If I was forced to chose only one favorite book of all time, I would have to chose "Divine Mercy in My Soul" by St. Maria Faustina Kowalska. Why? Simply because it is a powerful witness to what to do with suffering. Nobody wants it, but everybody encounters it. And for those who are hit hard with suffering, this book lays out a clear message of comfort -- that these heavy burdens are not in vain. Jesus says to St. Faustina: "You are not living for yourself but for souls, and other souls profit from your sufferings. Your prolonged suffering will give them the light and strength to accept my will." (#67)
One argument against God is that if He is so Good and so Powerful why does He allow bad things to happen? In particular, why does He allow His own children/followers to be in such agony?
We must remember that Jesus warned His disciples, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you," and "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Jn 15:18; Mt 16:24)
Now God doesn't delight in our sufferings; rather, He permits them because it is the only way for us to deny ourselves. Suffering is purging. He can't live in us when we are filled with junk, disorders and attachments. "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt 5:48)
While this book is the diary of this beautiful saint and a record of the many times that Jesus appears and speaks personally to her, Jesus does speak to us also. His messages to all souls are included below:
#20 "My mercy doesn't want this, but justice demands it." (Speaking of Purgatory)
#30 "Who God is in His Essence, no one will fathom, neither the mind of Angels nor of man. Get to know God by contemplating His attributes."
#48 "I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over its enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory."
#50 "I desire that priests proclaim this great mercy of Mine towards the souls of sinners. Let the sinner not be afraid to approach Me. The flames of mercy are burning Me -- clamoring to be spent; I want to pour them out upon these souls. Distrust on the part of souls is tearing at My insides. The distrust of a chosen soul causes Me even greater pain; despite my inexhaustible love for them they do not trust Me. Even my death is not enough for them. Woe to the soul that abuses these."
#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 the 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 opening where the hands and feet 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."
# 85 "Write this down at once what you hear: I am the Lord in My Essence and immune to orders and needs. If I call creatures into being -- that is the abyss of My mercy."
# 86 "I do not reward for good results but for the patience and hardship undergone for my sake."
# 88 "I am the King of Mercy. I desire that this image be displayed in public on the First Sunday after Easter. That Sunday is the Feast of Mercy. Through the Word Incarnate, I made known the bottomless depth of My mercy."
# 129 "Do not fear, I am with you."
# 145 "...any transgressions against the confessor touch Me Myself..."
# 149 "Consider My sufferings before Pilate."
#165 "He who does not take advantage of small graces will not receive great ones."
#177 "The flames of mercy are burning Me -- clamoring to be spent; I want to keep pouring them out upon souls; souls just don't want to believe in my goodness."
#206 "I want to give Myself to souls; I yearn for souls."
#268 "The bride must resemble her Betrothed. ...See what love of human souls has done to Me? ... I often wait with great graces at the end of prayer."
#269 "Oh how I love those souls who have complete confidence in Me -- I will do everything for them."
#299 "The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls... The two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when my agonized Heart was opened by the lance on the Cross. These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy. Ask of my faithful servant [Father Sopocko] that, on this day, he tell the whole world of my great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment. Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to my mercy. Oh how much I am hurt by a soul's distrust! Such a soul professes that I am Holy and Just, but does not believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in My Goodness. Even the devils glorify My Justice but do not believe in My Goodness. My Heart rejoices in this title of Mercy. Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All the works of my hand are crowned with mercy."
# 313 "Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace."
# 320 "The prayer of the humble and loving soul disarms the anger of My Father and draws down an ocean of blessings."
# 324 "Pure love gives the soul strength at the very moment of dying. When I was dying on the cross, I was not thinking about Myself, but about poor sinners, and I prayed for them to my Father... There is but one price which souls are bought. "
One argument against God is that if He is so Good and so Powerful why does He allow bad things to happen? In particular, why does He allow His own children/followers to be in such agony?
We must remember that Jesus warned His disciples, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you," and "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Jn 15:18; Mt 16:24)
Now God doesn't delight in our sufferings; rather, He permits them because it is the only way for us to deny ourselves. Suffering is purging. He can't live in us when we are filled with junk, disorders and attachments. "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt 5:48)
While this book is the diary of this beautiful saint and a record of the many times that Jesus appears and speaks personally to her, Jesus does speak to us also. His messages to all souls are included below:
#20 "My mercy doesn't want this, but justice demands it." (Speaking of Purgatory)
#30 "Who God is in His Essence, no one will fathom, neither the mind of Angels nor of man. Get to know God by contemplating His attributes."
#48 "I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over its enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory."
#50 "I desire that priests proclaim this great mercy of Mine towards the souls of sinners. Let the sinner not be afraid to approach Me. The flames of mercy are burning Me -- clamoring to be spent; I want to pour them out upon these souls. Distrust on the part of souls is tearing at My insides. The distrust of a chosen soul causes Me even greater pain; despite my inexhaustible love for them they do not trust Me. Even my death is not enough for them. Woe to the soul that abuses these."
#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 the 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 opening where the hands and feet 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."
# 85 "Write this down at once what you hear: I am the Lord in My Essence and immune to orders and needs. If I call creatures into being -- that is the abyss of My mercy."
# 86 "I do not reward for good results but for the patience and hardship undergone for my sake."
# 88 "I am the King of Mercy. I desire that this image be displayed in public on the First Sunday after Easter. That Sunday is the Feast of Mercy. Through the Word Incarnate, I made known the bottomless depth of My mercy."
# 129 "Do not fear, I am with you."
# 145 "...any transgressions against the confessor touch Me Myself..."
# 149 "Consider My sufferings before Pilate."
#165 "He who does not take advantage of small graces will not receive great ones."
#177 "The flames of mercy are burning Me -- clamoring to be spent; I want to keep pouring them out upon souls; souls just don't want to believe in my goodness."
#206 "I want to give Myself to souls; I yearn for souls."
#268 "The bride must resemble her Betrothed. ...See what love of human souls has done to Me? ... I often wait with great graces at the end of prayer."
#269 "Oh how I love those souls who have complete confidence in Me -- I will do everything for them."
#299 "The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls... The two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when my agonized Heart was opened by the lance on the Cross. These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy. Ask of my faithful servant [Father Sopocko] that, on this day, he tell the whole world of my great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment. Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to my mercy. Oh how much I am hurt by a soul's distrust! Such a soul professes that I am Holy and Just, but does not believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in My Goodness. Even the devils glorify My Justice but do not believe in My Goodness. My Heart rejoices in this title of Mercy. Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All the works of my hand are crowned with mercy."
# 313 "Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace."
# 320 "The prayer of the humble and loving soul disarms the anger of My Father and draws down an ocean of blessings."
# 324 "Pure love gives the soul strength at the very moment of dying. When I was dying on the cross, I was not thinking about Myself, but about poor sinners, and I prayed for them to my Father... There is but one price which souls are bought. "
No comments:
Post a Comment