul,
and the confessor answered that, from this, God's will is clear that I am to
remain in this congregation and that I'm not even to think of another
religious order. From that moment on, I have always felt happy and content.
64
When I came to Vilnius for two months to replace a sister who had gone for
her third probation [Sister Peter, who worked in the kitchen], I stayed a
little longer than two months. One day, the Mother Superior [Irene[34]],
wanting to give me a bit of pleasure, gave me permission to go, together with
another sister,[35] to Calvary to "walk the paths," as they say. I
was delighted. Although it was not very far, it was Mother Superior's wish
that we should go by boat. That evening Jesus said to me, I want you to stay
home. I answered, "Jesus, everything is ready for us to leave tomorrow
morning; what am I to do now?" The Lord answered, This trip will be
harmful to your soul. I replied to Jesus, "You can find a way out.
Arrange things in such a way that Your will may be done." At that moment
the bell announced the time for sleep. I gave Jesus a parting glance and went
to my cell.
Next
morning the weather was beautiful, and my companion was filled with joy at
the prospect of the great pleasure we would have in getting to see
everything. But as for me, I was sure we would not go, even though there were
no obstacles so far.
We
were to receive Holy Communion earlier and leave right after the
thanksgiving. But during the time of Communion, all of a sudden, the weather
changed. Clouds covered the sky, and the rain came down in torrents. Everyone
was astounded at such a sudden change in the weather.
Mother
Superior said to me, "I am so sorry you cannot go, Sisters!" I
answered, "Dear Mother, it doesn't really matter that we cannot go; it
was God's will that we stay home." However, no one knew that it was
Jesus' express desire that I stay home. I spent the whole day in recollection
and meditation, thanking the Lord for having kept me home. That day, God
granted me many heavenly consolations.
75
But these doubts always come from without, a fact which inclined me to close
myself up more and more within myself. When, during confession, I sense
uncertainty on the part of the priest, I do not open my soul to its depths,
but only accuse myself of my sins. A priest who is not at peace with himself
will not be able to inspire peace in another soul.
O
priests, you bright candles enlightening human souls, let your brightness
never be dimmed. I understood that at that time it was not God's will that I
uncover my soul completely. Later on, God did give me this grace.
170
The first day of the retreat. I tried to be the first in the chapel in the
morning; before the meditation I had a bit of time for prayer to the Holy
Spirit and to Our Lady. I earnestly begged the Mother of God to obtain for me
the grace of fidelity to these inner inspirations and of faithfully carrying
out God's will, whatever it might be. I began this retreat with a very
special kind of courage.
279
God made known to me what true love consists in and gave light to me about
how, in practice, to give proof of it to Him. True love of God consists in
carrying out God's will. To show God our love in what we do, all our actions,
even the least, must spring from our love of God. And the Lord said to me, My
child, you please Me most by suffering. In your physical as well as your
mental sufferings, My daughter, do not seek sympathy from creatures. I want
the fragrance of your suffering to be pure and unadulterated. I want you to
detach yourself, not only from creatures, but also from yourself. My daughter,
I want to delight in the love of your heart, a pure love, virginal,
unblemished, untarnished. The more you will come to love suffering, My
daughter, the purer your love for Me will be.
God
and Souls. An Act of Oblation.
309
Before heaven and earth, before all the choirs of Angels, before the Most
Holy Virgin Mary, before all the Powers of heaven, I declare to the One
Triune God that today, in union with Jesus Christ, Redeemer of souls, I make
a voluntary offering of myself for the conversion of sinners, especially for
those souls who have lost hope in God's mercy. This offering consists in my
accepting, with total subjection to God's will, all the sufferings, fears and
terrors with which sinners are filled. In return, I give them all the consolations
which my soul receives from my communion with God. In a word, I offer
everything for them: Holy Masses, Holy Communions, penances, mortifications,
prayers. I do not fear the blows, blows of divine justice, because I am
united with Jesus. O my God, in this way I want to make amends to You for the
souls that do not trust in Your goodness. I hope against all hope in the
ocean of Your mercy. My Lord and my God, my portion-my portion forever, I do
not base this act of oblation on my own strength, but on the strength that
flows from the merits of Jesus Christ. I will daily repeat this act of
self-oblation by pronouncing the following prayer which You yourself have
taught me, Jesus:
"O
Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fount of Mercy
for us, I trust in You!"
S.
M. Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament Holy Thursday, during Holy Mass, March
29, 1934.
354
As I was talking to a certain person[84] who was to paint the image but, for
certain reasons, was not painting it, I heard this voice in my soul: I want
her to be more obedient. I understood that our efforts, no matter how great,
are not pleasing to God if they do not bear the seal of obedience; I am
speaking about a religious soul. O God, how easy it is to know Your will in
the convent! We religious have God's will set clearly before our eyes from
morning till night, and in moments of uncertainty we have our superiors
through whom God speaks.
395
[February] 15, 1935. A few days' visit at my parents' home [92] to see my
dying mother.
When
I learned that my mother was seriously ill and near death, and that she had
asked that I come home, as she wanted to see me once more before dying, a
host of emotions were awakened in my heart. As a child who sincerely loves
its mother, I wanted very much to fulfill her wish. But I left this to God
and resigned myself completely to His will. Paying no heed to the ache in my
heart, I followed God's will. On the morning of my name day, February
fifteen, Mother Superior gave me a second letter from my family and granted
me permission to go to my parents' home to fulfill the wish and request of my
dying mother. I began at once to make the necessary preparations for the
journey and left Vilnius in the evening. I offered the whole night for my
seriously ill mother, that God might grant her the grace of losing none of
the merits of her suffering.
435
As I was walking in the garden in the evening, I heard these words: By your
entreaties, you and your companions shall obtain mercy for yourselves and for
the world. I understood that I would not remain in the Congregation in which
I am at the present time.[95] I saw clearly that God's will regarding me was
otherwise. But 1 kept making excuses before God, telling Him that I was
unable to carry out this task. "Jesus, You know very well what I
am" [I said], and I started enumerating my weaknesses to the Lord,
hiding behind them so that He would agree that I was unable to carry out His
plans. Then I heard these words: Do not fear; I myself will make up for
everything that is lacking in you. But these words penetrated me to my depths
and made me even more aware of my misery, and I understood that the word of
the Lord is living and that it penetrates to the very depths. I understood
that God demands a more perfect way of life of me. However, I kept using my
incompetence as an excuse.
439
Then came the moment to receive Holy Communion, and Jesus disappeared, and I
saw a great brightness. Then I heard these words: We give Our blessing, and
at that moment a bright ray issued from that light and pierced my heart; an
extraordinary fire was enkindled in my soul-I thought I would die of joy and
happiness. I felt the separation of my spirit from my body. I felt totally
immersed in God, I felt I was snatched up by the Almighty, like a particle of
dust, into unknown expanses.
Trembling
with joy in the embrace of the Creator, I felt He himself was supporting me
so that I could bear this great happiness and gaze at His Majesty. I know now
that, if He himself had not first strengthened me by His grace, my soul would
not have been able to bear the happiness, and I would have died in an
instant. Holy Mass came to an end I know not when, for it was beyond my power
to pay attention to what was going on in the chapel. But when I recovered my
senses, I felt the strength and courage to do God's will; nothing seemed
difficult to me; and whereas I had previously been making excuses to the
Lord, I now felt the Lord's courage and strength within me, and I said to the
Lord, "I am ready for every beck and call of Your will!"
Interiorly, I had gone through everything that I war going to experience in
the future.
444
The priest spoke these profound words to me, "There are three degrees in
the accomplishment of God's will: in the first, the soul carries out all
rules and statutes pertaining to external observance; in the second degree,
the soul accepts interior inspirations and carries them out faithfully; in
the third degree, the soul, abandoned to the will of God, allows Him to
dispose of it freely, and God does with it as He pleases, and it is a docile
tool in His hands." And the priest said that I was at the second degree
in the accomplishment of God's will and that I had not yet reached the third
degree, but that I should strive to attain it. These words pierced my soul. I
see clearly that God often gives the priest knowledge of what is going on in
the depths of my soul. This does not surprise me at all; indeed, I thank God
that He has such chosen persons.
477
Silence is a sword in the spiritual struggle. A talkative soul will never
attain sanctity. The sword of silence will cut off everything that would like
to cling to the soul. We are sensitive to words and quickly want to answer
back, without taking any regard as to whether it is God's will that we should
speak. A silent soul is strong; no adversities will harm it if it perseveres
in silence. The silent soul is capable of attaining the closest union with
God. It lives almost always under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God
works in a silent soul without hindrance.
479
My second confession to the Archbishop [Jalbrzykowski]. "Know, my
daughter, that if this is the will of God, it will take place sooner or
later, for God's will must be done. Love God in your heart, have..." (
unfinished thought].
506 "Do nothing without the consent of the
superiors. One must think this matter over thoroughly and pray much. One must
be very careful about these things because, in your present situation,
Sister, the will of God is certain and clear, for you are in fact bound to
this Congregation by vows, and perpetual vows at that; so there should be no
doubt. What you are experiencing interiorly, Sister, are only the glimmerings
of a project. God can make some alterations, but such things are very rare.
Don't be in a hurry, Sister, until you have received more precise knowledge.
The works of God proceed slowly, but if they are of Him, you will surely
recognize them clearly. If they are not, they will disappear; and you, by
being obedient, will not go astray. Speak frankly about everything to your
confessor and obey him blindly.
"For
the present, Sister, there is nothing more for you to do than accept the
suffering until the time when everything will become clear; that is, all
things will be resolved. You are well disposed as regards these matters, and
so continue in this simplicity and spirit of obedience; this is a good sign.
If you continue in this attitude, God will not allow you to fall into error.
Still, as much as is possible, keep far away from these things, but if
despite that they still come your way, receive them calmly and do not fear
anything. You are in the good hands of a very good God. In all that you have
told me, I do not see any illusion or anything contrary to faith. These are
things which are good in themselves, and it would indeed be good if there
were a group of souls pleading with God for the world, as we all are in need
of prayer. You have a good director; stay with him and be at peace. Be
faithful to God's will and carry it out. As to your duties, always do what
you are told to do and as you are told to do it, no matter how humiliating or
toilsome it might be. Always choose the last place, and then they themselves
will say to you, `Go up higher.' In spirit and in your demeanor, consider
yourself the least in the whole house and in the entire Congregation. In
everything and at all times, be most faithful to God."
515
In the evening, when I was walking in the garden saying my rosary and came to
the cemetery,[102] I opened the gate a little and began to pray for a while,
and I asked them interiorly, "You are very happy are you not?" Then
I heard the words, "We are happy in the measure that we have fulfilled
God's will"-and then silence as before. I became introspective and
reflected for a long time on how I am fulfilling God's will and how I am
profiting from the time that God has given me.
518
+ Before All Souls' Day, I went to the cemetery at dusk. Although it was
locked, I managed to open the gate a bit and said, "If you need something,
my dear little souls, I will be glad to help you to the extent that the rule
permits me." I then heard these words, "Do the will of God; we are
happy in the measure that we have fulfilled God's will."
527
On one occasion, I felt an urge to set to work and fulfill whatever God is
demanding of me. I entered the chapel for a moment and heard a voice in my
soul saying, Why are you afraid? Do you think that I will not have enough
omnipotence to support you? At that moment, my soul felt extraordinary strength,
and all the adversities that could befall me in carrying out God's will
seemed as nothing to me.
585
January 8, 1936. When I went to see the Archbishop [Jalbrzykowski], I told
him that Jesus was asking that I pray for God's mercy upon the world and that
there be a religious congregation which would entreat the mercy of God for
the world. I asked his permission for all the Lord Jesus was demanding of me.
The Arch bishop answered me in these words: "As for prayer, I give my
permission and even encourage you, Sister, to pray as much as possible for
the world and to beg God's mercy, as mercy is what we all need; and I presume
that your confessor certainly does not forbid you to pray for this intention.
But as regards this congregation, wait a while, Sister, so that all things
may arrange themselves more favorably. This thing is good in itself, but
there is no need to hurry. If it is God's will, it will be done, whether it
be a little sooner or a little later. Why shouldn't it be? There are so many
different kinds of congregations; this one too will come to be if God so
wills. Be completely at peace. The Lord Jesus can do all things. Strive for a
close union with God and do not lose heart." These words filled me with
great joy.
615
March 1, 1936. Today during Holy Mass I experienced a strange force and urge
to start realizing God's wishes. I had such a clear understanding of the
things the Lord was asking of me that truly if I were to say that I do not
understand what God is demanding from me, I would be lying, because the Lord
is making His will known to me so clearly and distinctly that I do not have
the least shadow of a doubt about them. I realized that it would be the
greatest ingratitude to delay any longer this undertaking which the Lord
wishes to bring to fulfillment for His glory and the benefit of a great
number of souls. And He is using me as a miserable tool through which to
realize His eternal plans of mercy. Truly, how ungrateful my soul would be to
resist God's will any longer. Nothing will stop me any longer, be it
persecution, sufferings, sneers, threats, entreaties, hunger, cold, flattery,
friendships, adversities, friends or enemies; be it things I am experiencing
now or things that will come in the future or even the hatred of hellnothing
will deter me from doing the will of God.
I
am not counting on my own strength, but on His omnipotence for, as he gave me
the grace of knowing His holy will, He will also grant me the grace of
fulfilling it. I cannot fail to mention how much my own lower nature resists
this thing, manifesting its own desires, and there results within my soul a
great struggle, like that of Jesus in the Garden of Olives. And so I too cry
out to God, the Eternal Father, "If it is possible, take this cup from
me, but, nevertheless, not my will, but Yours be done, O Lord; may Your will
be done." What I am about to go through is no secret to me, but with
full knowledge I accept whatever You send me, O Lord. I trust in You, O
merciful God, and I wish to be the first to manifest to You that confidence
which You demand of souls. O Eternal Truth, help me and enlighten me along
the roadways of life, and grant that Your will be accomplished in me.
My
God, I desire nothing but the fulfillment of Your will. It does not matter
whether it will be easy or difficult. I feel an extraordinary force driving
me to action. One thing alone holds me back, and that is holy obedience. O my
Jesus, You urge me on the one hand and hold me back and restrain me on the
other. In this, too, O my Jesus, may Your holy will be done.
I
continued in this state, without a break, for many days. My physical strength
declined, and though I did not speak to anyone about it, nevertheless Mother
Superior [Borgia] noticed my pain and remarked that I had changed in appearance
and was very pale. She told me to go to bed earlier and to sleep longer, and
she had a cup of hot milk brought to me in the evening. She had a motherly
heart, full of care, and tried to help me. But in the case of spiritual
sufferings, external things have no influence, and they do not bring much
relief. It was from the confessional that I drew my strength and the
consolation of knowing that it would not be long before I could begin to act.
666
I understood that all striving for perfection and all sanctity consist in
doing God's will. Perfect fulfillment of God's will is maturity in sanctity;
there is no room for doubt here. To receive God's light and recognize what
God wants of us and yet not do it is a great offense against the majesty of
God. Such a soul deserves to be completely forsaken by God. It resembles
Lucifer, who had great light, but did not do God's will. An extraordinary
peace entered my soul when I reflected on the fact that, despite great
difficulties, I had always faithfully followed God's will as I knew it. O
Jesus, grant me the grace to put Your will into practice as I have come to
know it, O God.
667
July 14. I received a letter at three o'clock [from Father Sopocko [135]]. O
Jesus, You alone know what I suffer, but I will keep silent and will not say
anything about it to any creature, because I know that no one will comfort
me. You are everything to me, O God, and Your holy will is my nourishment. I
am living now on what I will live on in eternity.I have great reverence for Saint
Michael the Archangel; he had no example to follow in doing the will of God,
and yet he fulfilled God's will faithfully.
713
October 11. This evening, as I was writing about this great mercy of God and
its great advantage to souls, Satan rushed into my room with great anger and
fury. He seized the screen and began to break and crush it. I was a little
frightened at first, but I immediately made the sign of the cross with my
little crucifix, and the beast fell quiet and disappeared at once. Today, I did
not see this hideous figure but only his anger. Satan's anger is terrible,
and yet the screen was not shattered or broken, and I went on writing
quietly. I know well that the wretch will not touch me without God's willing
it, but what is he up to? He is beginning to attack me openly and with such
great fury and hate, but he does not disturb my peace for a moment, and this
composure of mine makes him furious.
830
O Light Eternal, who come to this earth, enlighten my mind and strengthen my
will that I may not give up in times of great affliction. May Your light
dissipate all the shadows of doubt. May Your omnipotence act through me. I
trust in You, O uncreated Light! You, O Infant Jesus, are a model for me in
accomplishing Your Father's will, You, who said, "Behold, I come to do
Your will." Grant that I also may do God's will faithfully in all
things. O Divine Infant, grant me this grace!
894
Today the doctor decided that I am not to go to Mass, but only to Holy
Communion. I wanted very much to assist at Mass, but my confessor, [162] in
agreement with the doctor, told me to obey. "It is God's will, Sister,
that you should get well, and you must not undertake mortifications of any
kind. Be obedient, Sister, and God will reward you for it." I felt that
the confessor's words were Jesus' words, and although it made me sad to miss
Holy Mass, during which God had been granting me the grace of seeing the
Infant Jesus; nevertheless, I placed obedience above everything else.
I
became absorbed in prayer and said my penance. Then I suddenly saw the Lord,
who said to me, My daughter, know that you give Me greater glory by a single
act of obedience than by long prayers and mortifications. Oh, how good it is
to live under obedience, to live conscious of the fact that everything I do
is pleasing to God!
924
Today, I received a note from Mother Superior forbidding me to go to the
bedside of the dying. And so, I will send to the dying obedience in place of
self, and it will support the souls who are dying. Such is God's will, and
that is enough for me. That which I cannot understand now I will learn later.
937
+ I will say a word more about my spiritual director [Father Andrasz or
Father Sopocko [169]]. It is strange that there are so few priests who know
how to pour power, strength and courage into a soul so that it can make
constant progress without getting tired. Under such direction a soul, even of
lesser strength, can do much for the glory of God. And here I discovered a
secret; namely, that the confessor, or rather the spiritual director, does
not make light of the trifles that the soul brings to him. And when the soul
notices that it is being controlled in this, it begins to exert itself and
does not omit the slightest opportunity to practice virtue and also avoids the
smallest faults. And from these efforts, as with little stones, there rises
within the soul a most beautiful temple. On the contrary, if the soul notices
that the confessor neglects these little things, it likewise neglects them
and ceases to give an account of them to the confessor and, worse still, will
begin to grow negligent in little things. Thus, instead of going forward, it
gradually retreats backward and becomes aware of the situation only when it
has already fallen into some serious trouble. Here, a serious question poses
itself: who is at fault, the soul in question or the confessor; that is to
say, the director? It seems to me that all the blame should be put on the
imprudent director; the soul's only fault is to have taken upon itself the choice
of a director. ! The director could well have led the soul along the road of
God's will to sanctity.
938
The soul should have prayed ardently and at greater length for a director and
should have asked the Lord himself to choose a spiritual director for it.
What begins in God will be godly, and what begins in a purely human manner
will remain human. God is so merciful that, in order to help a soul He
himself chooses the spiritual guide and will enlighten the soul concerning
the one before whom it should uncover the most hidden depths of its soul just
as it sees itself before the Lord Jesus himself. And when the soul considers
and recognizes that God has been arranging all this, it should pray fervently
for the confessor that he might have the divine light to know it well. And
let it not change such a director except for a serious reason. Just as it had
prayed fervently and at great length in order to learn God's will before
choosing a director, so too should it pray fervently and at great length to discern
whether it is truly God's will that he leave this director and choose
another. If God's will is not absolutely clear, he should not make this
change, for a person will not go far by himself, and Satan wants just this:
to have the person who is aspiring for sanctity direct himself because then,
without doubt, he will never attain it.
956
+ After these words, the knowledge of God's will came to me; that is to say,
I now see everything from a higher point of view and accept all events and
things, pleasant and unpleasant, with love, as tokens of the heavenly
Father's special affection.
981
I understood that these two years of interior suffering which I have
undergone in submission to God's will in order to know it better have
advanced me further in perfection than the previous ten years. For two years
now, I have been on the cross between heaven and earth. That is to say, I am
bound by the vow of obedience and must obey the superior as God himself. And
on the other hand, God makes His will known to me directly, and so my inner
torture is so great that no one will either understand or imagine these
spiritual sufferings. It seems to me that it would be easier to give up my
life than to go again and again through one hour of such pain. I am not even
going to write much about this matter, because one cannot describe what it is
like to know God's will directly and at the same time to be perfectly
obedient to the divine will as expressed indirectly through the superiors.
Thanks be to God that He has given me a director; otherwise, I would not have
advanced one single step.
1004
O will of the Omnipotent God,
You
are my delight,
You
are my joy.
Whatever
the hand of my Lord holds out to me
I
will accept with gladness, submission and love.
Your
holy will is my repose;
In
it is contained all my sanctity,
And
all my eternal salvation,
For
doing God's will is the greatest glory.
The
will of God-those are His various wishes
Which
my soul carries out without reserve,
Because
such are His divine desires,
In
those moments when God shares His confidences with me.
Do
with me as You will, Lord.
I
place no obstacles, I make no reservations.
For
You are my whole delight and the love of my soul,
And
to You, in turn, I pour out the confidences of my heart.
+
J.M.J. Cracow, March 1, 1937. + Third Notebook God and Souls.
1088
Sudden return of health.
After
I had written a letter to Father Sopocko on Sunday, April 11, I suddenly
became so very ill that I did not send that letter, but waited for a clear
sign of God's will. However, my health got so bad that I had to go to bed.
The coughing racked me so much that it seemed to me that, if this repeats a
few more times, it will surely be the end of me.
1091
Then I heard these words: Go tell the superior that you are in good health.
I
neither know, nor ask how long I will remain in good health. I only know that
I am enjoying good health at present. The future does not belong to me. I
asked for this health as evidence of God's will and not in order to seek
relief from my suffering.
1101
In the evening, I heard these words in my soul: My daughter, know that I
shall speak to you in a special way through this priest [Father Plaza [191]]
so that you may not yield to doubt concerning My wishes. Already in the first
meditation my soul was struck by the following words of the priest: I must
not oppose God's will and God's designs, whatever they might be; and as soon
as 1 am convinced of the certitude and the authenticity of the will of God, I
have the duty of carrying it out. No one can release me from this. Whatever
the will of God may be, once I have come to know it, I ought to carry it out.
This is just a very short summary, but the whole meditation imprinted itself
on my soul, and I have no doubts about anything. I know what God wants of me,
and what I ought to do.
August
15, 1937. Father Andrasz's instructions.
1243
"These times of dryness and stark awareness of one's wretchedness, which
God has permitted, allow the soul to know how little it can do by itself.
They will teach you how much you should appreciate God's graces. Secondly,
faithfulness in all exercises and duties, faithfulness in everything, just as
in times of joy. Thirdly, as regards the matters in question, be absolutely
obedient to the Archbishop [Jalbrzykowski] although, from time to time, the
matter can be brought to his attention, but peacefully. Sometimes, a little
bitter truth is necessary."
At
the end of the conversation, I asked the priest to allow me to commune with
Jesus as I had done formerly. He answered, "I cannot give orders to the
Lord Jesus, but if He himself draws you to himself you may follow the
attraction. However, always remember to show Him great reverence, for the
Lord is great indeed. If you are truly seeking God's will in all this and
desire to fulfill it, you can be at peace; the Lord will not allow any sort
of error. As to the mortifications and sufferings, you will give me an
account next time of how you carry them out. Place yourself in the hands of
the Most Holy Mother."
1244
August 15, 1937. During meditation, God's presence pervaded me keenly, and I
was aware of the Virgin Mary's joy at the moment of Her Assumption. Towards
the end of the ceremony carried out in honor of the Mother of God, I saw the
Virgin Mary, and She said to me, Oh, how very pleased I am with the homage of
your love! And at that moment She covered all the sisters of our Congregation
with Her mantle. With Her right hand, She clasped Mother General Michael to
herself, and with Her left hand She did so to me, while all the sisters were
at Her feet, covered with Her mantle. Then the Mother of God said, Everyone who perseveres zealously till
death in My Congregation will be spared the fire of purgatory, and I desire
that each one distinguish herself by the following virtues: humility and
meekness; chastity and love of God and neighbor; compassion and mercy.
After these words, the whole Congregation disappeared from my sight, and I
remained alone with the Most Holy Mother who instructed me about the will of
God and how to apply it to my life, submitting completely to His most holy
decrees. It is impossible for one to please God without obeying His holy
will. My daughter, I strongly recommend
that you faithfully fulfill all God's wishes, for that is most pleasing in
His holy eyes. I very much desire that you distinguish yourself in this
faithfulness in accomplishing God's will. Put the will of God before all
sacrifices and holocausts. While the heavenly Mother was talking to me, a
deep understanding of this will of God was entering my soul.
1276
September 16, 1937. I wanted very much to make a Holy Hour before the Blessed
Sacrament today, but God's will was otherwise. At eight o'clock I was seized
with such violent pains that I had to go to bed at once. I was convulsed with
pain for three hours; that is, until eleven o'clock at night. No medicine had
any effect on me, and whatever I swallowed I threw up. At times, the pains
caused me to lose consciousness. Jesus had me realize that in this way I took
part in His Agony in the Garden, and that He himself allowed these sufferings
in order to offer reparation to God for the souls murdered in the wombs of
wicked mothers. I have gone through these sufferings three times now. They
always start at eight o'clock in the evening and last until eleven. No
medicine can lessen these sufferings. When eleven o'clock comes, they cease
by themselves, and I fall asleep at that moment. The following day, I feel
very weak.
This
happened to me for the first time when I was at the sanatorium. The doctors
couldn't get to the bottom of it, and no injection or medicine helped me at
all nor did I myself have any idea of what the sufferings were about. I told
the doctor that never before in my life had I experienced such sufferings,
and he declared he did not know what sort of pains they are. But now I
understand the nature of these pains, because the Lord himself has made this
known to me.... Yet when I think that I may perhaps suffer in this way again,
I tremble. But I don't know whether I'll ever again suffer in this way; I
leave that to God. What it pleases God to send, I will accept with submission
and love. If only I could save even one soul from murder by means of these
sufferings!
1301
It is extraordinary how Mother Irene has so much light from God concerning
this whole matter. She was the first to allow me to carry out the Lord's
wishes, although it was not until two years after the revelation that she
became my superior. And despite this fact, she was the first to go with me
when the painting of the image was first undertaken. And now again, when some
things concerning the Divine Mercy are being published, and small holy cards
are being printed, again it is she who is going with me [to take care of]
this matter. God has ordained all this in a mysterious way, because this was
begun in Vilnius, and now God's will has so directed the circumstances that
this matter is being continued in Cracow. I know how pleasing this superior
is to God; I see how God is directing everything and wants me to be under her
protection during these important times.... Thank You, Lord, for such
superiors, who live in the love and fear of God. That is why I pray for her
most of all, because she has put herself out the most for the sake of this
work of Divine Mercy....
1389
O my Jesus, although I have such very strong impulsions, I am to act on them
slowly, and this only in order not to spoil Your work with my haste. O my
Jesus, You give me to know Your mysteries, and You want me to transmit them
to other souls. Soon now it will be possible for me to act. At the moment of
apparent absolute destruction, my mission, now no longer hindered by
anything, will begin. Such is the will of God in this, and it will not
change; although many persons will oppose it, nothing will change God's
will.*
1431
Nevertheless, when in the refectory I still had to bear being the object of
the frequent suspicion that I was being fussy [about my food]. At such times,
as always, I hasten to the Tabernacle and bow before the ciborium and there
draw strength to accept God's will. That which I have written is not yet
everything.
1525
One day, a certain sister came to me and asked me for prayers, telling me
that she could no longer stand things as they were. "And so, please
pray, Sister." I answered that I would, and I began a novena to The
Divine Mercy. I learned that God would give her the grace, but that she would
once again be dissatisfied when she received it. However, I kept on praying
as she had asked me to do. The next day, the same sister came looking for me,
and when we again began to talk about the same thing, I told her, "You
know, Sister, when we pray, we ought not force the Lord God to give us what
we want, but we should rather submit to His holy will." But she thought
that what she was asking for was indispensable. Towards the end of the
novena, the sister came again and said, "O Sister, the Lord Jesus has
given me the grace, but now I am of a different mind. Please pray so that
things will somehow be different again." I answered, "Yes, I will
pray, but that God's will be done in you, Sister, and not what you
want."
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I-19, 64, 75, 170, 279, 309, 354, 395, 435)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I-439, 444, 477, 479, 506, 515, 518)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-II-527, 585, 615, 666-667, 713, 830, 894)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-II-924, 937-938, 956, 981)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-III-1004, 1088, 1091, 1101)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-IV-1243-1244, 1276, 1301)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-V-1389, 1431, 1525)
|
Nobyembre 30, 2018
A Decisive Response-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
Nobyembre 29, 2018
Scary Times-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
Scary Times
|
November 29, 2018. Thursday
of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
|
Father
Edward McIlmail, LC
Luke
21:20-28
Jesus said to his disciples: "When you
see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. Then
those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape
from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, for these days
are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled. Woe to
pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity
will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people. They will
fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles;
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of
the Gentiles are fulfilled. "There will be signs in the sun, the moon,
and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the
roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation
of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be
shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power
and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise
your heads because your redemption is at hand."
Introductory Prayer: Jesus my Savior, thank You for another day and another chance
to grow in holiness with Your grace. I love You and wish to make You the true
center of my thoughts, desires and actions.
Petition: Lord, give me a healthy, but realistic Christian optimism.
1. Desolation at Hand: What a grim Gospel passage! Lots of talk of
armies and calamity and roaring seas. Jesus is speaking of the coming
destruction of Jerusalem (in A.D. 70) as well as images of the End-Times. In
our day we can think of wars, tsunamis, floods and wonder why the world is
such a nasty place sometimes. Why can´t life be easier? Why do so many
innocent people suffer? Alas, Our Lord asked the same questions. All the evil
we see springs from original sin, from the fall of Adam. It wasn´t God´s plan
to have all this suffering -- but he allows it. He allows it because he
respects our freedom. He allows it too because he knows he can bring good out
of it. How do I use my freedom? Do I have enough faith in Christ to be
optimistic?
2. Trampled Underfoot: The fall of Jerusalem didn´t mean that God
abandoned the world. True, the focus of religion would no longer be the
Temple; rather, it would be a new focus: Christ, truly present in the
Eucharist. The tabernacle would be the new center of attention. How few souls
grasp that truth? After 2,000 years, Jesus is still humble, allowing himself
to be kept in a tabernacle. Does that fact influence the way I act in a
church? Does it affect the way I dress when going to church? Do I try to
enter church with the proper state of heart and mind?
3. Redemption at Hand: Faithful following of Christ gives us the
best assurance that our lives have meaning. Christ will make sense of
everything at the end of our lives. All our struggles to live the Gospel will
be worth it. On the last day we might regret many things, but we will never
regret the things we did for Christ. Does that truth guide our lives each
day? Do we live each day as if it were our last? What is there in my life
that I would be ashamed of on the last day? Why not weed it out of my life
now?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me to judge the things of my daily life against
eternity. Let me see things with Your eyes. Let me see what is really
valuable and what is fleeting. And help me to act accordingly.
Resolution: I will make a fresh effort to get rid of the
biggest vice in my life
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.
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
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.
625 In the evening, when I was praying, the Mother of God
told me, Your lives must be like Mine: quiet and hidden, in unceasing union
with God, pleading for humanity and preparing the world for the second coming
of God
635 March 25. In the morning, during meditation, God's
presence enveloped me in a special way, as I saw the immeasurable greatness
of God and, at the same time, His condescension to His creatures. Then I saw
the Mother of God, who said to me, Oh,
how pleasing to God is the soul that follows faithfully the inspirations of
His grace! I gave the Savior to the world; as for you, you have to speak to
the world about His great mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming
of Him who will come, not as a merciful Savior, but as a just Judge. Oh, how
terrible is that day! Determined is the day of justice, the day of divine
wrath. The angels tremble before it. Speak to souls about this great mercy
while it is still the time for [granting] mercy. If you keep silent now, you
will be answering for a great number of souls on that terrible day. Fear
nothing. Be faithful to the end. I sympathize with you.
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.
793 I am reliving these moments with Our Lady. With great
longing, I am waiting for the Lord's coming. Great are my desires. I desire
that all humankind come to know the Lord. I would like to prepare all nations
for the coming of the Word Incarnate. O Jesus, make the fount of Your mercy
gush forth more abundantly, for humankind is seriously ill and thus has more
need than ever of Your compassion. You are a bottomless sea of mercy for us
sinners; and the greater the misery, the more right we have to Your mercy.
You are a fount which makes all creatures happy by Your infinite mercy.
825 + O bright and clear day on which all my dreams will
be fulfilled; O day so eagerly desired, the last day of my life! I look
forward with joy to the last stroke the Divine Artist will trace on my soul,
which will give my soul a unique beauty that will distinguish me from the
beauty of other souls. O great day, on which divine love will be confirmed in
me. On that day, for the first time, I shall sing before heaven and earth the
song of the Lord's fathomless mercy. This is my work and the mission which
the Lord has destined for me from the beginning of the world. That the song
of my soul may be pleasing to the Holy Trinity, do You, O Spirit of God,
direct and form my soul yourself. I arm myself with patience and await Your
coming, O merciful God, and as to the terrible pains and fear of death, at
this moment more than at any other time, I trust in the abyss of Your mercy
and am reminding You, O merciful Jesus, sweet Savior, of all the promises You
have made to me.
840 December 23, [1936]. I am spending this time with the
Mother of God and preparing myself for the solemn moment of the coming of the
Lord Jesus. The Mother of God is instructing me in the interior life of the
soul with Jesus, especially in Holy Communion. It is only in eternity that we
shall know the great mystery effected in us by Holy Communion. O most
precious moments of my life!
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.
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.
+ Particular Examen
Union with the merciful Christ. With my heart I encompass the whole world, especially countries which are uncivilized or where there is persecution. I am praying for mercy upon them. 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.
1339 O merciful God, You do not despise us, but lavish Your
graces on us continuously. You make us fit to enter ` Your kingdom, and in
Your goodness You grant that human beings may fill the places vacated by the
ungrateful angels. O God of great mercy, who turned Your sacred gaze away
from the rebellious angels and turned it upon contrite man, praise and glory
be to Your unfathomable mercy, O God who do not despise the lowly heart.
1548 January 30, 1938. One-day retreat.
The Lord gave me to know, during meditation, that as long
as my heart beats in my breast, I must always strive to spread the Kingdom of
God on earth. I am to fight for the glory of my Creator. I know that I will
give God the glory He expects of me if I try faithfully to cooperate with
God's grace.
1701 I asked the Lord today that
He might deign to teach me about the interior life, because of myself I can
neither understand nor conceive anything perfectly. The Lord answered me,
I was your Teacher, I am and I will be; strive to make your heart like unto
My humble and gentle Heart. Never claim your rights. Bear with great calm and
patience everything that befalls you. Do not defend yourself when you are put
to shame, though innocent. Let others triumph. Do not stop being good when
you notice that your goodness is being abused. I Myself will speak up for you
when it is necessary. Be grateful for the smallest of My graces, because your
gratitude compels Me to grant you new graces...
1702 Towards the end of the Way of
the Cross which I was making, the Lord Jesus began to complain about the
souls of religious and priests, about the lack of love in chosen souls. I
will allow convents and churches to be destroyed. I answered,
"Jesus, but there are so many souls praising You in convents." The
Lord answered, That praise wounds My Heart, because love has been banished
from convents. Souls without love and without devotion, souls full of egoism
and self-love, souls full of pride and arrogance, souls full of deceit and
hypocrisy, lukewarm souls who have just enough warmth to keep them alive: My
Heart cannot bear this. All the graces that I pour out upon them flow off
them as off the face of a rock. I cannot stand them, because they are neither
good or bad. I called convents into being to sanctify the world through them.
It is from them that a powerful flame of love and sacrifice should burst
forth. And if they do not repent and become enkindled by their first love, I
will deliver them over to the fate of this world...
How can they sit on the promised throne of judgment to judge the world, when their guilt is greater than the guilt of the world? There is neither penance nor atonement. O heart, which received Me in the morning and at noon are all ablaze with hatred against Me, hatred of all sorts! O heart specially chosen by Me, were you chosen for this, to give Me more pain? The great sins of the world are superficial wounds on My Heart, but the sins of a chosen soul pierce My Heart through and through... 1703 When I tried to intercede for them, I could find nothing with which to excuse them and, being at the time unable to think of anything in their defense, my heart was seized with pain, and I wept bitterly. Then the Lord looked at me kindly and comforted me with these words: Do not cry. There are still a great number of souls who love Me very much, but My Heart desires to be loved by all and, because My love is great, that is why I warn and chastise them.
1712 A certain person whom I have
mentioned before visited me again. When I saw that she was beginning to get
entangled in her own lies, I let her know that I knew she was lying. She
became very embarrassed and stopped speaking. Then I spoke to her about the
great judgments of God, and I also remarked that she was leading innocent
souls astray and along dangerous roads. I uncovered before her everything
that was in her heart. Since I had to overcome my own feelings in order to
talk to her, to prove to Jesus that I love my enemies, I gave her my
afternoon snack. She went away enlightened in soul, but action is still far
away...
1722 I heard these words: If
you did not tie My hands, I would send down many punishments upon the earth.
My daughter, your look disarms My anger. Although your lips are silent, you
call out to Me so mightily that all heaven is moved. I cannot escape from
your requests, because you pursue Me, not from afar but within your own
heart.
1728 Write: I am Thrice Holy,
and I detest the smallest sin. I cannot love a soul which is stained with
sin; but when it repents, there is no limit to My generosity toward it. My
mercy embraces and justifies it. With My mercy, I pursue sinners along all
their paths, and My Heart rejoices when they return to Me. I forget the
bitterness with which they fed My Heart and rejoice at their return.
Tell sinners that no one shall escape My Hand; if they run away from My Merciful Heart, they will fall into My Just Hands. Tell sinners that I am always waiting for them, that I listen intently to the beating of their heart... when will it beat for Me? Write, that I am speaking to them through their remorse of conscience, through their failures and sufferings, through thunderstorms, through the voice of the Church. And if they bring all My graces to naught, I begin to be angry with them, leaving them alone and giving them what they want. 1729 O my Jesus, You alone know of my efforts. I seem to be a bit better, but better only to the point that I can go out on the veranda instead of lying in bed. I see and am fully aware of what is happening to me. Despite the diligent care of my superiors and the efforts of the doctors, my health is fading and running out. But I rejoice greatly at Your call, my God, my Love, because I know that my mission will begin at the moment of my death. Oh, how much I desire to be set free from the bonds of this body. O my Jesus, You know that, in all my desires, I always want to see Your will. Of myself, I would not want to die one minute sooner, or to live one minute longer, or to suffer less, or to suffer more, but I only want to do Your holy will. Although I have great enthusiasm, and the desires burning in my heart are immense, they are never above Your will. 1730 I fly to Your mercy, Compassionate God, who alone are good. Although my misery is great, and my offenses are many, I trust in Your mercy, because You are the God of mercy; and, from time immemorial, it has never been heard of, nor do heaven or earth remember, that a soul trusting in Your mercy has been disappointed. O God of compassion, You alone can justify me, and You will never reject me when I, contrite, approach Your Merciful Heart, where no one has ever been refused, even if he were the greatest sinner.
1784 Today, in the course of a long conversation, the Lord
said to me, How very much I desire the salvation of souls! My dearest
secretary, write that I want to pour out My divine life into human souls and
sanctify them, if only they were willing to accept My grace. The greatest
sinners would achieve great sanctity, if only they would trust in My mercy.
The very inner depths of My being are filled to overflowing with mercy, and
it is being poured out upon all I have created. My delight is to act in a
human soul and to fill it with My mercy and to justify it. My kingdom on
earth is My life in the human soul. Write, My secretary, that I Myself am the
spiritual guide of souls-and I guide them indirectly through the priest, and
lead each one to sanctity by a road known to Me alone.
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-36, 83, 374, 496)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-660, 625, 635, 793, 825, 840, 895)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1074-1076)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-IV-1317, 1339)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1548)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1701-1703, 1712, 1722)
(Diary
of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1728-1730, 1784)
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