A Decisive Response
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November 30, 2019. Feast of Saint Andrew,
apostle
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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, 2019
A Decisive Response-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
Nobyembre 29, 2019
The Kingdom Is Near-Divine Mercy Miracles Meditations
The Kingdom Is
Near
|
November 29, 2019. Friday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
|
Father Edward
Hopkins, LC
Luke 21:29-33
Jesus told his
disciples a parable. "Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is
now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the
Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass
away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass
away, but my words will not pass away."
Introductory
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I believe in You and in the Kingdom You are building in
and through me. I believe in the value of my sacrifice and struggles united
to Yours. I hope to arrive to heaven when You say it is time. I wish to spend
myself for those I should love the most.
Petition: Thy kingdoms
come, now and forever!
1. See for
Yourselves: In today’s Gospel, Jesus is responding to the
disciples’ anxious plea for a “when” and a “with what warning” the end will
come (Luke 21:7). He tells them some signs that will precede the imminent
fall of Jerusalem as well as the coming of the Son of Man “on the clouds.”
But these will all be very apparent, like the coming of summer. So don’t be
obsessed with figuring out the “when.” Focus on living and knowing the
Kingdom of God now. How easily we are distracted with all that happens around
us, yet how difficult it is to be aware of the Kingdom and its demands in my
heart and my relations to others in my life! What efforts do I make to
discover and know the present demands of his Kingdom in my life?
2. The Kingdom of
God Will Come: Jesus has used many images to
describe the Kingdom of God. Like the mustard seed, it is hard to recognize
at first. It begins small and grows slowly. But it will come, and this must
be our daily prayer of desire: “Thy Kingdom Come!” We must resist a very real
temptation. Almost unconsciously we want it to be a worldly Kingdom that will
come during our lifetime. We work and pray as though we will soon arrive at
our goals and rest from all our spiritual labors. This leads us to get easily
discouraged at our lack of progress in prayer and virtue, no less than with
the problems that surround us. No, we must live with hope, pushing forward with
growing confidence that the Lord will bring his Kingdom to fulfilment, both
in us and in the world – when the time is right. Whose kingdom am I seeking?
3. My Words Will
Not Pass Away: Another temptation in awaiting the
Kingdom is to despair of the times of trial through which we must pass. But
in the words of St. Theresa of Jesus, “all things pass,” only God remains.
Nothing we suffer will remain as the Kingdom approaches. And yet all these
“trials” are the most valuable and powerful means to bring about the Kingdom
in our own souls and in the lives of others, especially in those who wander.
Use the tools of the Kingdom: Suffer trials with faith, and respond with a
love that gives them an eternal value. May we never lose a moment in which to
merit graces and build the Kingdom that comes. In the end, only what we have
done for God and for our brothers and sisters remains.
Conversation with
Christ: Lord Jesus, give me a greater faith and confidence that every cross
and burden, no matter how trivial or small, is a means to love. I want to
build Your Kingdom with You. Keep me focused on the opportunities and demands
of the present moment.
Resolution: I will make one
small sacrifice at a meal today for someone I wish I could help more.
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.
1488 Conversation of the Merciful
God with a Soul Striving after Perfection.
Jesus: I am pleased with your efforts, O soul aspiring for perfection, but why do I see you so often sad and depressed? Tell Me, My child, what is the meaning of this sadness, and what is its cause? Soul: Lord, the reason for my sadness is that, in spite of my sincere resolutions, I fall again into the same faults. I make resolutions in the morning, but in the evening I see how much I have departed from them. Jesus: You see, My child, what you are of yourself. The cause of your falls is that you rely too much upon yourself and too little on Me. But let this not sadden you so much. You are dealing with the God of mercy, which your misery cannot exhaust. Remember, I did not allot only a certain number of pardons. Soul: Yes, I know all that, but great temptations assail me, and various doubts awaken within me and, moreover, everything irritates and discourages me. Jesus: My child, know that the greatest obstacles to holiness are discouragement and an exaggerated anxiety. These will deprive you of the ability to practice virtue. All temptations united together ought not disturb your interior peace, not even momentarily. Sensitiveness and discouragement are the fruits of self-love. You should not become discouraged, but strive to make My love reign in place of your self-love. Have confidence, My child. Do not lose heart in coming for pardon, for I am always ready to forgive you. As often as you beg for it, you glorify My mercy. Soul: I understand what is the better thing to do, what pleases You more, but I encounter great obstacles in acting on this understanding. Jesus: My child, life on earth is a struggle indeed; a great struggle for My kingdom. But fear not, because you are not alone. I am always supporting you, so lean on Me as you struggle, fearing nothing. Take the vessel of trust and draw from the fountain of life-for yourself, but also for other souls, especially such as are distrustful of My goodness. Soul: O Lord, I feel my heart being filled with Your love and the rays of Your mercy and love piercing my soul. I go, Lord, at Your command. I go to conquer souls. Sustained by Your grace, I am ready to follow You, Lord, not only to Tabor, but also to Calvary. I desire to lead souls to the fount of Your mercy so that the splendor of Your mercy may be reflected in all souls, and the home of our Father be filled to overflowing. And when the enemy begins to attack me, I shall take refuge behind the shield of Your mercy.
1489 Conversation of the Merciful God with a Perfect Soul.
Soul: My Lord and Master, I desire to converse with You. Jesus: Speak, My beloved child, for I am always listening. I wait for you. What do you desire to say? Soul: Lord, first let me pour out my heart at Your feet in a fragrant anointing of gratitude for the many blessings which You lavish upon me; even if I wanted to, I could not count them. I only recall that there has never been a moment in my life in which I have not experienced Your protection and goodness. Jesus: Your words please Me, and your thanksgiving opens up new treasures of graces. But, My child, we should talk in more detail about the things that lie in your heart. Let us talk confidentially and frankly, as two hearts that love one another do. Soul: O my merciful Lord, there are secrets in my heart which no one knows or will ever know except You because, even if I wanted to reveal them, no one would understand me. Your minister knows some because I confess to him, but he knows only the bit of these mysteries that I am capable of revealing; the rest remains between us for eternity, O My Lord! You have covered me with the cloak of Your mercy, pardoning my sins. Not once did You refuse Your pardon; You always had pity on me, giving me a new life of grace. To prevent doubts, You have entrusted me to the loving care of Your Church, that tender mother, who in Your name assures me of the truths of faith and watches lest I wander. Especially in the tribunal of Your mercy does my soul meet an ocean of favors, though You did not give the Fallen Angels time to repent or prolong their time of mercy. O my Lord, you have provided saintly priests to show me the sure way. Jesus, there is one more secret in my life, the deepest and dearest to my heart: it is You yourself when You come to my heart under the appearance of bread. Herein lies the whole secret of my sanctity. Here my heart is so united with Yours as to be but one. There are no more secrets, because all that is Yours is mine, and all that is mine is Yours. Such is the omnipotence and the miracle of Your mercy. All the tongues of men and of angels united could not find words adequate to this mystery of Your love and mercy. When I contemplate this mystery, my heart falls into a new ecstasy. In silence I tell You everything, Lord, because the language of love is without words; not a single stirring of my heart escapes You. O Lord, the extent of Your great condescension has awakened in my soul an even greater love for You, the sole object of my love. The life of union manifests itself in perfect purity, deep humility, gentle silence, and great zeal for the salvation of souls. O my sweetest Lord, You watch over me each moment and inspire me as to how I should act in a precise situation, when my heart wavers between two things. You yourself frequently intervened in the resolution of a difficulty. Countless times, by means of a sudden enlightenment, You have given me to know what is the more pleasing to You. Oh, how numerous are the instances of forgiveness about which no one knows! How often You have poured into my soul courage and perseverance to go forward. It is You yourself who removed obstacles from my road, intervening directly in the actions of people. O Jesus, everything I have said to You is but a pale shadow of what is taking place in my heart. O my Jesus, how ardently I desire the conversion of sinners! You know what I am doing for them to win them for You. Every offense against You wounds me deeply. I spare neither strength, nor health, nor life itself in defense of Your kingdom. Although my efforts may remain invisible on earth, they are no less valuable in Your eyes. O Jesus, I want to bring souls to the fount of Your mercy to draw the reviving water of life with the vessel of trust. The soul desirous of more of God's mercy should approach God with greater trust; and if her trust in God is unlimited, then the mercy of God toward it will be likewise limitless. O my God, Who know every beat of my heart, You know how eagerly I desire that all hearts would beat for You alone, that every soul glorify the greatness of Your mercy. Jesus: My beloved child, delight of My Heart, your words are dearer and more pleasing to me than the angelic chorus. All the treasures of My Heart are open to you. Take from this Heart all that you need for yourself and for the whole world. For the sake of your love, I withhold the just chastisements, which mankind has deserved. A single act of pure love pleases Me more than a thousand imperfect prayers. One of your sighs of love atones for many offenses with which the godless overwhelm Me. The smallest act of virtue has unlimited value in My eyes because of your great love for Me. In a soul that lives on My love alone, I reign as in heaven. I watch over it day and night. In it I find My happiness; My ear is attentive to each request of its heart; often I anticipate its requests. O child, especially beloved by Me, apple of My eye, rest a moment near My Heart and taste of the love in which you will delight for all eternity. But child, you are not yet in your homeland; so go, fortified by My grace, and fight for My kingdom in human souls; fight as a king's child would; and remember that the days of your exile will pass quickly, and with them the possibility of earning merit for heaven. I expect from you, My child, a great number of souls who will glorify My mercy for all eternity. My child, that you may answer My call worthily, receive Me daily in Holy Communion. It will give you strength... Jesus, do not leave me alone in suffering. You know, Lord, how weak I am. I am an abyss of wretchedness, I am nothingness itself; so what will be so strange if You leave me alone and I fall? I am an infant, Lord, so I cannot get along by myself. However, beyond all abandonment I trust, and in spite of my own feeling I trust, and I am being completely transformed into trust-often in spite of what I feel. Do not lessen any of my sufferings, only give me strength to bear them. Do with me as You please, Lord, only give me the grace to be able to love You in every event and circumstance. Lord, do not lessen my cup of bitterness, only give me strength that I may be able to drink it all. O Lord, sometimes You lift me up to the brightness of visions, and then again You plunge me into the darkness of night and the abyss of my nothingness, and my soul feels as if it were alone in the wilderness. Yet, above all things, I trust in You, Jesus, for You are unchangeable. My moods change, but You are always the same, full of mercy.
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-1488-1489, 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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