Time for Everything... Except Jesus?

On one occasion, Jesus gave me to know that when I pray for intentions which people are wont to entrust to me, He is always ready to grant His graces, but souls do not always want to accept them: 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.

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 entry 367)

Go to Jesus's Sacred Heart;Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Jesus loves us more than we can ever comprehend. Trust Him. He is your best friend. Read Saint Faustina's encounter in 1938.

January 28, 1938. Today the Lord said to me, My daughter, write down these words: All those souls who will glorify My mercy and spread its worship, encouraging others to trust in My mercy, will not experience terror at the hour of death. My mercy will shield them in that final battle...

My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one. 

Write this for the benefit of distressed souls: when a soul sees and realizes the gravity of its sins, when the whole abyss of the misery into which it immersed itself is displayed before its eyes, let it not despair, but with trust let it throw itself into the arms of My mercy, as a child into the arms of its beloved mother. These souls have a right of priority to My compassionate Heart, they have first access to My mercy. Tell them that no soul that has called upon My mercy has been disappointed or brought to shame. I delight particularly in a soul which has placed its trust in My goodness. 

Write that 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. 

At that moment, the Lord gave me to know how jealous He is of my heart.

Even among the sisters you will feel lonely. Know then that I want you to unite yourself more closely to Me. I am concerned about every beat of your heart. Every stirring of your love is reflected in My Heart. I thirst for your love. "Yes, O Jesus, but my heart would not be able to live without You, either; for even if the hearts of all creatures were offered to me, they would not satisfy the depths of my heart." (Diary entries 1540-1542)

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How to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Divine Mercy Comes to Us Today

It was 84 years ago today that the Most Merciful Jesus appeared to Saint Faustina in her room in Poland. On this day, Our Lord asked a humble sister of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy to paint an image of Himself with the words, "Jesus, I trust in You." He desired that the image be venerated and those who do will not perish. So draw near to Him and honor Him through this image, and commit yourself to Divine Mercy and then be a light to spread it to all the earth. For nothing is impossible through Divine Mercy. Pray the Chaplet at 3 p.m. daily. Read here the promises of Divine Mercy attached to praying the Chaplet.

February 22, 1931

In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand [was] raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside at the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In silence I kept my gaze fixed on the Lord; my soul was struck with awe, but also with great joy. After a while, Jesus said to me, 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. 

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.

When I told this to my confessor, I received this for a reply: "That refers to your soul." He told me, "Certainly, paint God's image in your soul." When I came out of the confessional, I again heard words such as these: 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.

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 entries 47 to 50)

Saint Faustina's New Year Wish

New Year 1935

Jesus likes to intervene in the smallest details of our life, and He often fulfills secret wishes of mine that I sometimes hide from Him, although I know that from Him nothing can be hidden.

There is a custom among us of drawing by lot, on New Year's Day, special Patrons for ourselves for the whole year. In the morning during meditation, there arose within me a secret desire that the Eucharistic Jesus be my special Patron for this year also, as in the past. But, hiding this desire from my Beloved, I spoke to Him about everything else but that. When we came to refectory for breakfast, we blessed ourselves and began drawing our patrons. When I approached the holy cards on which the names of the patrons were written, without hesitation I took one, but I didn't read the name immediately as I wanted to mortify myself for a few minutes. Suddenly, I heard a voice in my soul: I am your patron. Read. I looked at once at the inscription and read, "Patron for the Year 1935-the Most Blessed Eucharist." My heart leapt with joy, and I slipped quietly away from the sisters and went for a short visit before the Blessed Sacrament, where I poured out my heart. But Jesus sweetly admonished me that I should be at that moment together with the sisters. I went immediately in obedience to the rule. (Diary entry 360)

Lord, Teach Me, I am Listening

Today's Responsorial Psalm 

Psalm 25:4-5AB, 6 AND 7 BC, 8-9

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your kindness are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in 1937, Saint Faustina wrote in her diary about a visit she had from the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. Read with an open heart and mind the instruction that Our Blessed Mother gave to Saint Faustina; it was meant for us, too. She, who is Queen of Heaven and Earth, tells us directly how to be holy. Do as she says.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Before Holy Communion I saw the Blessed Mother inconceivably beautiful. Smiling at me She said to me, My daughter, at God's command I am to be, in a special and exclusive way your Mother; but I desire that you, too, in a special way, be My child.

I desire, My dearly beloved daughter, that you practice the three virtues that are dearest to Me  -- and most pleasing to God. The first is humility, humility, and once again humility; the second virtue, purity; the third virtue, love of God. As My daughter, you must especially radiate with these virtues. When the conversation ended, She pressed me to Her Heart and disappeared. When I regained the use of my senses, my heart became so wonderfully attracted to these virtues; and I practice them faithfully. They are as though engraved in my heart. (Diary entries 1414 and 1415)

Our Lady of Fatima,Receive Us in Your Love

On October 13, 1917, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, appeared in Fatima, Portugal. It was the last apparition to the three children at Fatima. It was also the day of the Miracle of the Sun.

At Fatima, Our Mother implored that we pray the Holy Rosary every day for peace -- not only for the world, but for our families and ourselves.

If you feel stuck, sad, alone, doubtful, lost -- PRAY THE ROSARY.
You will be healed.

Prayer to Our Lady

O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in your most holy Mother, whom we invoke under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, and grant us by her most powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Divine Mercy Prayer of Trust

This prayer from Saint Faustina's diary is commonly said at the end of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Say it whenever possible to invoke God's mercy.

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. (Diary entry 950)

Saint Faustina, Daughter of Poland, Pray for Us

On October 5, 1938, Sister Faustina died to this world and was born into Heaven. This, her feast day, we thank her for her powerful love, acceptance of the Divine Will, and her open heart which led us to better know God's most intense love for us and the mercy which He grants us through the most abundant love.

Now, raised to the altar, Saint Faustina reminded us in her Diary that we must become like Jesus, as she did:

Most sweet Jesus, set on fire my love for You and transform me into Yourself. Divinize me that my deeds may be pleasing to You. May this be accomplished by the power of the Holy Communion which I receive daily. Oh, how greatly I desire to be wholly transformed into You, O Lord! (Diary entry 1289)

Read more about the life of Saint Faustina from the Vatican.

Our Lady of Czestochowa, Queen of Poland, pray for us.

Miriam Teresa DemjanovichIs a Step Closer to Sainthood

Today we celebrate with the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth the beatification of  Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a true friend in heaven. She died at a young age but had a profound effect on others during her life, and has brought to many the gift of faith since her death. Her spiritual writings are a testament to her knowledge of living a holy Christian life and striving for spiritual perfection. She has granted countless favors through her intercession. Pray to her for a deep love of Christ, and she will intercede!

She was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, in 1901, the youngest of seven children. After attending public schools, she entered the College of Saint Elizabeth and graduated with highest honors in 1923. Two years later she entered the community of Sisters of Charity at Convent Station in New Jersey. In June 1926, her spiritual director, Father Benedict Bradley OSB, asked her to write conferences for the novitiate. She wrote 26 conferences which, after her death, were published in a book, "Greater Perfection." After profession of vows as a Sister of Charity, Miriam died in Saint Elizabeth Hospital on May 8, 1927. She was 26 years old.

It was in May 2012 that Pope Benedict XVI decreed that Sister Miriam be called Venerable. In December 2013 a panel of cardinals and bishops agreed that a healing, the restoration of sight of a blind child, attributed to Sister Miriam had been accomplished through her intercession. On that same day Pope Francis declared it an authentic miracle.

It is most rare in the Catholic Church that a cause for beatification move so quickly through the approval process. Venerable Miriam Teresa was declared Blessed at a ceremony at Sacred Heart Basilica in Newark, New Jersey, today. Her feast day was set as May 8. The next step is Sainthood.

Read more about Blessed Miriam Teresa and join her League of Prayer. Founded in 1946, the League works to honor the Blessed Trinity through the Immaculate Heart of Mary by spreading the knowledge of Blessed Miriam Teresa’s life and mission, and by working for her cause for canonization.

Prayer for Canonization

Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, Whom Sister Miriam Teresa loved so ardently, grant that we, like her, may become ever more conscious of Thy Divine Presence within our souls. We implore Thee to show signs that Thy humble servant enjoys glory with Thee in Heaven, and to hasten the day when we may render her a public tribute of our veneration and love.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.