Perfection... from St. Faustina's Diary

"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 an exceptional union with Him. These are seraphic souls, from whom God demands greater love than He does the others.  Although all live in the same convent,  yet He sometimes demands 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 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." - Divine Mercy In My Soul, Notebook V #1556 

"Let the souls who are striving for perfection particularly adore My mercy, because the abundance of graces which I grant them flows from My mercy. I desire that these souls distinguish themselves by boundless trust in My mercy. I myself will attend to the sanctification of such souls. I will provide them with everything they will need to attain sanctity. The graces of My mercy are drawn by the means of one vessel only, and that is -- trust.  The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is my desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts." - Jesus to St. Faustina, Divine Mercy In My Soul, Notebook V #1578 

Not Waiting For Tomorrow

2 Deaths Per Second

According to http://www.worldometers.info/ and http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/greatc.html there are about 2 deaths per second, that is, about 120 deaths per minute, 600 deaths every 5 minutes, about 7200 deaths per hour and about 172,800 deaths per day.  Every person who dies will be judged and either taken to heaven, hell or purgatory.

We were commissioned to go out into the world to bring souls to Jesus.  While many of us can't be full-time missionaries, we are still called to do what we can to save souls.  

It takes 5 minutes to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet all the way through. Christ tells us to pray unceasingly for those dying. Jesus said to Sister Faustina:

"Say unceasingly this chaplet that I have taught you.  Anyone who says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death.  Priests will recommend it to sinners as the last hope.  Even the most hardened sinner, if he recites this Chaplet even once, will receive grace from My Infinite Mercy. I want the whole world to know My Infinite Mercy.  I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in My Mercy...."

"....When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person not as the just judge but as the Merciful Savior".

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm#ixzz1aipFDvBf

While we are waiting in line, waiting for our browser to load, waiting for anything, we can do beautiful acts of mercy for souls in need of salvation.  It only takes 5 minutes to pray this chaplet.  It may be the most productive and blessed five minutes of your life!  Please pray the chaplet often.

See this link to learn how to pray:  http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm  or go to my favorite links and sing along with EWTN.  

Conference on Spiritual Warfare

My daughter, I want to teach you about spiritual warfare.  Never trust in yourself, but abandon yourself totally to My will. In desolation, darkness and various doubts, have recourse to Me and to your spiritual director.  He will always answer you in My name.  Do not bargain with any temptation; lock yourself immediately in My Heart and, at the first opportunity, reveal the temptation to the confessor.  Put your self-love in the last place, so that it does not taint your deeds.  Bear with yourself with great patience.  Do not neglect interior mortifications.  Always justify to yourself the opinions of your superiors and of your confessor.  Shun murmurers like a plague.  Let all act as they like; you are to act as I want you to. Observe the rule as faithfully as you can.  If someone causes you trouble, think what good you can do for the person who caused you to suffer.  Do not pour out your feelings.  Be silent when you are rebuked.  Do not ask everyone's opinion, but only the opinion of your confessor; be as frank and simple as a child with him.  Do not become discouraged by ingratitude.  Do not examine with curiosity the roads down which I lead you.  When boredom and discouragement beat against your heart, run away from yourself and hide in My heart.  Do not fear struggle; courage itself often intimidates temptations, and they dare not attack us. Always fight with the deep conviction that I am with you.  Do not be guided by feeling, because it is not always under your control; but all merit lies in the will.  Always depend upon your superiors, even in the smallest things.  I will not delude you with prospects of peace and consolations; on the contrary, prepare for great battles.  Know that you are now on a great stage where all heaven and earth are watching you.  Fight like a knight, so that I can reward you.  Do not be unduly fearful, because you are not alone.  -- St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul #1760

The Way of Perfection

The Way of Perfection is LOVE.

Excerpts from the autobiography of St. Therese the Child of Jesus

      "You ask me for a method of attaining perfection. I know of Love----and Love only! Our hearts are made for it alone. Sometimes I endeavor to find some other word for love; but in a land of exile words which have a beginning and an end are quite unable to render adequately the emotions of the soul, and so we must keep to the one simple word—Love.

      "Do not think we can find love without suffering, for our nature remains and must be taken into account; but suffering puts great treasures within our reach. Indeed it is our very livelihood and so precious that Jesus came down upon earth on purpose to possess it. Of course, we should like to suffer generously and nobly; we should like never to fall. What an illusion! What does it matter if I fall at every moment! In that way I realize my weakness, and the gain is considerable. My God, Thou seest how little I am good for, away from Thy divine arms; and if Thou leavest me alone, well, it is because it pleases Thee to see me lie on the ground. Then why should I be troubled?"

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“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.  This is my command: Love each other."  John 15:9

"The Servant of Charity must go to bed each night so tired from work that he will think he has been beaten." St. Louis Guanella