Meditation:The Mystery of the Grace of
Suffering
Divine Mercy In My Soul Diary by Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
The wisdom of
Saint Faustina is evident in these words she said:
“Suffering is
the greatest treasure on earth; it purifies the soul. In
suffering, we learn who is our true friend.”
(Diary 342)
The Words of Our Lord Jesus
Christ
Suffering
is a great grace; through suffering the soul becomes like the
Savior; in suffering love becomes crystallized; the greater the
suffering, the purer the love. (Diary 57)
I suffer
even greater pain than that which you see. Look and see
the human race in its present condition. You see, this is
a torture greater than My death. (Diary 445)
Those who are like Me in the pain and contempt they suffer will
be like Me also in glory. And those who resemble Me less in pain
and contempt will also bear less resemblance to Me in glory. (Diary
446)
O soul steeped in
darkness, do not despair. All is not yet lost. Come
and confide in your God, who is love and mercy.
What joy fills My
heart when you return to Me. Because you are weak , I take
you in My arms and carry you to the home of My Father.
My child you have a
special claim on My mercy. Let it act in your poor soul;
let the rays of grace enter your soul; they bring with them
light, warmth, and life.
My child, all your
sins have not wounded My heart as painfully as your present lack
of trust does – that after so many efforts of My love and mercy,
you should still doubt My goodness.
Tell me all, My
child, hide nothing from Me, because My loving Heart, the Heart
of your Best Friend, is listening to you. (Diary
1486)
Poor soul, I see that you suffer much and that you do not have
even the strength to converse with me. So I will speak to
you. Even though your sufferings were very great, do not
lose heart or give in to despondency. But tell Me, my child,
who has dared to wound your heart? Tell me about
everything, be sincere in dealing with Me, reveal all the wounds
of your heart. I will heal them, and your suffering will
become a source of your sanctification. (Diary
1487)
True, My
child , all that is painful. But there is no way to heaven
except the way of the cross. I followed it first. You must learn
that it is the shortest and surest way.” (Diary 1487)
It is
because you are not of this world that the world hates you.
First it persecuted Me. Persecution is a sign that you are
following in My footsteps faithfully. (1487)
Learn from
this that no one will understand a soul entirely –that is beyond
human ability. Therefore, I have remained on earth to
comfort your aching heart and to fortify your soul, so that you
will not falter on the way. You say that a dense darkness
is obscuring your mind. But why, at such times do you not
come to Me, the light who can in an instant pour into your soul
more understanding about holiness than can be found in any
books?
Know, too,
that the darkness about which you complain I first endured in
the garden of olives when my soul was crushed in mortal anguish.
I am giving you a share in those sufferings because of My
special love for you and in view of the high degree of holiness
I am intending for you in heaven. A suffering soul is closest to
My Heart.
My child,
make the resolution never to rely on people. Entrust
yourself completely to My will saying “Not as I want, but
according to Your will, O God, let it be done unto me.” These
words, spoken from the depths of one’s heart, can raise a soul
to the summit of sanctity in a short time. In such a soul
I delight. Such a soul gives Me Glory. Such a soul
fills heaven with the fragrance of her virtue. But
understand that the strength by which you bear sufferings comes
from frequent Communions. So approach this fountain of
mercy often, to draw with the vessel of trust whatever you need.
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’re dealing with
the God of mercy, which your misery cannot exhaust .
Remember, I did not allot only a certain number of pardons.
(Diary
1488)
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. (Diary
1488)
My child, life on earth is a
struggle indeed; a great struggle for My kingdom. But fear
not, because you’re not alone. I am always supporting you,
so lean on Me as you struggle, fear 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. (Diary
1488)
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. (Diary
1489)
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 (Diary
1489)
If God Is
Merciful, Then Why Is There Suffering?
Fr. Chris Alar,
The
Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of The Most
Blessed Virgin Mary (Marian Seminarians, Holy Priests,
Apostles of Divine Mercy)
The National
Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA.
These
things I command you, that you love one another. If the world
hate you, know ye, that it hath hated me before you. If
you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but
because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of
the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember my word that
I said to you: The servant is not greater than his master. If
they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they
have kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these
things they will do to you for my name's sake: because they know
not him who sent me. If I had not come, and spoken to them, they
would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
He that hateth me, hateth my Father also. If I had not done
among them the works that no other man hath done, they would not
have sin; but now they have both seen and hated both me and my
Father. But that the word may be fulfilled which is
written in their law: They hated me without cause. (John
15:18-25)
The Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki,
Poland
Chapel of the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus and the
tomb of St. Faustina
