What is Divine Mercy? Is
Divine Mercy Optional?
"The Divine Mercy is both a message and a
devotion. It is not just a devotion. While devotions are
optional, The Divine Mercy is a message from God and is the
"Heart of the Gospels" and it is
therefore not optional. Therefore if you reject The
Divine Mercy, you are rejecting the Gospels."
Fr. Chris
Alar, MIC (The Marian Fathers of the Immaculate
Conception of The Most Blessed Virgin Mary -
Marian Seminarians, Holy Priests, Apostles of Divine Mercy -
National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, MA)
What
is Sin?
“In its essence, sin is when you take your eye
off of the Creator and you turn it to the
creature or the created thing.”
- Fr. Chris Alar, MIC
What is Mercy?
"Mercy is having pains in your heart for the pains of another
and taking pains to do something about their pains."
- Fr. George Kosicki
"Mercy is the beating heart of the
Gospel."
- Pope Francis, Misericordiae Vultus, April 11, 2015
"The love of God for men is a merciful love." - Pope Pius
XII, Encyclical Haurietis Aquas, on devotion to the Sacred
Heart, May 15,1956
"Indeed, mercy is the central nucleus of
the Gospel message; it is the very name of God, the Face with
which he revealed himself in the Old Covenant and fully in Jesus
Christ, the incarnation of creative and redemptive Love."-
Pope Benedict XVI, Regina Caeli
message on Divine Mercy Sunday, March 30, 2008
"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." - Diary 1074
"I am
the Way; I am Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father
except through Me." - John 14:6
Saint Maria Faustyna Helena Kowalska - Divine Mercy In My Soul,
Diary - Feast Day, October 5
Saint Maria Faustyna Kowalska of the Blessed
Sacrament, OLM, popularly spelled Faustina (born as Helena
Kowalska; 25 August 1905 in Głogowiec – 5 October 1938 in
Kraków, Poland) was a Polish Roman Catholic nun and mystic. She
came from a poor family that struggled during the years of World
War I. At the age of 20 years she joined the convent, of the
Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Warsaw, Poland.
She had a grade three level education, so hers were the humblest
tasks in the convent, usually in the kitchen or garden.
However, she received extraordinary revelations (visions,
conversations, and messages) from our Lord Jesus. He asked her
to record these experiences, which she compiled into notebooks.
These notebooks are known today as the Diary of Saint Maria
Faustina Kowalska (Divine Mercy In My Soul), and the words
contained within are God's loving message of Divine Mercy. Not
only is the content of her Diary exceptional, but its
form as well. While the author was uneducated and made spelling
mistakes, her handwriting was elegant and regular. Most
importantly, the text contains no erasures or changes.
She was later transferred to Płock,
and then to Vilnius where she met her confessor Father Michał
Sopoćko, who supported her devotion to the Divine Mercy.
Faustina and Father Sopoćko directed an artist to paint the
first Divine Mercy image, based on Faustina's vision of Jesus.
Father Sopoćko used the image in celebrating the first Mass on
the first Sunday after Easter.
According to The Congregation of the Sisters
of Merciful Jesus, "In the history of apparitions, there is only
one known case of Lord Jesus expressing His wish to paint a
picture with the image of Himself. He Himself presented and
approved the artistic vision of the image – showing Sister
Faustina many times His living presence in such form as is
reproduced in the painting. Moreover, promising special graces
to the worshippers of the image – He made the painting of
extraordinary religious value." (Source:
https://www.faustina-message.com)
On 18 April 1993,
Pope John Paul II beatified Faustina. Subsequently, Pope John
Paul II canonized Faustina as a Saint on 30 April 2000 and
established the Feast of Divine Mercy (the feast day associated
with the message) as a feast day for the entire Church. The
feast day falls on the Second Sunday of the Easter season. On
that day, Pope John Paul II declared, "This is the happiest day
of my life." She is venerated within the Roman Catholic Church
as the "Apostle of Divine Mercy".
In 2002, the Pope
entrusted the whole world to Divine Mercy when he consecrated
The International Shrine of The Divine Mercy in
Lagiewniki, a suburb of Kraków in Poland (Divine Mercy
Sanctuary). The Pope himself remembers as a young man working in
the Solvay Quarry, just a few meters from the present-day Shrine
...
https://www.saint-faustina.org
"At the heart of the Shrine of The Divine
Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki stands the chapel where the
miraculous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina
are to be found. This small church, consecrated in 1891 and
dedicated to St. Joseph, was built within the complex of the
convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and once served only
the Sisters and their wards. This chapel has since witnessed the
prayer of the Apostle of The Divine Mercy and the extraordinary
graces (including the revelations of Jesus and the Blessed
Mother) received by her in this place. With her death, the
message of God’s Mercy, which by the will of Christ she gave to
the Church and the world, was deposited in this place. For this
reason the Łagiewniki Shrine became the centre of devotion to
The Divine Mercy, the place from which this message is spread
throughout the world and the place to which people from every
continent come on pilgrimage. They come asking for many graces,
to which the votive offerings in the display cases around the
chapel bear witness.
The
miraculous image of Merciful Jesus painted by Adolf Hyła is
placed above the side altar on the left side of the chapel. It
was blessed by Father Józef Andrasz SJ (Sister Faustina’s
spiritual director) on 16 April 1944, on the first Sunday after
Easter. Copies and reproductions of the image have spread
throughout the world, thereby fulfilling the words of Jesus
spoken to Sister Faustina at the first of His revelations:
"I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel,
and [then] throughout the world." - Diary 47
A white
marble coffin with the relics of St. Sister Faustina rests on
the altar below this image, and one relic has been placed in a
marble prie-dieu before the altar, for the convenience of
pilgrims wishing to venerate her and ask for her powerful
intercession through prayers to The Divine Mercy.
By the main
altar there is a statue of Our Lady of Mercy – the patron of the
Congregation, and in recesses to the side of the altar are
statues of St. Stanisław Kostka – the patron of youth, and of
St. Mary Magdalene – the patroness of women-penitents. At the
side altar on the right there is a picture of St. Joseph with
the Child, the image originally chosen as the patron of this
chapel and the entire property, which was once named “Józefów”
in its honour. On the side walls there are pictures: St. John
Paul II, St. Ignatius – the patron of the Congregation, and Bl.
Father Michał Sopoćko – spiritual director of St. Sister
Faustina.
In 1968, on
account of the large number of pilgrims who visited the final
resting-place of the Servant of God Sister Faustina, this chapel
dedicated to St. Joseph was entered by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła on
the list of sanctuaries in the Archdiocese of Kraków; and on 1
November 1992, the Archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal Franciszek
Macharski issued an official decree raising the chapel to the
rank of The Shrine of the Divine Mercy." (Source: https://www.faustyna.pl)
May we ask the Lord Jesus to make us humble and simple. As He
works in our hearts, may we hear Him say to us - as He did to
St. Faustina:
"You are my great joy; your love and your humility make Me leave
the heavenly throne and unite Myself with you. Love fills up the
abyss between My greatness and your nothingness." - Diary 512
The Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki,
Poland
Chapel of the miraculous
image of the Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina
The Sanctuary of Divine Mercy filmed
at Krakow, Poland
The Feast Of Divine Mercy - Diary Quotes
"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." (Diary 299)
"And who
knows anything about this feast? No one! Even those who should
be proclaiming My mercy and teaching people about it often do
not know about it themselves. That is why I want the image to be
solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it
to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it."
(Diary
341)
"This
Feast emerged from the very depths of My mercy, and it is
confirmed in the vast depths of My tender mercies. Every soul
believing and trusting in My mercy will obtain it." (Diary
420)
"I
desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all
souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very
depths of My tender Mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of
graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The
soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall
obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day
all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened.
Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as
scarlet." (Diary 699)
"I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your
neighbour: the first - by deed, the second - by word, the third
- by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of
mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this
means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Yes, the
first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must
also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy
through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the
veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image
I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of
the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of
no avail without works." (Diary 742)
"Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them
the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy. If
they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all
eternity."
(Diary 965)
"I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to
Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy."
(Diary 1109)
"The
Feast of My Mercy has issued forth from My very depths for the
consolation of the whole world."
(Diary 1517)
The
Divine Mercy Image - Diary Quotes
"Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the
signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be
venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the
world." (Diary
47)
"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." (Diary 48)
My
image already is in your soul. I desire that there be a Feast of
Mercy. I want this image, which you will paint with a brush, to
be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; that
Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy.(Diary
49)
"I desire that priests proclaim this great
mercy of Mine towards 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."
"Jesus complained to me in these words,
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 [gifts]." (Diary
50)
"When I spoke about this to Mother Superior [Rose (note30),
telling her] that God had asked this of me, she answered that
Jesus should give some sign so that we could recognize Him more
clearly. When I asked the Lord Jesus for a sign as a proof “that
You are truly my God and Lord and that this request comes from
You,” I heard this interior voice, "I will
make this all clear to the Superior by means of the graces which
I will grant through this image." (Diary
51)
"Know that if you neglect the matter of the painting of the
image and the whole work of mercy, you will have to answer for a
multitude of souls on the day of judgment." (Diary
154)
"I desire that your heart be formed after the model of My
merciful Heart. You must be completely imbued with My mercy." (Diary
167)
"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...These two rays issued forth from
the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was
opened by a 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." (Diary 299)
"Not in
the beauty of the color, nor of the brush lies the greatness of
this image, but in My grace." (Diary
313)
"My gaze
from this image is like My gaze from the cross." (Diary
326)
"I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep
coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this
image with the signature: "Jesus, I trust in You." (Diary 327)
"I
desire that the image be publicly honored." (Diary
414)
"When the
image was displayed, I saw a sudden movement of the hand of
Jesus, as He made a large sign of the cross. In the
evening of the same day, (...) I saw the image going over the
town, and the town was covered with what appeared to be a mesh
and nets. As Jesus passed, He cut through all the nets..."
(Diary, 416).
"When I was in the Gate
of Dawn attending the ceremony during which the image was
displayed, I heard a sermon given by my confessor. When he began
to speak [Father Sopoćko] about the great Mercy of Our Lord, the
image came alive and the rays pierced the hearts of the people
gathered there, but not all to the same degree. Some received
more, some less,Great joy filled my heart to see the grace of
God." (Diary 417).
"Toward the end of the service, when the
priest took the Blessed Sacrament to bless the people,
I saw Our Lord Jesus as He is represented in the image. Our Lord
gave His blessing, and the rays extended over the whole world.
Suddenly, I saw an impenetrable brightness in the form of
a crystal dwelling place, woven together from waves of
brilliance unapproachable to both creatures and spirits. Three
doors led to this resplendence. At that moment, Jesus, as He is
represented in the image, entered this resplendence through the
second door to the Unity within." (Diary, 420).
"By means of this Image I shall be
granting many graces, so let every soul have access to it."
(Diary, 570)
"When I received the
article about Divine Mercy with the image [on the cover], God’s
presence filled me in an extraordinary way. When I steeped
myself in prayer of thanksgiving, I
suddenly saw the Lord Jesus in a great brightness, just as He is
painted, and at His feet I saw Father Andrasz and Father
Sopocko. Both were holding pens in their hands, and flashes of
light an fire, like lightning, were coming from the tips of
their pens and striking a great crowd of people who were
hurrying I know not where. Whoever was touched by the ray of
light immediately turned his back on the crowd and held out his
hands to Jesus. Some returned with great joy, others with great
pain and compunction." (Diary 675).
"I
demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of
the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is
painted. By means of this image I shall grant many graces to
souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy,
because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works."
"I am giving
you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the
first - by deed, the second - by word, the third - by prayer. In
these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it
is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul
glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Yes, the first Sunday
after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts
of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy through the
solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of
the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant
many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of
My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail
without works." (Diary 742)
"Already there are many souls who have been drawn to My love by
this image. My mercy acts in souls through this work."
(Diary 1379)
"Oh, if sinners knew My mercy, they would not perish in such
great numbers. Tell sinful souls not to be afraid to approach
Me; speak to them of My great mercy." (Diary 1396)
"Today, I saw two
enormous pillars planted in the ground; I had planted one of
them, and a certain person, S. M. (Sopocko M.), the other.
(...). These two pillars were close to each other, in the area
of the Image. And I saw the Image, raised up very high and
hanging from these two pillars. In an instant, upon these two
pillars, supported both from inside and outside, there stood a
large temple. I saw a hand finishing the temple, but I did not
see the person doing so. There was a great multitude of people,
inside and outside the temple, and the torrents issuing from the
Compassionate Heart of Jesus were flowing down upon everyone."
(Diary 1689)
"Today I saw the glory
of God which flows from the Image. Many souls are receiving
graces, although they do not speak of it openly. Even though it
has faced all kinds of vicissitudes, God is receiving glory
because of it; and the efforts of Satan and of evil men are
shattered and come to naught. In spite of Satan’s anger, the
Divine Mercy will triumph over the whole world and will be
worshipped by all souls." (Diary 1789).
The
Greatest Attributes of God are Love and Mercy - Diary Quotes
"'On one occasion I was reflecting on the
Holy Trinity, on the essence of God. I absolutely wanted to know
and fathom who God is In an instant my spirit was caught up into
what seemed to be the next world. I saw an inaccessible light,
and in this light what appeared like three sources of light
which I could not understand. And out of that light came words
in the form of lightning which encircled heaven and earth. Not
understanding anything, I was very sad. Suddenly, from this sea
of inaccessible light came our dearly beloved Savior,
unutterably beautiful with His shining Wounds. And from this
light came a voice which said,
"Who God is in His Essence, no one will
fathom, neither the mind of Angels nor or man. Jesus said to me,
Get to know God by contemplating His attributes."
A moment
later, He traced the sign of the cross with his hand and
vanished."' (Diary 30)
"I am the Lord in My essence
and am immune to orders or needs. If I call creatures into being
- that is the abyss of My mercy." (Diary 85)
"'Once, one
of the older Mothers [probably Mother Jane
(note43)
summoned me, and it was as if fiery bolts from the blue were
coming down upon me head, so much so that I could not even
discover what it was all about. But after a while I understood
that it was about a matter over which I had no control
whatsoever. She said to me, “Get it out of your head, Sister,
that the Lord Jesus might be communing in such an intimate way
with such a miserable bundle of imperfections as you! Bear in
mind that it is only with holy souls that the Lord Jesus
communes in this way!” I acknowledged that she was right,
because I am indeed a wretched person, but still I trust in
God’s mercy. When I met the Lord I humbled myself and said,
“Jesus, it seems that You do not associate intimately with such
wretched people as I.
"Be at peace, My daughter, it is precisely
through such misery that I want to show the power of My mercy."
I understood that this Mother had merely wanted to subject me to
a [salutary] humiliation."' (Diary 133)
"My daughter, speak to
priests about this inconceivable mercy of Mine. 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." (Diary 177)
"+Once the Lord said to me,
Act like a beggar who does
not back away when he gets more alms [than he asked for], but
offers thanks the more fervently. You too, should not back away
and say that you are not worthy of receiving greater graces when
I give them to you. I know you are unworthy, but rejoice all the
more and take as many treasures from My Heart as you can carry,
for then you will please Me more. And I will tell you one more
thing - take these graces not only for yourself, but also for
others; that is, encourage the souls with whom you come in
contact to trust in My infinite mercy. Oh, how I love those
souls who have complete confidence in Me - I will do everything
for them." (Diary 294)
"Proclaim
that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All the works of My
hands are crowned with mercy." (Diary 301)
"Everything that you say about My
goodness is true; language has no adequate expression to extol
My goodness." (Diary 359)
"My Heart
overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor
sinners. If only they could understand that I am the best of
Fathers to them and that it is for them that the Blood and Water
flowed from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy. For
them I dwell in the tabernacle as King of Mercy. I desire to
bestow My graces upon souls, but they do not want to accept
them. You, at least, come to Me as often as possible and take
these graces they do not want to accept. In this way you will
console My Heart. Oh, how indifferent are souls to so much
goodness, to so many proofs of love! My Heart drinks only of the
ingratitude and forgetfulness of souls living in the world. They
have time for everything, but they have no time to come to Me
for graces." (Diary 367)
So I turn to
you, you - chosen souls, will you also fail to understand the
love of My Heart? Here, too, My Heart finds disappointment; I do
not find complete surrender to My love. So many reservations, so
much distrust, so much caution. To comfort you, let Me tell you
that there are souls living in the world who love Me dearly. I
dwell in their hearts with delight. But they are few. In
convents too, there are souls that fill My Heart with joy. They
bear My features; therefore the Heavenly Father looks upon them
with special pleasure. They will be a marvel to Angels and men.
Their number is very small. They are a defense for the world
before the justice of the Heavenly Father and a means of
obtaining mercy for the world. The love and sacrifice of these
souls sustain the world in existence. The infidelity of a soul
especially chosen by Me wounds My Heart most painfully. Such
infidelities are swords which pierce My Heart. (Diary 367)
"Jesus, how great is Your
mercy!" (Diary 383)
"Love must be reciprocal. If Jesus tasted the
fullness of bitterness for me, then I, His bride, will accept
all bitterness as proof of my love for Him." (Diary 389)
"He who knows how to forgive prepares for
himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross,
so often will I forgive with all my heart." (Diary 390)
"I am very
pleased that you had not been talking with Me, but were making
My goodness known to souls and rousing them to love Me." (Diary
404)
You are a witness of My
mercy. You shall stand before My throne forever as a living
witness to My mercy. (Diary 417)
"I regard as nothing even
the greatest suffering and toil, even if they were to continue
till the end of the world; for they will come to an end, while
these souls have been saved from torments that are without end.
It was a great joy for me to see others returning to the source
of happiness, the bosom of The Divine Mercy." (Diary 421)
"Praise the Lord, my soul,
for everything, and glorify His mercy, for His goodness is
without end. Everything will pass, but His mercy is without
limit or end. And although evil will attain its measure, in
mercy there is no measure. O my God, even in the punishments You
send down upon the earth I see the abyss of Your mercy, for by
punishing us here on earth You free us from eternal punishment.
Rejoice, all you creatures, for you are closer to God in His
infinite mercy than a baby to its mother’s heart. O God, You are
compassion itself for the greatest sinners who sincerely repent.
The greater the sinner, the greater his right to God’s mercy."
(Diary 423)
"My Spirit shall be the rule
of your life. Your life is to be modeled on Mine, from the crib
to My death on the Cross. Penetrate My mysteries, and you will
know the abyss of My mercy towards creatures and My unfathomable
goodness - and this you shall make known to the world. Through
your prayers, you shall mediate between heaven and earth."
(Diary 438)
"These rays of mercy will
pass through you, just as they have passed through this Host,
and they will go out through all the world. At these words,
profound joy invaded my soul." (Diary 441)
"Why are you fearful and why
do you tremble when you are united to Me? I am displeased when a
soul yields to vain terrors. Who will dare to touch you when you
are with Me? Most dear to Me is the soul that strongly believes
in My goodness and has complete trust in Me. I heap My
confidence upon it and give it all it asks."(Diary 453)
"By means of this Image I shall be
granting many graces, so let every soul have access to it." (Diary,
570)
"I desire that the whole
world know My Infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable
graces to those souls who trust in My mercy." (Diary 687)
"The greater the sinner, the
greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in
every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not
perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be
shattered at the base of My footstool." (Diary 723)
"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." (Diary 1074)
"Apostle of My mercy,
proclaim to the whole world my unfathomable mercy. Do not be
discouraged by the difficulties you encounter in proclaiming My
Mercy. These difficulties that affect you so painfully are
needed for your sanctification and as evidence that this work is
Mine. My daughter, be diligent in writing down every sentence I
tell you concerning My mercy, because this is meant for a great
number of souls who will profit from it." (Diary 1142)
"[Let] the greatest sinners
place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others
to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My
mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My
mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than
they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes
an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him
in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy." (Diary 1146)
"I desire trust from My
creatures. Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless
mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me,
for even if it had more sins than there are grains of sand in
the world, all would be drowned in the unmeasurable depths of My
mercy." (Diary 1059)
"My daughter, write that the
greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy;
[urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy,
because I want to save them all. On the cross, the fountain of
My mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls - no one
have I excluded!" (Diary 1182)
"I am love and Mercy Itself.
There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither
will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted – it
increases. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate,
because I Myself take care of it.” (Diary 1273)
"Praise the
Lord, my soul, for everything, and glorify His mercy, for His
goodness is without end. Everything will pass, but His mercy is
without limit or end. And although evil will attain its measure,
in mercy there is no measure. O my God, even in the punishments
You send down upon the earth I see the abyss of Your mercy, for
by punishing us here on earth You free us from eternal
punishment. Rejoice, all you creatures, for you are closer to
God in His infinite mercy than a baby to its mother’s heart. O
God, You are compassion itself for the greatest sinners who
sincerely repent. The greater the sinner, the greater his right
to God’s mercy." (Diary 423)
"As you are
united with Me in life, so will you be united at the moment of
death." (Diary 1552)
“I remind
you, My daughter, that as often as you hear the
clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself
completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying
it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world,
and particularly for poor sinners; for at that
moment mercy was open wide for every soul. In
this hour you can obtain everything for yourself
and for others for the asking; it was the hour
of grace for the whole world – mercy triumphed
over justice.” (Diary 1572)
"My daughter, I demand that
you devote all your free moments to writing about My goodness
and mercy. It is your office and your assignment throughout your
life to continue to make known to souls the great mercy I have
for them and to exhort them to trust in My bottomless mercy."
(Diary 1586)
"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." (Diary, 1728)
Great
Graces are Given to Those that Proclaim and Glorify the Mercy of
God - Diary Quotes
"But God has promised
a great grace especially to you and to all those . . . who will
proclaim My great mercy. I shall protect them Myself at the hour
of death, as My own glory. And even if the sins of souls were as
dark as night, when the sinner turns to My mercy, he gives Me
the greatest praise and is the glory of My Passion. When a soul
extols My goodness, Satan trembles before it and flees to the
very bottom of hell." (Diary 378)
"With souls that have recourse to My mercy and with those that
glorify and proclaim My great mercy to others, I will deal
according to My infinite mercy at the hour of their death. My
Heart is sorrowful, Jesus said, because even chosen souls do not
understand the greatness of My mercy. Their relationship [with
Me] is, in certain ways, imbued with mistrust. Oh, how much that
wounds My Heart! Remember My Passion, and if you do not believe
My words, at least believe My wounds." (Diary 379)
"I demand
from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me.
You are to show mercy to your neighbours always and everywhere.
You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve
yourself from it."
"I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your
neighbour: the first - by deed, the second - by word, the third
- by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of
mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this
means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Yes, the
first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must
also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy
through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the
veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image
I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of
the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of
no avail without works." (Diary 742)
"Apostle of
My mercy, proclaim to the whole world My unfathomable mercy. Do
not be discouraged by the difficulties you encounter in
proclaiming My mercy. These difficulties that affect you so
painfully are needed for your sanctification and as evidence
that this work is Mine. My daughter, be diligent in writing down
every sentence I tell you concerning My mercy, because this is
meant for a great number of souls who will profit from it."
(Diary 1142)
"... Many souls … 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." (Diary 1317)
God's
Justice - Diary Quotes
"After Vespers today, there
was a procession to the cemetery. I could not go, because I was
on duty at the gate. But that did not stop me at all from
praying for the souls. As the procession was returning from the
cemetery to the chapel, my soul felt the presence of many souls.
I understood the great justice of God, how each one had to pay
off the debt to the last cent." (Diary 1375)
"I often see snares laid for
me by souls who should not do so. I do not defend myself, but
entrust myself all the more to God, who sees within me. And I
see how these souls become entangled in their own snares. O God,
how just and good You are!"
(Diary 1727)
Saint Faustina's Visions of
Heaven, Hell and Purgatory - Diary Quotes
"I saw two roads. One was broad, covered with sand and flowers,
full of joy, music and all sorts of pleasures. People walked
along it, dancing and enjoying themselves. They reached the end
without realizing it. And at the end of the road there was a
horrible precipice; that is, the abyss of hell. The souls fell
blindly into it; as they walked, so they fell. And their number
was so great that it was impossible to count them."
"And I saw the other road, or rather, a path, for it was narrow
and strewn with thorns and rocks; and the people who walked
along it had tears in their eyes, and all kinds of suffering
befell them. Some fell down upon the rocks, but stood up
immediately and went on. At the end of the road there was a
magnificent garden filled with all sorts of happiness and all
these souls entered there. At the very first instant they forgot
all their sufferings." (Diary 153).
Purgatory
'"I
saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment
I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great
crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no
avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The
flames, which were burning them, did not touch me at all. My
Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these
souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one
voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. I saw Our
Lady visiting the souls in Purgatory. The souls call Her “The
Star of the Sea”. She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk
with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave.
We went out of that prison of suffering. [I heard an interior
voice which said] ‘My mercy does not want
this, but justice demands it.' Since that time, I am in
closer communion with the suffering souls.’” (Diary 20)
Hell
"Today, I was led by an Angel to the chasms of hell. It is a
place of great torture; how awesomely large and extensive it is!
The kinds of tortures I saw: the first torture that constitutes
hell is the loss of God; the second is perpetual remorse of
conscience; the third is that one’s condition will never change;
the fourth is the fire that will penetrate the soul without
destroying it, a terrible suffering, since it is a purely
spiritual fire, lit by God’s anger; the fifth torture is
conditional darkness and a terrible suffocating smell, and
despite the darkness, the devils and the souls of the damned see
each other and all the evil, both of others and their own; the
sixth torture is the constant company of satan, the seventh
torture is horrible despair, hatred of God, vile words, curses
and blasphemies. These are the tortures suffered by all the
damned together, but that is not the end of the sufferings.
There are special tortures destined for particular souls. These
are the torments of the senses. Each soul undergoes terrible and
indescribable sufferings, related to the manner in which it has
sinned. There are caverns and pits of torture where one form of
agony differs from another. I would have died at the very sight
of these tortures if the omnipotence of God had not supported
me. Let the sinner know that he will be tortured throughout all
eternity, in those senses which he made use of to sin. I am
writing this at the command of God, so that no soul may find an
excuse by saying there is no hell, or that nobody has ever been
there, and so no one can say what it is like. I, sister
Faustina, by the order of God, have visited the abysses of hell
so that I might tell souls about it and testify to its
existence. I cannot speak about it now; but I have received a
command from God to leave it in writing. The devils were full of
hatred for me, but they had to obey me at the command of God.
What I have written is but a pale shadow of the things I saw.
But I noticed one thing: that most of the souls there are those
who disbelieved that there is a hell. When I came to, I could
hardly recover from the fright. How terribly souls suffer there!
Consequently, I pray even more fervently for the conversion of
sinners. I incessantly plead God’s mercy upon them. O my Jesus,
I would rather be in agony until the end of the world, amidst
the greatest sufferings, then offend You by the least sin."
(Diary 741).
Heaven
"Today I was in heaven, in spirit, and I saw its unconceivable
beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death. I saw how
all creatures give ceaseless praise and glory to God. I saw how
great is happiness in God, which spreads to all creatures,
making them happy; and then all the glory and praise which
springs from this happiness returns to its source; and they
enter into the depths of God, contemplating the inner life of
God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, whom they will
never comprehend or fathom. This source of happiness is
unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth
happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who
said, “Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, not has it
entered into the heart of
man what God has prepared for those who love him.”
(Diary 777)
"And God has given me to understand that there is but one thing
that is of infinite value in His eyes, and that is love of God;
love, love and once again, love; and nothing can compare with a
single act of pure love of God. Oh, with what inconceivable
favors God gifts a soul that loves Him sincerely! Oh, how happy
is the soul who already here on earth enjoys His special favors!
And of such are the little and humble souls." (Diary 778)
"The sight of this great majesty of God, which I came to
understand more profoundly and which is worshipped by the
heavenly spirits according to their degree of grace and the
hierarchies into which they are divided, did not cause my soul
to be stricken with terror or fear; no, no, not at all! My soul
was filled with peace and love, and the more I come to know the
greatness of God, the more joyful I become that He is as He is.
And I rejoice immensely in His greatness and am delighted that I
am so little because, since I am little, He carries me in His
arms and holds me close to His Heart." (Diary 779)
"O my
God, how I pity those people who do not believe in eternal life;
how I pray for them that a ray of mercy would envelop them too,
and that God would clasp them to His fatherly bosom." (Diary
780)
Meditation:The
Mystery of The Holy Trinity
Divine Mercy In My Soul Diary by
Saint Maria Faustina Helena Kowalska
“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.” (Diary
1728)
"On one occasion I was reflecting on the Holy
Trinity, on the essence of God. I absolutely wanted to know and
fathom who God is. ... In an instant my spirit was caught up
into what seemed to be the next world. I saw an inaccessible
light, and in this light what appeared like three sources of
light that I could not understand. And out of this light came
words in the form of lightning which encircled heaven and earth.
Not understanding anything, I was very sad. Suddenly, from this
sea of inaccessible light came our dearly beloved Savior,
unutterably beautiful with His shining Wounds. And from this
light there came a voice which said, "Who God is in His
Essence, no one will fathom, neither the mind of angels nor of
man." Jesus said to me, "Get to know God by contemplating
His attributes." A moment later, He traced the sign of the
cross with His hand and vanished." (Diary 30)
"Once after Holy Communion, I heard these
words: You are our dwelling place.
At that moment I felt
in my soul the presence of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit. I felt that I was the Temple of God. I
felt that I was a child of the Father. I cannot explain all
this, but the Spirit understands it well. Oh Infinite Goodness,
how low You stoop to Your miserable creature!" (Diary 451)
"I knew more distinctly than
ever before the Three Divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. But their being, their equality, and their
majesty are one. My soul is in communion with these Three; but I
do not know how to express this in words; yet my soul
understands this well. Whoever is united to One of the Three
Persons is thereby united to the whole Blessed Trinity, for this
Oneness is indivisible." (Diary 472).
"Today I was in heaven, in spirit, and I
saw its inconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us
after death. I saw how all creatures give ceaseless praise and
glory to God. I saw how great is happiness in God, which spreads
to all creatures making them happy; and then all the glory and
praise which springs from this happiness returns to its source;
and they enter into the depths of God, contemplating the inner
life of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, whom they
will never comprehend nor fathom."
"This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it
is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I
understand St. Paul who said, "Eye has not seen, nor has ear
heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has
prepared for those who love Him." (Diary 777)
"On one occasion God's
presence pervaded my whole being and my mind was mysteriously
enlightened in respect to His Essence. He allowed me to
understand His interior life. In spirit I saw the Three Divine
Persons; none of them is either greater or smaller; there is no
difference in either beauty or sanctity, for They are One. They
are absolutely One. His Love transported me into this knowledge
and united me with Himself. When I was united to One, I was
equally united to the Second and to the Third in such a way that
when we are united with One, by that very fact, we are equally
united to the Two Persons in the same way as with the One. Their
will is One, One God though in Three Persons. When One of the
Three Persons communicates with a soul, by the power of that one
will, it finds itself united with the Three Persons and is
inundated in the happiness flowing from the Most Holy Trinity,
the same happiness that nourishes the saints. This same
happiness that streams from the Most Holy Trinity makes all
creation happy; from it springs that life which vivifies and
bestows all life which takes its beginning from Him. In these
moments, my soul experienced such great delights that I find
this difficult to express." (Diary 911)
"I understand the
spiritual espousal of a soul with God, which
has no exterior manifestation. It is a
purely interior act between the soul and
God. This grace has drawn me into the very
burning center of God's love. I have come to
understand His Trinitarian quality and the
absolute Oneness of His Being." (Diary 1020)
"His Trinitarian Being
enveloped me entirely and I am totally
immersed in Him." (Diary 1056)
"After Holy Communion
I communed for a while with the heavenly
Father. My soul was drawn into the glowing
center of love. I understood that no
exterior works could stand comparison with
the pure love of God. ... I saw the joy of
the Incarnate Word, and I was immersed in
the Divine Trinity. When I came to myself,
longing filled my soul, and I yearned to be
united with God." (Diary 1121).
The Divine
Mercy Message Concerning End Times
"You will
prepare the world for My final coming." (Diary 429)
"Come to Me, all of you." (Diary
1485)
"Mankind will not have peace until it
turns with trust to My Mercy." (Diary 300)
"(My
daughter) Speak to the world about My mercy; let all mankind
recognize My unfathomable mercy. It is a sign for the end times;
after it will come the day of justice. While there is still
time, let them have recourse to the fount of My mercy; let them
profit from the Blood and Water which gushed forth for them."
(Diary 848)
"Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them
the last hope of salvation; that is the Feast of My Mercy. If
they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all
eternity." (Diary 965)
"Secretary of
My mercy, write, tell souls about this great mercy of Mine,
because the awful day, the day of My justice, is near." (Diary
965)
"Write:
before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the door of My
mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must
pass through the door of My justice…”
(Diary 1146)
"…I am
prolonging the time of mercy for the sake of sinners. But woe to
them if they do not recognize this time of My visitation. My
daughter, secretary of My mercy, your duty is not only to write
about and proclaim My mercy, but also to beg for this grace for
them, so that they too may glorify My mercy.”
(Diary 1160)
"In the Old Covenant I sent prophets
wielding thunderbolts to My people. Today I am sending you with
My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to
punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to
My Merciful Heart. I use punishment when they themselves force
Me to do so; My hand is reluctant to take hold of the sword of
justice. Before the Day of Justice I am sending the Day of
Mercy." (Diary 1588)
"I bear a special love for Poland,
and if she will be obedient to My will, I will exalt her in
might and holiness. From her will come forth the spark that will
prepare the world for My final coming." (Diary 1732)
"As often as you want to make Me
happy, speak to the world about My great and unfathomable
mercy." (Diary 164)
Jesus'
conversations with St. Faustina regarding the
sacrament of confession and those that cause you
suffering.
"Today the
Lord said to me,
"Daughter, when you go to
confession, to this fountain of
My mercy, the Blood and Water
which came forth from My Heart
always flows down upon your soul
and ennobles it. Every time you
go to confession, immerse
yourself entirely in My mercy,
with great trust, so that I may
pour the bounty of My grace upon
your soul. When you approach the
confessional, know
this, that
I Myself am waiting there for
you. I am only hidden by the
priest, but I myself act in your
soul. Here the misery of the
soul meets the God of mercy.
Tell souls that from this fount
of mercy souls draw graces
solely with the vessel of trust.
If their trust is great, there
is no limit to My generosity.
The torrents of grace inundate
humble souls. The proud remain
always in poverty and misery,
because My grace turns away from
them to humble souls."
(Diary 1602)
"After
confession, a surge of light
filled my soul. Then I heard a
voice:
Because you are a child, you
shall remain close to My Heart.
Your simplicity is more pleasing
to Me than your mortifications."
(Diary 1617)
"During Holy
Mass, I saw Jesus stretched out
on the Cross, and He said to me,
My pupil, have great love for
those who cause you suffering.
Do
good
to those who hate you.
I answered, "O my Master, You
see very well that I feel no
love for them, and that troubles
me." Jesus
answered,
It is not always within your
power to control your feelings.
You will recognize that you have
love if, after having
experienced annoyance and
contradiction, you do not lose
your peace, but pray for those
who have made you suffer and
wish them well."
(Diary 1627)
THE GREAT WARNING MOVIE
Released in American theatres on
October 17, 2024
(Official Trailer)
Click Here:
Bring the movie to your
city or town ... help share this important
message with the world!
Click Here:
Donate so that this
important movie can reach the world!
Christine Watkins
Book:
"The Warning: Testimonies & Prophecies of the
Illumination of Conscience"
"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 Saviour 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." (Diary 83)
"Write: before I come as a just Judge, I first
open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses
to pass through the door of My mercy must pass
through the door of My justice…” (Diary 1146)
"…I am prolonging the time of mercy for the sake
of sinners. But woe to them if they do not
recognize this time of My visitation. My
daughter, secretary of My mercy, your duty is
not only to write about and proclaim My mercy,
but also to beg for this grace for them, so that
they too may glorify My mercy.” (Diary 1160)
-The Words of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of
Mercy, to St. Maria Faustina Helena Kowalska
"…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." (Diary
635)
-The Words of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother
of Mercy, to St. Maria Faustina Helena Kowalska
Cardinal Robert Sarah:The Catholic
Church's Answer to the Practical Atheism of Our Age
- THE HEART OF JESUS
"The Holy Father (Pope Francis and other previous popes)
understands there are pockets within the church that do not live
from
The Heart of Jesus. He exorts
bishops and priests to live lives that are consistent with the
Gospel. He has said repeatedly that
the eclipse of God leads to the
destruction of man ... read more script from the video
below"
"THE HEART OF JESUS"
(StartTime:41:36)"Cardinal
Ratzinger identified this crisis of faith, this
practical atheism as the fruit of bad ecclesiology.
He said "The Church of Christ is not
a party, not an association, not a club. Her deep
and permanent structure is not democracy but sacramental,
consequently hierarchical. For the hierarchy based on the
apostolic succession, is in the indispensable condition to
arrive at the strength, the reality of the sacrament. Here
authority is not based on the majority of votes. It is based on
the authority of Christ Himself which He willed to pass on to
man who were to be His representatives until His definitive
return.
This is the heart of the
matter, the faith, the church is based on Christ. Without Christ
we have nothing. Too many in the church find the heart of the
faith in their affiliates, yet in certain sense we make up the
mystical body of Christ but only to the degree that we live in
Christ with Christ and our faith is centered in Christ."
Pope Francis has continued the call against atheism. He
does it differently than Pope John Paul II
and Pope Benedict XVI but he is clear that life
without God is a path to destruction."Back in 2015, he said, in
society, increasingly marked by secularism and threatened by
atheism, we run the risk of living as if God didn't exist.
People are often tempted to
take the place of God .. the criterion of all
things, to control them, to use
everything according to their own will. It is so important to
remember, however, that our life is a gift from God and that we
must depend on Him, confide in Him, and turn toward Him always.
The Holy Father understands there are
pockets within the church that do not live from the
Heart of Jesus.
He exorts bishops and priests to live lives that are consistent
with the Gospel. He has said repeatedly that the eclipse
of God leads to the destruction of man. Let us take this
call to remember God seriously especially for those of us in the
Church. ... Where do we go from here?
Let me speak to the question
of the Bishop.
Bishops need to raise their voice and become clear teaching of
the Faith, witnessing by both word and holiness of life, the
Unity of Faith comes through the Office of Bishop which must be
reaffirmed today. There is too much
confusion circling the church and it is up to us, Bishops to
provide clarity, so the lay faithful can themselves be witness
to
The Truth.
As
St. Pope John Paul II said: The Bishop is called in a particular
way to be a Prophet, witness and serve a Hope relying on The
Word of God and holding firmly to Hope which like a sure and
steadfast anchor reaches to the Heavens. The Bishop
stands in the .. of the Church as vigilant sentinel, a
courageous prophet, and credible witness, and faithful servant
of Christ. This requires willingness to be a sign of
contradiction to this contemporary word and paths to
contemporary church. This responsibility will be fulfilled
through right teaching and holiness, holiness that is rooted in
a relationship with Christ, a personal and intimate relationship
with Christ. Pope Francis has said there is no witness without a
lifestyle. Today there is no great need
for masters, but for courageous witnesses who are convinced and
convincing, witnesses who are not ashamed of the Name of Christ
or His cross." (End Time: 50:18)
BOOK:
"God Or Nothing!"Author:
Cardinal Robert Sarah Nicolas Diat
*
Napa Institute- Cardinal
Robert Sarah
+
SILENCE
IN THE LITURGY- Cardinal Robert Sarah
It is important to recall that silence is a
necessary condition for deep, contemplative
prayer, and an important component of the
liturgy.
In an essay published in Italian in
L’Osservatore Romano on January 30, 2016,
Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Discipline of the Sacraments, discusses the
meaning of silence in the Roman liturgy.
"The Gospels say that the
Savior himself prayed in silence, particularly
at night (Lk 6:12), or while withdrawing to
deserted places (Lk 5:16; Mk 1:35). Silence is
typical of the meditation by the Word of God; we
find it again particularly in Mary’s attitude
toward the mystery of her Son (Lk 2:19, 51). The
most silent person in the Gospels is of course
Saint Joseph; not a single word of his does the
New Testament record for us.
+
THOU SHALT NOT TALK IN
CHURCH - Father Vincent
(& Pope Francis)
Father Vincent can imagine Jesus saying, “My
house shall be called a house of prayer, but you
are turning it into a coffee-house.”
St. Maria Faustina Helena Kowalska
"I
strive to be faithful to God and to love Him to the point of
complete forgetfulness of self. And He Himself looks after me
and fights against my enemies." - Diary 1720
"Although My greatness is
beyond understanding, I commune only with those who are little.
I demand of you a childlike spirit." (Diary 332)
"True greatness is in loving God and in humility." (Diary
427)
The Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki,
Poland
Chapel of
the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St.
Faustina
