Born of the Spirit
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April 30, 2019. Tuesday
of the Second Week of Easter
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Father Steven Reilly, LC
John
3:7b-15
Jesus said to Nicodemus: “‘You must be born
from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it
makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is
with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to him,
“How can this happen?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher
of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak
of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not
accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not
believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has
gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of
Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son
of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal
life.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord, You know my needs better than I do. I
turn to Your Spirit to teach me what to ask for in this prayer. I want to
fulfill Your holy will over my life. I love You, Lord, and I place all my
hope in You.
Petition: Lord, increase my faith!
1. You Are the Teacher of Israel: Nicodemus was one of the leading teachers,
yet here he tries to make a quiet request for information from Jesus. As a
religious teacher he was well versed in the rules and regulations, but there
was still a gap in his knowledge. He didn’t know about the Holy Spirit and
the new existence that we receive by being born of “water and the spirit.” In
a way, he can’t be blamed, since Jesus had not yet revealed it, but it just
goes to show us how fundamental spiritual knowledge is in order to be a
credible spiritual leader. As committed Catholics, we need to lead others to
deeper faith. But will we do so to the degree that we know the faith and are
living it in our hearts?
2. Being Born of the Spirit: Are we practical materialists? At times we
become so enmeshed in the reality of daily life that we don’t give the
slightest thought to the spiritual world, which is infinitely greater than
the material one that consumes all our attention. Through our baptism, we are
marked out for heavenly things. We bear on our soul the indelible mark that
proclaims to the universe that we are children of God. Every time we take a
spiritual breath, and glance heavenwards, we renew that birth in the Spirit
through which the Lord claimed us as his own. Let us never spend more than a
minute as practical materialists!
3. Giving Testimony: Jesus speaks here about giving testimony. He
wants us to be his witnesses as well. He wants us to continue to proclaim to
the world the reality of the “heavenly things” that he revealed. Possibly the
greatest testimony we can give is the happiness and charity of our lives.
Joyful, charitable Catholics carry in their very demeanor the sign that their
faith is authentic. Before you get angry, upset, or critical, ask yourself,
“Is this the testimony of a life filled with the Holy Spirit?”
Conversation with Christ: Lord, thank You for the gift of the Holy
Spirit in my life. At times, I don’t always live in accord with the great
blessing You have given me, but I know that Your patience and mercy always
give me another chance. Help me to love others and give them a glimpse of
heaven through my charity.
Resolution: In my conversation today, I will try to say
something that will plant a spiritual seed in others.
Excerpts from the DIARY of Saint Faustina
Kowalska
56 O my God, I understand well
that You demand this spiritual childhood[32] of me, because You are constantly asking
it of me through Your representatives.
At the beginning of my religious life, suffering and adversities frightened and disheartened me. So I prayed continuously, asking Jesus to strengthen me and to grant me the power of His Holy Spirit that I might carry out His holy will in all things, because from the beginning I have been aware of my weakness. I know very well what I am of myself, because for this purpose Jesus has opened the eyes of my soul; I am an abyss of misery, and hence I understand that whatever good there is in my soul consists solely of His holy grace. The knowledge of my own misery allows me, at the same time, to know the immensity of Your mercy. In my own interior life, I am looking with one eye at the abyss of my misery and baseness, and with the other, at the abyss of Your mercy, O God.
148 +A noble and delicate soul,
even the most simple, but one of delicate sensibilities, sees God in
everything, finds Him everywhere, and knows how to find Him in even the most
hidden things. It finds all things important, it highly appreciates all
things, it thanks God for all things, it draws profit for the soul from all
things, and it gives all glory to God. It places its trust in God and is not
confused when the time of ordeals comes. It knows that God is always the best
of Fathers and makes little of human opinion. It follows faithfully the
faintest breath of the Holy Spirit; it rejoices in this Spiritual Guest and
holds onto Him like a child to its mother. Where other souls come to a
standstill and fear, this soul passes on without fear or difficulty.
167 Today [November, 1932], I
arrived in Warsaw for the third probation. After a cordial meeting with the
dear Mothers, I went into the small chapel for a moment. Suddenly God's
presence filled my soul, and I heard these words, My daughter, I desire
that your heart be formed after the model of My merciful Heart. You must be
completely imbued with My mercy.
Dear Mother Directress [Margaret] at once asked me whether I had had a retreat that year, and I said no. "Then you must first have a retreat of at least three days." Thanks be to God there was at Walendows[57] an eight-day retreat in which I could take part. But difficulties arose in regard to my leaving for this retreat. A certain person opposed my going very much, and it already [appeared that] I was not to go. After dinner, I went into the chapel for a five-minute adoration. Suddenly I saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me, My daughter, I am preparing many graces for you, which you will receive during this retreat which you will begin tomorrow. I answered, "Jesus, the retreat has already begun, and I am not supposed to go." And He said to me, Get ready for it, because you will begin the retreat tomorrow. And as for your departure, I will arrange that with the superiors. And in an instant, Jesus disappeared. I began to wonder how this was going to happen. But after a moment I rejected all such thoughts and devoted the time I had to prayer, begging the Holy Spirit for light to see the whole misery that I am. After a short while, I left the little chapel to go about my duties. Soon Mother General [Michael] called me and said, "Sister, you will go to Walendow today with Mother Valeria so that you can start the retreat tomorrow. Fortunately, Mother Valeria happens to be here and you can go together." Within two hours I was already in Walendow. I reflected for a moment within myself and recognized that only Jesus can arrange things in such a way.
170 The first day of the retreat.
I tried to be the first in the chapel in the morning; before the meditation I
had a bit of time for prayer to the Holy Spirit and to Our Lady. I earnestly
begged the Mother of God to obtain for me the grace of fidelity to these inner
inspirations and of faithfully carrying out God's will, whatever it might be.
I began this retreat with a very special kind of courage.
248 The words of the Bishop
[Rospond[73]], spoken at the
ceremony of the taking of perpetual vows: "Accept this candle as a sign
of heavenly light and of burning love." While giving the ring: "I
betroth you to Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father Most High; may He keep you
unblemished. Take this ring as a sign of the eternal covenant you are making
with Christ, the Spouse of Virgins. May it be for you the ring of faith and
the sign of the Holy Spirit, that you may be called the bride of Christ and,
if you serve Him faithfully, be crowned [as such] for all eternity.
291 On a certain occasion, I saw a
person about to commit a mortal sin. I asked the Lord to send me the greatest
torments so that that soul could be saved. Then I suddenly felt the terrible
pain of a crown of thorns on my head. It lasted for quite a long time, but
that person remained in the Lord's grace. 0 my Jesus, how very easy it is to
become holy; all that is needed is a bit of good will. If Jesus sees this
little bit of good will in the soul, He hurries to give himself to the soul,
and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings nor falls-absolutely nothing.
Jesus is anxious to help that soul, and if it is faithful to this grace from
God, it can very soon attain the highest holiness possible for a creature
here on earth. God is very generous and does not deny His grace to anyone.
Indeed He gives more than what we ask of Him. Faithfulness to the
inspirations of the Holy Spirit-that is the shortest route.
356 O Blessed Host, in whom is
contained the testament of God's mercy for us, and especially for poor
sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus as proof of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained life eternal and of infinite mercy, dispensed in abundance to us and especially to poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the mercy of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit toward us, and especially toward poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the infinite price of mercy which will compensate for all our debts, and especially those of poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fountain of living water which springs from infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fire of purest love which blazes forth from the bosom of the Eternal Father, as from an abyss of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the medicine for all our infirmities, flowing from infinite mercy, as from a fount, for us and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the union between God and us through His infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom are contained all the sentiments of the most sweet Heart of Jesus toward us, and especially poor sinners. O Blessed Host, our only hope in all the sufferings and adversities of life. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of darkness and of storms within and without. O Blessed Host, our only hope in life and at the hour of our death. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of adversities and floods of despair. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of falsehood and treason. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the darkness and godlessness which inundate the earth. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the longing and pain in which no one will understand us. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the toil and monotony of everyday life. O Blessed Host, our only hope amid the ruin of our hopes and endeavors. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the ravages of the enemy and the efforts of hell. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when the burdens are beyond my strength and I find my efforts are fruitless. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when storms toss my heart about and my fearful spirit tends to despair. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my heart is about to tremble and mortal sweat moistens my brow. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when everything conspires against me and black despair creeps into my soul. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my eyes will begin to grow dim to all temporal things and, for the first time, my spirit will behold the unknown worlds. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my tasks will be beyond my strength and adversity will become my daily lot. O Blessed Host I trust in You when the practice of virtue will appear difficult for me and my nature will grow rebellious. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when hostile blows will be aimed against me. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my toils and efforts will be misjudged by others. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when Your judgments will resound over me; it is then that I will trust in the sea of Your mercy.
359 January 10, 1935. +Thursday.
In the evening during benediction,[85] such thoughts as these began to distress
me: Is not perhaps all this that I am saying about God's great mercy just a lie
or an illusion...? And I wanted to think about this for a while, when I heard
a strong and clear inner voice saying, Everything that you say about My
goodness is true; language has no adequate expression to extol My goodness. These
words were so filled with power and so clear that I would give my life in
declaring they came from God. I can tell this by the profound peace that
accompanied them at that time and that still remains with me. This peace
gives me such great strength and power that all difficulties, adversities,
sufferings, and death itself are as nothing. This light gave me a glimpse of
the truth that all my efforts to bring souls to know the mercy of the Lord
are very pleasing to God. And from this springs such great joy in my soul
that I do not know whether it could be any greater in heaven. Oh, if souls
would only be willing to listen, at least a little, to the voice of
conscience and the voicethat is, the inspirations-of the Holy Spirit! I say
"at least a little," because once we open ourselves to the
influence of the Holy Spirit, He himself will fulfill what is lacking in us.
392 The Lord God grants His graces
in two ways: by inspiration and by enlightenment. If we ask God for a grace,
He will give it to us; but let us be willing to accept it. And in order to
accept it, self-denial is needed. Love does not consist in words or feelings,
but in deeds. It is an act of the will; it is a gift; that is to say, a
giving. The reason, the will, the heart-these three faculties must be
exercised during prayer. I will rise from the dead in Jesus, but first I must
live in Him. If I do not separate myself from the Cross, then the Gospel will
be revealed in me. Jesus in me makes up for all my deficiencies. His grace
operates without ceasing. The Holy Trinity grants me Its life abundantly, by
the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Three Divine Persons live in me. When God
loves, He loves with all His Being, with all the power of His Being. If God
has loved me in this way, how should I respond I, His spouse?
451 Once after Holy Communion, I heard these
words: You are Our dwelling place. At that moment, I felt in my soul
the presence of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I
felt that I was the temple of God. I felt I was a child of the Father. I
cannot explain all this, but the spirit understands it well. O infinite
Goodness, how low You stoop to Your miserable creature!
472 I knew, more distinctly than
ever before, the Three Divine Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit. But their being, their equality and their majesty are one. My soul is
in communion with these Three; but I do not know how to express this in
words; yet my soul understands it well. Whoever is united to One of the Three
Persons is thereby united to the whole Blessed Trinity, for this Oneness is
indivisible. This vision, or rather, this knowledge filled my soul with
unimaginable happiness, because God is so great. What I am describing I did
not see with my eyes, as on previous occasions, but in a purely interior
manner, in a purely spiritual way, independent of the senses. This continued
until the end of Holy Mass.
This now happens often to me, and not only in the chapel, but also at work and at times when I least expect it.
477 Silence is a sword in the
spiritual struggle. A talkative soul will never attain sanctity. The sword of
silence will cut off everything that would like to cling to the soul. We are
sensitive to words and quickly want to answer back, without taking any regard
as to whether it is God's will that we should speak. A silent soul 14 strong;
no adversities will harm it if it perseveres in silence. The silent soul is
capable of attaining the closest union with God. It lives almost always under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God works in a silent soul without
hindrance.
478 O my Jesus, You know, You
alone know well that m heart knows no other love but You! All my virginal
love is drowned eternally in You, O Jesus! I sense keenly ho Your divine
Blood is circulating in my heart; I have no the least doubt that Your most
pure love has entered m heart with Your most sacred Blood. I am aware did You
are dwelling in me, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, or
ratherIam aware that it is I who it living in You, O incomprehensible God! I
am aware that I am dissolving in You like a drop in an ocean. I am aware that
You are within me and all about me, that You are in all things that surround
me, in all that happens to me. O my God, I have come to know You within my
heart, and I have loved You above all things that exist on earth or in
heaven. Our hearts have a mutual understanding, and no one of humankind will
comprehend this.
486 Jesus, when You come to me in
Holy Communion, You who together with the Father and the Holy Spirit have
deigned to dwell in the little heaven of my heart, I try to keep You company
throughout the day, I do not leave You alone for even a moment. Although I am
in the company of other people or with our wards, my heart is always united
to Him. When I am asleep I offer Him every beat of my heart; when I awaken I
immerse myself in Him without saying a word. When I awaken I adore the Holy
Trinity for a short while and thank God for having deigned to give me yet
another day, that the mystery of the incarnation of His Son may once more be
repeated in me, and that once again His sorrowful Passion may unfold before
my eyes. I then try to make it easier for Jesus to pass through me to other
souls. I go everywhere with Jesus; His presence accompanies me everywhere.
501 Oh, how great is Your beauty,
Jesus my Spouse! Living Flower enclosing life-giving dew for a thirsting
soul! My soul is drowned in You. You alone are the object of my desires and
strivings. Unite me as closely as possible to Yourself, to the Father and to
the Holy Spirit. Let me live and die in You.
525 O Holy Trinity, in whom is
contained the inner life of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
eternal joy, inconceivable depth of love, poured out upon all creatures and
constituting their happiness, honor and glory be to Your holy name forever
and ever. Amen.
When I consider Your greatness and beauty, O my God, I rejoice exceedingly that the Lord I serve is so great. With love and joy I carry out His will, and the more I come to know Him, the more I desire to love Him. I burn with the desire to love Him ever more and more.
552 In addition to the vows, I see
one rule as most important. Although all the rules are important, I put this
one in first place, and it is silence. Truly, if this rule were to be
observed strictly, I would not worry about the others. Women are very fond of
talking, but the Holy Spirit does not speak to a soul that is distracted and
garrulous. He speaks by His quiet inspirations to a soul that is recollected,
to a soul that knows how to keep silence. If silence were strictly observed,
there would not be any grumbling, bitterness, slandering, or gossip, and
charity would not be tarnished. In a word, many wrongs would not be done.
Silent lips are pure gold and bear witness to holiness within.
647 From this, I came to
understand one thing: that I must pray much for each of my confessors, that
he might obtain the light of the Holy Spirit, for when I approach the
confessional without first praying, fervently, the confessor does not
understand me very well. Father encouraged me to pray fervently for these
intentions, that God would give better knowledge and understanding of the
things He is asking of me. "Make novena after novena, Sister, and God
will not refuse the graces."
June, 1936. Conversation with
Father A. [Andrasz]
658 "Know that these are hard and difficult things. Your principal spiritual director is the Holy Spirit. We can only give direction to these inspirations, but your real director is the Holy Spirit. If you yourself have decided to leave, Sister, I neither prohibit nor order you to do so. You take the responsibility for yourself. I say this to you, Sister: you can begin to take action. You are capable of doing so, and therefore you can do so. These things are indeed probable; all you have told me up to now [before perpetual vows in Cracow in 1933] speaks in favor of taking action. Still, you have to be very careful in all this. Pray much and ask that I be given light."
734 I see that Jesus himself is
acting in my soul during this retreat. And as for me, I try only to be
faithful to His grace. I have submitted my soul completely to the influence
of God. This Mighty Ruler of Heaven has taken entire possession of my soul. I
feel that I am being lifted up above earth and heaven into the inner life of
God, where I come to know the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, but always
in the unity of majesty.
777 November 27, [1936]. Today I
was in heaven, in spirit, and I saw its inconceivable beauties and the
happiness that awaits us after death. I saw how all creatures give ceaseless
praise and glory to God. I saw how great is happiness in God, which spreads
to all creatures, making them happy; and then all the glory and praise which
springs from this happiness returns to its source; and they enter into the
depths of God, contemplating the inner life of God, the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, whom they will never comprehend or fathom.
This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who said, "Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him."
1073 April 4, 1937. Low Sunday;
that is, the Feast of Mercy. In the morning, after Holy Communion, my soul
was immersed in the Godhead. I was united to the Three Divine Persons in such
a way that when I was united to Jesus, I was simultaneously united to the
Father and to the Holy Spirit. My soul was flooded with joy beyond understanding,
and the Lord gave me to experience the whole ocean and abyss of His
fathomless mercy. Oh, if only souls would want to understand how much God
loves them! All comparisons, even if they were the most tender and the most
vehement, are but a mere shadow when set against the reality.
When I was united to the Lord, I came to know how many souls are glorifying God's mercy.
1090 And this happened on the last
day of my novena to the Holy Spirit. After this return to health, I found
myself united with the Lord Jesus in a purely spiritual way. Jesus gave me
strong assurances; that is, He confirmed me in respect to His demands. I
remained close to the Lord Jesus all that day and talked with Him about the
details concerning that congregation.
Jesus infused my soul with power and courage to act. Now I understand that if the Lord demands something of a soul, He gives it the means to carry it out, and through grace He makes it capable of doing this. So, even if the soul be utterly miserable, at the Lord's command it can undertake things beyond its expectation, because this is the sign by which it can be known that the Lord is with that soul: if God's power and strength, which make the soul courageous and valiant, is manifest within it. As for myself, I am always at first a bit frightened at the Lord's greatness, but afterwards my soul is filled with profound peace which nothing can disturb, as well as an inner strength to do what the Lord is demanding at that particular moment....
1106 + Virtue without prudence is
not virtue at all. We should often pray to the Holy Spirit for this grace of
prudence. Prudence consists in discretion, rational reflection and courageous
resolution. The final decision is always up to us. We must decide; we can and
we ought to seek advice and light...
1174 July 4, 1937. First Sunday of
the month.
Monthly retreat. This evening, I prepared with great care and prayed long to the Holy Spirit that He might deign to grant me His light and take me under His special guidance; [I prayed] also to Our Lady, to my Guardian Angel, and to our patron saints. [200]
1286 + Thank You, O God, for all
the graces
Which unceasingly You lavish upon me, Graces which enlighten me with the brilliance of the sun, For by them You show me the sure way. Thank You, 0 Lord, for creating me, For calling me into being from nothingness, For imprinting Your divinity on my soul, The work of sheer merciful love. Thank You, O God, for Holy Baptism Which engrafted me into Your family, A gift great beyond all thought or expression Which transforms my soul. Thank You, O Lord, for Holy Confession, For that inexhaustible spring of great mercy, For that inconceivable fountain of graces In which sin-tainted souls become purified. Thank You, O Jesus, for Holy Communion In which You give us Yourself. I feel Your Heart beating within my breast As You cause Your divine life to unfold within me. Thank You, O Holy Spirit, for the Sacrament of Confirmation, Which dubs me Your knight And gives strength to my soul at each moment, Protecting me from evil. Thank You, O God, for the grace of a vocation. For being called to serve You alone, Leading me to make You my sole love, An unequal honor for my soul. Thank You, O Lord, for perpetual vows, For that union of pure love, For having deigned to unite Your pure heart with mine And uniting my heart to Yours in the purest of bonds. Thank You, O Lord, for the Sacrament of Anointing Which, in my final moments, will give me strength; My help in battle, my guide to salvation, Fortifying my soul till we rejoice forever. Thank You, O God, for all the inspirations That Your goodness lavishes upon me, For the interior lights given my soul, Which the heart senses, but words cannot express. Thank You, O Holy Trinity, for the vastness of the graces Which You have lavished on me unceasingly through life. My gratitude will intensify as the eternal dawn rises, When, for the first time, I sing to Your glory.
1504 + Lord, You know that since my youth I have always
sought Your will and, recognizing it, have always tried to carry it out. My
heart has been accustomed to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, to whom I
am faithful. In the midst of the greatest din I have heard the voice of God.
I always know what is going on in my interior...
1556 When I had gone to the chapel for a moment, the Lord
gave me to know that, among His chosen ones, there are some who are
especially chosen, and whom He calls to a higher form of holiness, to
exceptional union with Him. These are seraphic souls, from whom God demands
greater love than He does from others. Although all live in the same convent,
yet He sometimes demands of a particular soul a greater degree of love. Such
a soul understands this call, because God makes this known to it interiorly,
but the soul may either follow this call or not. It depends on the soul
itself whether it is faithful to these touches of the Holy Spirit, or whether
it resists them. I have learned that there is a place in purgatory where
souls will pay their debt to God for such transgressions; this kind of
torment is the most difficult of all. The soul which is specially marked by
God will be distinguished everywhere, whether in heaven or in purgatory or in
hell. In heaven, it will be distinguished from other souls by greater glory
and radiance and deeper knowledge of God. In purgatory, by greater pain,
because it knows God more profoundly and desires Him more vehemently. In
hell, it will suffer more profoundly than other souls, because it knows more
fully whom it has lost. This indelible mark of God's exclusive love, in the
[soul], will not be obliterated.
1557 O Jesus, keep me in holy
fear, so that I may not waste graces. Help me to be faithful to the
inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Grant that my heart may burst for love of
You, rather than I should neglect even one act of love for You.
1567 As I took the pen in hand, I addressed a short prayer
to the Holy Spirit and said, "Jesus, bless this pen so that everything
You order me to write may be for the glory of God." Then I heard a
voice: Yes, I bless [it], because this writing bears the seal of
obedience to your superior and confessor, and by that very fact I am already
given glory, and many souls will be drawing profit from it. My daughter, I
demand that you devote all your free moments to writing about My goodness and
mercy. It is your office and your assignment throughout your life to continue
to make known to souls the great mercy I have for them and to exhort them to
trust in My bottomless mercy.
1670 + Easter [April 17, 1938]. During Mass, I thanked the
Lord Jesus for having deigned to redeem us and for having given us that
greatest of all gifts; namely, His love in Holy Communion; that is, His very
own Self. At that moment, I was drawn into the bosom of the Most Holy
Trinity, and I was immersed in the love of the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit. These moments are hard to describe.
1828 16. + Today, the Majesty of God is surrounding me.
There is no way that I can help myself to prepare better. I am thoroughly
enwrapped in God. My soul is being inflamed by His love. I only know that I
love and am loved. That is enough for me. I am trying my best to be faithful
throughout the day to the Holy Spirit and to fulfill His demands. I am trying
my best for interior silence in order to be able to hear His voice...
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-56, 148, 167, 170, 248,
291, 356, 359)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-I-392, 451, 472, 477-478,
486, 501 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-II-525-526, 552, 647,
658, 734, 777 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-III-1073, 1090, 1106,
1174)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-IV-1286)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-V-1504, 1556-1557, 1567)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska Notebook-VI-1670, 1828)
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Abril 30, 2019
Born of the Spirit-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
Abril 29, 2019
Eyes of Faith-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
Eyes of Faith
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April 29, 2019. Monday
of the Second Week of Easter
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John
3:1-8
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a
ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to him, "Rabbi, we
know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these
signs that you are doing unless God is with him." Jesus answered and
said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of
God without being born from above." Nicodemus said to him, "How can
a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother´s
womb and be born again, can he?" Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say
to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of
God. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do
not be amazed that I told you, ´You must be born from above.´ The wind blows
where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know
where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of
the Spirit."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, You know my needs better than I do. I
turn to Your Spirit to teach me what to ask for in this prayer. I want to
fulfill Your holy will over my life. I love You, Lord and I place all my hope
in You.
Petition: Lord, increase my sensitivity to Your Spirit.
1. Human Eyes: What do the eyes of our head see? They see
the work of God in creation telling us that he loves us. They see creatures
as a means to know and respond to our loving Creator. Our eyes see
opportunities to exercise the love that we learn from this Creator. They see
the mystery of Christ’s love in the Eucharist. They see around us the work of
the Spirit in the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. The eyes are the
apparatus of faith and serve us well on our way to the everlasting Kingdom.
Is this the case for my own eyes?
2. Eyes of the Heart: If the things that flow from the heart can
defile a man, so too the things that flow from the heart can sanctify a man.
The eyes are also the apparatus of the heart. The eyes will focus on what the
heart treasures. Christ stated it so clearly: “The eye is the lamp of the
body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but
if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then
the light in your eye is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew
6:22).
3. Eyes of the Soul: “The wind blows where it wills, and you can
hear the sound it makes but you do not know where it comes from or where it
goes; so it is with the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, speaks to
our souls without the noise of words. The eyes of the soul, guided by the
same Spirit, help us to see -- to relish what is right and always rejoice in
his consolation. In this Easter season, the Spirit begins to stir, and the Church
begins to chant more fervently: “Veni Sancti Spiritus! Come Holy
Spirit!” As members of this Mystical Body it is a compelling duty and a
delightful right for us to join in this prayer.
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus Christ, You promised to send your
Holy Spirit upon Your Church, and You prepared the disciples on multiple
occasions to make themselves ready. Just as the Israelites quickly made ready
for the Passover as people prepped for a journey, guide me to be prepared to
journey with Your Spirit.
Resolution: I will invoke the Holy Spirit in short prayers at three
different times today.
Excerpts from the DIARY of Saint Faustina Kowalska
56 O my
God, I understand well that You demand this spiritual childhood[32] of me, because You are constantly asking
it of me through Your representatives.
At the beginning of my religious life, suffering and adversities frightened and disheartened me. So I prayed continuously, asking Jesus to strengthen me and to grant me the power of His Holy Spirit that I might carry out His holy will in all things, because from the beginning I have been aware of my weakness. I know very well what I am of myself, because for this purpose Jesus has opened the eyes of my soul; I am an abyss of misery, and hence I understand that whatever good there is in my soul consists solely of His holy grace. The knowledge of my own misery allows me, at the same time, to know the immensity of Your mercy. In my own interior life, I am looking with one eye at the abyss of my misery and baseness, and with the other, at the abyss of Your mercy, O God.
148 +A
noble and delicate soul, even the most simple, but one of delicate
sensibilities, sees God in everything, finds Him everywhere, and knows how to
find Him in even the most hidden things. It finds all things important, it
highly appreciates all things, it thanks God for all things, it draws profit
for the soul from all things, and it gives all glory to God. It places its
trust in God and is not confused when the time of ordeals comes. It knows
that God is always the best of Fathers and makes little of human opinion. It
follows faithfully the faintest breath of the Holy Spirit; it rejoices in
this Spiritual Guest and holds onto Him like a child to its mother. Where
other souls come to a standstill and fear, this soul passes on without fear
or difficulty.
167 Today
[November, 1932], I arrived in Warsaw for the third probation. After a
cordial meeting with the dear Mothers, I went into the small chapel for a
moment. Suddenly God's presence filled my soul, and I heard these words, My
daughter, I desire that your heart be formed after the model of My merciful
Heart. You must be completely imbued with My mercy.
Dear Mother Directress [Margaret] at once asked me whether I had had a retreat that year, and I said no. "Then you must first have a retreat of at least three days." Thanks be to God there was at Walendows[57] an eight-day retreat in which I could take part. But difficulties arose in regard to my leaving for this retreat. A certain person opposed my going very much, and it already [appeared that] I was not to go. After dinner, I went into the chapel for a five-minute adoration. Suddenly I saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me, My daughter, I am preparing many graces for you, which you will receive during this retreat which you will begin tomorrow. I answered, "Jesus, the retreat has already begun, and I am not supposed to go." And He said to me, Get ready for it, because you will begin the retreat tomorrow. And as for your departure, I will arrange that with the superiors. And in an instant, Jesus disappeared. I began to wonder how this was going to happen. But after a moment I rejected all such thoughts and devoted the time I had to prayer, begging the Holy Spirit for light to see the whole misery that I am. After a short while, I left the little chapel to go about my duties. Soon Mother General [Michael] called me and said, "Sister, you will go to Walendow today with Mother Valeria so that you can start the retreat tomorrow. Fortunately, Mother Valeria happens to be here and you can go together." Within two hours I was already in Walendow. I reflected for a moment within myself and recognized that only Jesus can arrange things in such a way.
170 The
first day of the retreat. I tried to be the first in the chapel in the
morning; before the meditation I had a bit of time for prayer to the Holy
Spirit and to Our Lady. I earnestly begged the Mother of God to obtain for me
the grace of fidelity to these inner inspirations and of faithfully carrying
out God's will, whatever it might be. I began this retreat with a very
special kind of courage.
248 The
words of the Bishop [Rospond[73]], spoken at the ceremony of the taking of
perpetual vows: "Accept this candle as a sign of heavenly light and of
burning love." While giving the ring: "I betroth you to Jesus
Christ, the Son of the Father Most High; may He keep you unblemished. Take
this ring as a sign of the eternal covenant you are making with Christ, the
Spouse of Virgins. May it be for you the ring of faith and the sign of the
Holy Spirit, that you may be called the bride of Christ and, if you serve Him
faithfully, be crowned [as such] for all eternity.
291 On a
certain occasion, I saw a person about to commit a mortal sin. I asked the
Lord to send me the greatest torments so that that soul could be saved. Then
I suddenly felt the terrible pain of a crown of thorns on my head. It lasted
for quite a long time, but that person remained in the Lord's grace. 0 my
Jesus, how very easy it is to become holy; all that is needed is a bit of
good will. If Jesus sees this little bit of good will in the soul, He hurries
to give himself to the soul, and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings
nor falls-absolutely nothing. Jesus is anxious to help that soul, and if it
is faithful to this grace from God, it can very soon attain the highest
holiness possible for a creature here on earth. God is very generous and does
not deny His grace to anyone. Indeed He gives more than what we ask of Him.
Faithfulness to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit-that is the shortest
route.
356 O
Blessed Host, in whom is contained the testament of God's mercy for us, and
especially for poor sinners.
O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus as proof of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained life eternal and of infinite mercy, dispensed in abundance to us and especially to poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the mercy of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit toward us, and especially toward poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the infinite price of mercy which will compensate for all our debts, and especially those of poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fountain of living water which springs from infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fire of purest love which blazes forth from the bosom of the Eternal Father, as from an abyss of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the medicine for all our infirmities, flowing from infinite mercy, as from a fount, for us and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the union between God and us through His infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners. O Blessed Host, in whom are contained all the sentiments of the most sweet Heart of Jesus toward us, and especially poor sinners. O Blessed Host, our only hope in all the sufferings and adversities of life. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of darkness and of storms within and without. O Blessed Host, our only hope in life and at the hour of our death. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of adversities and floods of despair. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of falsehood and treason. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the darkness and godlessness which inundate the earth. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the longing and pain in which no one will understand us. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the toil and monotony of everyday life. O Blessed Host, our only hope amid the ruin of our hopes and endeavors. O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the ravages of the enemy and the efforts of hell. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when the burdens are beyond my strength and I find my efforts are fruitless. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when storms toss my heart about and my fearful spirit tends to despair. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my heart is about to tremble and mortal sweat moistens my brow. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when everything conspires against me and black despair creeps into my soul. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my eyes will begin to grow dim to all temporal things and, for the first time, my spirit will behold the unknown worlds. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my tasks will be beyond my strength and adversity will become my daily lot. O Blessed Host I trust in You when the practice of virtue will appear difficult for me and my nature will grow rebellious. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when hostile blows will be aimed against me. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my toils and efforts will be misjudged by others. O Blessed Host, I trust in You when Your judgments will resound over me; it is then that I will trust in the sea of Your mercy.
359
January 10, 1935. +Thursday. In the evening during benediction,[85] such thoughts as these began to distress
me: Is not perhaps all this that I am saying about God's great mercy just a
lie or an illusion...? And I wanted to think about this for a while, when I
heard a strong and clear inner voice saying, Everything that you say about
My goodness is true; language has no adequate expression to extol My
goodness. These words were so filled with power and so clear that I would
give my life in declaring they came from God. I can tell this by the profound
peace that accompanied them at that time and that still remains with me. This
peace gives me such great strength and power that all difficulties,
adversities, sufferings, and death itself are as nothing. This light gave me
a glimpse of the truth that all my efforts to bring souls to know the mercy
of the Lord are very pleasing to God. And from this springs such great joy in
my soul that I do not know whether it could be any greater in heaven. Oh, if
souls would only be willing to listen, at least a little, to the voice of
conscience and the voicethat is, the inspirations-of the Holy Spirit! I say
"at least a little," because once we open ourselves to the
influence of the Holy Spirit, He himself will fulfill what is lacking in us.
392 The
Lord God grants His graces in two ways: by inspiration and by enlightenment.
If we ask God for a grace, He will give it to us; but let us be willing to
accept it. And in order to accept it, self-denial is needed. Love does not
consist in words or feelings, but in deeds. It is an act of the will; it is a
gift; that is to say, a giving. The reason, the will, the heart-these three
faculties must be exercised during prayer. I will rise from the dead in
Jesus, but first I must live in Him. If I do not separate myself from the
Cross, then the Gospel will be revealed in me. Jesus in me makes up for all
my deficiencies. His grace operates without ceasing. The Holy Trinity grants
me Its life abundantly, by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Three Divine
Persons live in me. When God loves, He loves with all His Being, with all the
power of His Being. If God has loved me in this way, how should I respond I,
His spouse?
451 Once after Holy Communion, I heard these
words: You are Our dwelling place. At that moment, I felt in my soul
the presence of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I
felt that I was the temple of God. I felt I was a child of the Father. I
cannot explain all this, but the spirit understands it well. O infinite
Goodness, how low You stoop to Your miserable creature!
472 I
knew, more distinctly than ever before, the Three Divine Persons, the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. But their being, their equality and their
majesty are one. My soul is in communion with these Three; but I do not know
how to express this in words; yet my soul understands it well. Whoever is
united to One of the Three Persons is thereby united to the whole Blessed
Trinity, for this Oneness is indivisible. This vision, or rather, this
knowledge filled my soul with unimaginable happiness, because God is so
great. What I am describing I did not see with my eyes, as on previous
occasions, but in a purely interior manner, in a purely spiritual way,
independent of the senses. This continued until the end of Holy Mass.
This now happens often to me, and not only in the chapel, but also at work and at times when I least expect it.
477
Silence is a sword in the spiritual struggle. A talkative soul will never
attain sanctity. The sword of silence will cut off everything that would like
to cling to the soul. We are sensitive to words and quickly want to answer
back, without taking any regard as to whether it is God's will that we should
speak. A silent soul 14 strong; no adversities will harm it if it perseveres
in silence. The silent soul is capable of attaining the closest union with
God. It lives almost always under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God
works in a silent soul without hindrance.
478 O my
Jesus, You know, You alone know well that m heart knows no other love but
You! All my virginal love is drowned eternally in You, O Jesus! I sense
keenly ho Your divine Blood is circulating in my heart; I have no the least
doubt that Your most pure love has entered m heart with Your most sacred
Blood. I am aware did You are dwelling in me, together with the Father and
the Holy Spirit, or ratherIam aware that it is I who it living in You, O
incomprehensible God! I am aware that I am dissolving in You like a drop in
an ocean. I am aware that You are within me and all about me, that You are in
all things that surround me, in all that happens to me. O my God, I have come
to know You within my heart, and I have loved You above all things that exist
on earth or in heaven. Our hearts have a mutual understanding, and no one of
humankind will comprehend this.
486 Jesus,
when You come to me in Holy Communion, You who together with the Father and
the Holy Spirit have deigned to dwell in the little heaven of my heart, I try
to keep You company throughout the day, I do not leave You alone for even a
moment. Although I am in the company of other people or with our wards, my
heart is always united to Him. When I am asleep I offer Him every beat of my
heart; when I awaken I immerse myself in Him without saying a word. When I
awaken I adore the Holy Trinity for a short while and thank God for having
deigned to give me yet another day, that the mystery of the incarnation of
His Son may once more be repeated in me, and that once again His sorrowful
Passion may unfold before my eyes. I then try to make it easier for Jesus to
pass through me to other souls. I go everywhere with Jesus; His presence
accompanies me everywhere.
501 Oh,
how great is Your beauty, Jesus my Spouse! Living Flower enclosing
life-giving dew for a thirsting soul! My soul is drowned in You. You alone
are the object of my desires and strivings. Unite me as closely as possible
to Yourself, to the Father and to the Holy Spirit. Let me live and die in
You.
525 O Holy
Trinity, in whom is contained the inner life of God, the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, eternal joy, inconceivable depth of love, poured out upon
all creatures and constituting their happiness, honor and glory be to Your
holy name forever and ever. Amen.
When I consider Your greatness and beauty, O my God, I rejoice exceedingly that the Lord I serve is so great. With love and joy I carry out His will, and the more I come to know Him, the more I desire to love Him. I burn with the desire to love Him ever more and more.
552 In
addition to the vows, I see one rule as most important. Although all the
rules are important, I put this one in first place, and it is silence. Truly,
if this rule were to be observed strictly, I would not worry about the
others. Women are very fond of talking, but the Holy Spirit does not speak to
a soul that is distracted and garrulous. He speaks by His quiet inspirations
to a soul that is recollected, to a soul that knows how to keep silence. If
silence were strictly observed, there would not be any grumbling, bitterness,
slandering, or gossip, and charity would not be tarnished. In a word, many
wrongs would not be done. Silent lips are pure gold and bear witness to
holiness within.
647 From
this, I came to understand one thing: that I must pray much for each of my
confessors, that he might obtain the light of the Holy Spirit, for when I
approach the confessional without first praying, fervently, the confessor
does not understand me very well. Father encouraged me to pray fervently for
these intentions, that God would give better knowledge and understanding of
the things He is asking of me. "Make novena after novena, Sister, and
God will not refuse the graces."
June,
1936. Conversation with Father A. [Andrasz]
658 "Know that these are hard and difficult things. Your principal spiritual director is the Holy Spirit. We can only give direction to these inspirations, but your real director is the Holy Spirit. If you yourself have decided to leave, Sister, I neither prohibit nor order you to do so. You take the responsibility for yourself. I say this to you, Sister: you can begin to take action. You are capable of doing so, and therefore you can do so. These things are indeed probable; all you have told me up to now [before perpetual vows in Cracow in 1933] speaks in favor of taking action. Still, you have to be very careful in all this. Pray much and ask that I be given light."
734 I see
that Jesus himself is acting in my soul during this retreat. And as for me, I
try only to be faithful to His grace. I have submitted my soul completely to
the influence of God. This Mighty Ruler of Heaven has taken entire possession
of my soul. I feel that I am being lifted up above earth and heaven into the
inner life of God, where I come to know the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit, but always in the unity of majesty.
777
November 27, [1936]. Today I was in heaven, in spirit, and I saw its
inconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death. I saw
how all creatures give ceaseless praise and glory to God. I saw how great is
happiness in God, which spreads to all creatures, making them happy; and then
all the glory and praise which springs from this happiness returns to its
source; and they enter into the depths of God, contemplating the inner life
of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, whom they will never comprehend
or fathom.
This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who said, "Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him."
1073 April
4, 1937. Low Sunday; that is, the Feast of Mercy. In the morning, after Holy
Communion, my soul was immersed in the Godhead. I was united to the Three
Divine Persons in such a way that when I was united to Jesus, I was
simultaneously united to the Father and to the Holy Spirit. My soul was
flooded with joy beyond understanding, and the Lord gave me to experience the
whole ocean and abyss of His fathomless mercy. Oh, if only souls would want
to understand how much God loves them! All comparisons, even if they were the
most tender and the most vehement, are but a mere shadow when set against the
reality.
When I was united to the Lord, I came to know how many souls are glorifying God's mercy.
1090 And
this happened on the last day of my novena to the Holy Spirit. After this
return to health, I found myself united with the Lord Jesus in a purely
spiritual way. Jesus gave me strong assurances; that is, He confirmed me in
respect to His demands. I remained close to the Lord Jesus all that day and
talked with Him about the details concerning that congregation.
Jesus infused my soul with power and courage to act. Now I understand that if the Lord demands something of a soul, He gives it the means to carry it out, and through grace He makes it capable of doing this. So, even if the soul be utterly miserable, at the Lord's command it can undertake things beyond its expectation, because this is the sign by which it can be known that the Lord is with that soul: if God's power and strength, which make the soul courageous and valiant, is manifest within it. As for myself, I am always at first a bit frightened at the Lord's greatness, but afterwards my soul is filled with profound peace which nothing can disturb, as well as an inner strength to do what the Lord is demanding at that particular moment....
1106 +
Virtue without prudence is not virtue at all. We should often pray to the
Holy Spirit for this grace of prudence. Prudence consists in discretion,
rational reflection and courageous resolution. The final decision is always
up to us. We must decide; we can and we ought to seek advice and light...
1174 July
4, 1937. First Sunday of the month.
Monthly retreat. This evening, I prepared with great care and prayed long to the Holy Spirit that He might deign to grant me His light and take me under His special guidance; [I prayed] also to Our Lady, to my Guardian Angel, and to our patron saints. [200]
1286 +
Thank You, O God, for all the graces
Which unceasingly You lavish upon me, Graces which enlighten me with the brilliance of the sun, For by them You show me the sure way. Thank You, 0 Lord, for creating me, For calling me into being from nothingness, For imprinting Your divinity on my soul, The work of sheer merciful love. Thank You, O God, for Holy Baptism Which engrafted me into Your family, A gift great beyond all thought or expression Which transforms my soul. Thank You, O Lord, for Holy Confession, For that inexhaustible spring of great mercy, For that inconceivable fountain of graces In which sin-tainted souls become purified. Thank You, O Jesus, for Holy Communion In which You give us Yourself. I feel Your Heart beating within my breast As You cause Your divine life to unfold within me. Thank You, O Holy Spirit, for the Sacrament of Confirmation, Which dubs me Your knight And gives strength to my soul at each moment, Protecting me from evil. Thank You, O God, for the grace of a vocation. For being called to serve You alone, Leading me to make You my sole love, An unequal honor for my soul. Thank You, O Lord, for perpetual vows, For that union of pure love, For having deigned to unite Your pure heart with mine And uniting my heart to Yours in the purest of bonds. Thank You, O Lord, for the Sacrament of Anointing Which, in my final moments, will give me strength; My help in battle, my guide to salvation, Fortifying my soul till we rejoice forever. Thank You, O God, for all the inspirations That Your goodness lavishes upon me, For the interior lights given my soul, Which the heart senses, but words cannot express. Thank You, O Holy Trinity, for the vastness of the graces Which You have lavished on me unceasingly through life. My gratitude will intensify as the eternal dawn rises, When, for the first time, I sing to Your glory.
1504 + Lord, You know that since
my youth I have always sought Your will and, recognizing it, have always
tried to carry it out. My heart has been accustomed to the inspirations of
the Holy Spirit, to whom I am faithful. In the midst of the greatest din I
have heard the voice of God. I always know what is going on in my interior...
1556 When I had gone to the chapel
for a moment, the Lord gave me to know that, among His chosen ones, there are
some who are especially chosen, and whom He calls to a higher form of
holiness, to exceptional union with Him. These are seraphic souls, from whom
God demands greater love than He does from others. Although all live in the
same convent, yet He sometimes demands of a particular soul a greater degree
of love. Such a soul understands this call, because God makes this known to
it interiorly, but the soul may either follow this call or not. It depends on
the soul itself whether it is faithful to these touches of the Holy Spirit,
or whether it resists them. I have learned that there is a place in purgatory
where souls will pay their debt to God for such transgressions; this kind of
torment is the most difficult of all. The soul which is specially marked by
God will be distinguished everywhere, whether in heaven or in purgatory or in
hell. In heaven, it will be distinguished from other souls by greater glory
and radiance and deeper knowledge of God. In purgatory, by greater pain,
because it knows God more profoundly and desires Him more vehemently. In
hell, it will suffer more profoundly than other souls, because it knows more
fully whom it has lost. This indelible mark of God's exclusive love, in the
[soul], will not be obliterated.
1557 O
Jesus, keep me in holy fear, so that I may not waste graces. Help me to be
faithful to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Grant that my heart may
burst for love of You, rather than I should neglect even one act of love for
You.
1567 As I took the pen in hand, I
addressed a short prayer to the Holy Spirit and said, "Jesus, bless this
pen so that everything You order me to write may be for the glory of
God." Then I heard a voice: Yes, I bless [it], because this
writing bears the seal of obedience to your superior and confessor, and by
that very fact I am already given glory, and many souls will be drawing
profit from it. My daughter, I demand that you devote all your free moments
to writing about My goodness and mercy. It is your office and your assignment
throughout your life to continue to make known to souls the great mercy I
have for them and to exhort them to trust in My bottomless mercy.
1670 + Easter [April 17, 1938].
During Mass, I thanked the Lord Jesus for having deigned to redeem us and for
having given us that greatest of all gifts; namely, His love in Holy
Communion; that is, His very own Self. At that moment, I was drawn into the
bosom of the Most Holy Trinity, and I was immersed in the love of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. These moments are hard to describe.
1828 16. + Today, the Majesty of
God is surrounding me. There is no way that I can help myself to prepare
better. I am thoroughly enwrapped in God. My soul is being inflamed by His
love. I only know that I love and am loved. That is enough for me. I am
trying my best to be faithful throughout the day to the Holy Spirit and to
fulfill His demands. I am trying my best for interior silence in order to be
able to hear His voice...
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I-56, 148, 167, 170, 248, 291, 356, 359)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-I-392, 451, 472, 477-478, 486, 501 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-II-525-526, 552, 647, 658, 734, 777 )
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-III-1073, 1090, 1106, 1174)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-IV-1286)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-V-1504, 1556-1557, 1567)
(Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska
Notebook-VI-1670, 1828)
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