Reflection 240: Sweetness or Bitterness in Life?

Which do you prefer for your life?  Daily sensory experiences of sweetness or bitterness?  In other words, do you desire to take delight in the many aspects of your daily life or do you desire that the daily duty you fulfill leaves you with a certain bitterness within your senses?  For most people the answer is simple.  “Sweetness” is much better.  But is it?  Interestingly, the experience of sweetness or bitterness in life is not a good guide toward a life of holiness.  At times, even sin can taste “sweet” to us while acts of holiness can be “bitter” at first. Understanding this will allow us to move deeper into our embrace of the Will of God.  Our goal must be to seek His Will purely for the sake of His Will.  We must have no preference regarding the delight or suffering that comes as a result of embracing His Will.  If God’s Will requires great sacrifice, leaving us with a sensory experience of suffering, then so be it.  If His Will draws us to an exchange of love that leaves us with a sweet delight, then so be it.  Though it is hard to arrive at a level of total detachment, we must strive for it.  His Will and His Will alone must be our focus.  In His Will alone do we discover His abundance of Mercy (See Diary #1245).

Reflect upon the difference between God’s Will and the delight or distaste you feel from embracing it.  When His Will calls you to sacrifice, you will find it to be a sort of “bitter” experience.  Bitter in the sense that it may challenge your senses.  Do not worry about this.  Seek His Will in all things and the joy in your heart will ultimately overshadow all other immediate experiences you have.  His Will opens the door to His abundant Mercy.

Lord, I seek Your most holy Will about all things.  Help me to choose Your Will no matter how difficult or how delightful it may be.  Purify me, dear Lord, and give me a single focus in life so that my embrace of all You call me to do will bring forth Your perfect Mercy.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image:  The Death of St. Peter Martyr, by Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo

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Reflection 239: The Seal of Mercy

Every great saint exemplifies some aspect of the goodness of God.  Some live lives of exceptional detachment from worldly riches, some serve the poor with unwavering commitment, some live lives of deep prayer, some have mystical revelations, some write volumes of books revealing the depths of faith, but all are called to bring forth the Mercy of God in one way or another.  The Mercy of God must be like a seal, stamped upon your heart.  God’s Mercy will shine forth from your life in the unique way that He has chosen for you.  The “seal” of God’s Mercy will become unique, shining forth as a gift given only through you.  Be open to the ways that God has chosen to shine forth from your life.  Allow that seal to become radiant and visible to all and you will witness great things take place by God through you (See Diary #1242).

Reflect upon your heart being sealed with the permanent and visible seal of the Mercy of God.  In what ways do you discern that the Lord wishes to radiate His Mercy from your life?  What are the concrete ways that His Mercy in Heaven is to come down to Earth through you?  Seek the particular and concrete manifestations of God’s Mercy offered through your life.  Committing yourself to these visible and real manifestations will enable you to become a powerful instrument of His Heart in our world.

Lord, I love You and deeply desire to allow You to manifest Your Mercy through my life.  I choose You as the source of all goodness in my life and give You my heart to seal with Your compassion and love.  Shine through me, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE , via Wikimedia Commons

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Reflection 238: Fidelity in Times of Darkness

Though Saint Faustina and many other great saints entered into a unique spiritual darkness, defined by St. John of the Cross as the “Dark Night of the Soul” and the “Dark Night of the Spirit,” we all will experience a certain “darkness” of one form or another in our walk of faith.  Our darkness may not be the result of the extraordinary purification of the soul that takes place on the journey toward perfection, but our response must be the same.  No matter what we go through in life, when challenges arise we must speak the words spoken by the great saints, “Thy Will be done!”  Holiness is all about doing the Will of God despite any confusion or apparent obstacle in our lives (See Diary #1237).

Reflect upon the level of conviction you pray that prayer, “Thy Will be done!”  Do you mean this?  Can you say it with all the powers of your mind, will and soul?  Have you chosen the Will of God above everything else in life?  Embracing the Will of God in times of trial is especially fruitful for a life of faith.  When temptations set in, especially temptations toward despair, you must reaffirm your commitment to God’s perfect Will.  Reflect upon this holy act today.  Say those words and mean them as completely as you can.  Nothing in life should ever deter you from making this your daily prayer.

Lord, may Your Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven!  I make this my prayer today.  I offer it to You with complete confidence and total surrender.  I choose You above all things and make Your Will my own.  I love You, my Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: The Virgin of the Carmen with Saint Theresa and Saint John of the Cross, by Juan Rodríguez Juárez

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Reflection 237: The Darkness of Faith Purifies our Love

Many of the great saints, including Saint Faustina, experienced an interior darkness in their relationship with God.  This is quite a mysterious experience.  As a soul grows intimately close to God there are numerous consolations and feelings of love along the way.  However, there comes a point on the spiritual journey when God hides Himself.  This is not on account of any sin on the part of the person; rather, it’s God’s way of entering much deeper into the person’s life so as to sustain them without the help of emotional or even spiritual consolation.  The soul is plunged into a darkness that can be quite painful.  But in this darkness, the person is invited to know God with a new silence and surrender.  The communication it receives on this new level is beyond words and beyond human experience.  There is a knowledge of God and His Divine Will, but not an experience of Him.  The soul is invited through this darkness to choose God and His Will despite the absence of any feelings or spiritual consolations (See Diary #1235).

Most likely your prayer life has not brought you to this experience of darkness.  But even though few enter into this level of communion with God, it’s good to be aware of it and to understand the experience that the great saints had.  Knowing that this is the path of holiness will allow you to set aside desires to feel the love of God in exchange for a desire for God Himself.  God is not a feeling; He is a Trinity of Divine Persons.  Seek to love Him no matter what you feel and your relationship will grow deeper than you could ever imagine.

Lord, at times I do not understand Your perfect love for me.  When I feel close to You I am so very grateful for this experience.  However, I pray that you give me the grace to love You even when I do not sense Your presence.  Please purify my faith, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Reflection 236: Praying for Mercy for Everyone

Every person is unique and God wishes to lavish His Mercy upon each and every one of us according to our particular needs.  When we pray for people, it’s good to offer them individually as well as by groupings.  Here are some groupings of people we ought to pray for: all sinners, priests, religious, the faithful, pagans, atheists, heretics, schismatics, children, those devoted to Mercy, those in Purgatory and the lukewarm.  This list is not exhaustive but each grouping needs prayer for a deepening of God’s Mercy in a particular way in their lives.  Do not be overwhelmed by the myriad of needs, but know that it is good to pray and offer sacrifice for a different group of people each day so as to slowly offer each and every person to the Mercy of God according to their particular needs (See Diary #1210-1230, Novena given by our Lord).

How attentive are you to the needs of those all around you?  Some are strong in their faith and need continual encouragement as they seek to offer their lives fully to the service of God.  Others are caught in sin and need to be freed from the burdens and attachments they struggle with.  Others are lukewarm, going astray, or lost.  Everyone is different and carries particular needs in their lives.  You must remember that the Mercy of God is for everyone and will meet the needs of each person in the specific way they need it.  The more clearly you see this fact the more you will love each individual as God loves.  Your prayers will be one way that you are able to share in the distribution of God’s grace to each person according to their needs.

Lord, give me the grace to be attentive to the needs of all people.  Help me to be aware of the ways that Your Mercy is distributed and to share in that distribution through my prayers.  May all people come to know and serve You with their whole heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Christ Healing the Sick, by Washington Allston

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Reflection 235: The Simple Call to Mercy

As we grow deeper in our faith, it’s easy to presume that life will become more complex.  For example, when one begins to study mathematics, each course that is taken builds upon the previous, and the lessons become more challenging and difficult as time goes on.  But in a certain sense the opposite is true with our life of faith.  The deeper we plunge into the Ocean of Mercy, the more we realize the simplicity of our God.  Though God is infinite and fully beyond our comprehension, He is also profoundly simple.  In fact, the deeper we enter into His Mercy, the more we realize that the mysteries of life are not as complex as we once thought.  We begin to realize that the mysteries of God bring us continually back to the simple truth that we are called to rest in the humble Heart of our Divine Lord (See Diary #1211).

Reflect upon the call you have been given to enter into the Mercy of God.  Do you find life difficult, confusing or overwhelming?  If so, it may be time to step back and reexamine your thinking.  The call of God is exceptionally simple.  To answer that call you may need to set aside the apparent complexity of life and plunge into the simplicity of His Will.  It does not require a doctorate degree to comprehend this profound simplicity.  But when you do embrace its simplicity, you will also discover its depth and beauty in a new way.  Reflect, today, upon this simple call and dive in with the innocence and trust of a child and you will discover the deep wisdom of God.

Lord, I love You and desire to know You and Your holy Will.  Give me the grace to plunge into the Ocean of Your Mercy and, in the simplicity of this act, to be fully committed to You.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Ocean view during sunset, by Jenny Marvin

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Reflection 234: The Obscurity of Deep Faith

Normally, when one begins a journey of faith, there are countless insights and revelations that are enjoyed.  Various aspects of the life of faith come alive and understanding of the many mysteries in life is received.  This gift of spiritual insight and understanding is a great gift and guide as one begins to walk down the path God has chosen.  But as time goes on and a soul enters deeply into the mysteries of faith, a certain obscurity can begin to set in.  If this is caused by sin or by a spiritual sloth, it should be remedied through Confession and a new resolve to seek the Lord.  But this experience can also be the result of a deepening of one’s faith.  There comes a time when God’s communication is one of darkness and obscurity.  The soul begins to understand that it cannot understand.  This is a gift in that the deeper mysteries of faith cannot be communicated through a concept or insight.  The deepest communications from our Lord must be communicated through a darkening of the mind.  Knowledge becomes dark, yet the certainty of God’s voice remains (See Diary #1205).

Reflect upon your interior life of prayer.  If you do not clearly have an “interior life,” then it’s time to start.  Seek our Lord through meditation and conversation and allow Him to speak to you.  If you do have an interior life of prayer and God is regularly present to you, seek to go deeper.  And as you seek more, do not be afraid if you begin to sense that meditation and conversation give way to greater silence and obscurity in your soul.  This may be a sign that God is speaking to you on a new level.  Speak to a priest about this experience and remain faithful to our Lord in every way as He draws you more deeply into a new level of prayer.

Lord, I desire to be drawn in deeply to the silence and obscurity of a life of faith.  Help me to commune with You on this deepest level and to be transformed in the depths of my soul.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Praying old woman, by Gerrit Dou

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Reflection 233: The Response of Silence

At times it can be helpful to speak openly and thoroughly to God about what we experience in life.  You may feel compelled to talk and talk and talk.  And God will listen.  But there are other times when words seem quite insufficient.  In fact, there are times when words appear to be counterproductive.  In those moments the greatest blessings come through silence.  We must realize that silence is a language.  In fact, communication with God, in moments of silence, has potential to be far deeper than words can bring us.  Do not be afraid of silent communication with God.  Do not feel as though you must speak or even hear what He has to say.  Simply being silent, in His presence, knowing that He is there may be exactly what your soul is in need of in those moments (See Diary #1200).

When you pray, do you feel as though you must speak continuously to our Lord?  Do you feel as though you must talk continuously, saying this prayer or that one?  Or are you content simply being in His presence in the silence?  Ponder today your experience of being silent in the presence of God.  Try to discern the unique and profound language God speaks this way.  Try to commit yourself to these prolonged moments of silent communication with God and then look at the fruit they bear in your soul.  If you discover that you are more at peace, gain a new level of clarity in life, or have grown in a certain confidence, then you can be assured that these good fruits in your life have come to you from God through the Mercy of His Heart, communicated to you in silence. 

Lord, I desire to seek You and know You.  Help me to hear You speak through the silence.  Help me to understand this deep language of love and to allow You to transform me through this form of prayer.  I love You, dear Lord, and I desire to rest in Your Heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Mountains at dusk, by Guillaume de Germain

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Reflection 232: Calming the Storm

Recall the story of Jesus calming the storm (Matthew 8:23-27).  This miraculous act was done as a prophetic sign of Him bringing you peace during the particular challenges you face in life.  Jesus did this on a practical level for the safety and well-being of His Apostles.  However, by showing that He had absolute and immediate authority over the storm at sea, Jesus also made it clear that He has absolute and immediate authority over any storm within your life, pledging His closeness in your midst.  It should be consoling to you to know that there is nothing too much for God’s omnipotence.  He can do all things and can bring peace to any and every situation.  Knowing this should give you confidence as you surrender your “storms” to Him.  And when the storm remains fierce, despite your prayers, you should be assured that it is for your good or the good of others.  It’s an opportunity to deepen your trust in Him and to know of His particular closeness in those moments (See Diary #1197).

Identify the storm in your life right now.  And if things are relatively calm, be grateful but also call to mind that this will not always be the case.  Life can “change on a dime” as has been said.  We must be ready for anything and everything that befalls us.  As you ponder a storm of life, ask yourself whether you believe Jesus is there, in the midst, by your side, keeping you safe.  Do you know that He could solve any problem instantaneously?  Reassure yourself of this fact and allow this faith to add confidence to your troubled heart.  The Lord’s love for you is perfect; He will never let you drown.

Lord, I trust in Your almighty power and unconditional love.  I trust that You care about me and are present in every storm I face in life.  Give me hope in the midst of every trial and enable me to turn to You as the source of my peace.  I love You, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Reflection 231: Binding the Hands of Punishment

If you were a criminal, incarcerated for some crime, you would most likely see life from a perspective that is very different from others.  You would daily long to have your punishment removed and your status of freedom restored.  However, an act of mercy of this sort is rarely offered by secular society.  Instead, harshness and judgment is the norm.  But God is much different.  God is perfectly aware of everything you have ever done in violation of His law.  He sees even the minutest sin.  And in the end, He will administer His strict justice upon all those who have not been bathed in the justice of His Mercy.  So bathe in Mercy now and help others to do the same.  God offers this Mercy in varied ways.  One specific way God offers the Mercy which appeases His judgment is through your heart.  By daily offering your heart to our Lord and by daily offering it for others, God’s judgment is transformed. He sees your holy heart, enters it, and then allows you to offer it for the sanctification of others.  In this way you are able to win many souls for God on account of His perfect justice of Mercy (See Diary #1193).

When you look at others, what do you see?  Do you see a sinner who deserves punishment for their sins?  If so, be careful because this is how God will in turn see you.  Strive to see the sins of others as opportunities to pray for them and as opportunities to become an instrument of the Mercy of God.  God invites your participation in this act of atonement and withholds nothing when you commit yourself to this act of love.

Lord, please transform the way I see others, especially the sinner.  Help me to withhold my own judgment and, in turn, to offer my heart filled with love as an act of Your Divine Mercy.  Cleanse every soul, dear Lord, and forgive every sin on account of my love for You.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Andrey Mironov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Reflection 230: The Contradiction of the Cross

We should never tire of pondering the wounds of Christ.  Each and every wound He received was unjustified and caused by the sins of others.  His perfect hands and feet, His brow and back and His Sacred Heart should have been treated with the utmost respect, adoration and care.  But they weren’t.  Instead, they were treated with great malice and abuse.  From a worldly point of view, this is tragic.  But from the Divine perspective, each and every wound, be it from the scourging, thorns, nails or spear, opened up springs of grace flowing in abundance.  This effect is only possible as a result of the Mercy of God.  Think of each and every wound our Lord endured as an underground spring or the freshest water, gushing forth from the earth to provide nourishment for all.  From the streams that flow on account of these springs of Mercy, we are invited to drink our fill so as to be refreshed and satiated by grace (See Diary #1190). Ponder, this day, the very wounds of Jesus.  Try to see them and to understand the pain that He endured.  As you do this, see also beyond the fleshly scourge and trauma caused by the brutality of His persecutors. 

Ponder the spring of Mercy that is opened with each wound.  Become aware of the streams of grace running forth from these wounds and allow yourself to taste of the refreshment that they provide.  Mercy has come forth from the sufferings of Christ.  Now He desires to flood you with Mercy and to pour forth Mercy from the wounds that you also endure.

Lord, I thank You for Your infinite power and for doing the unthinkable.  You allowed Yourself to be beaten and scourged and produced from this malice the springs of new life.  May I bathe in these waters, dear Lord, and may I also allow my wounds to become a source of Your grace for a world in such need.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: The crowning with thorns: soldiers with sticks place a thorny crown on Christ's head and give him a rod, by Jan Miense Molenaer

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