Reflect and Comment on each passage
“1628 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. When I returned […]”
“1694 Today, I was visited by a certain lay person [probably Stanislava Kwietniewska] who has caused me a lot of sorrow and who has abused my goodness, telling many lies. At the first moment I saw her, the blood froze in my veins, because there stood before my eyes all that I had to suffer because of her, although with one word I could have freed myself of them all. And the thought came to me to tell her the truth, firmly and immediately. But at the same moment, the mercy (68) of God came before my eyes, and I resolved to act toward her as Jesus would have acted in my place. I started to talk to her gently, and when she expressed the wish to talk to me alone, I then, in a very delicate manner, made known to her clearly the sad condition of her soul. I saw that she was deeply moved, though she was trying to hide this from me. At that point, a third person came in, and so our heart-to-heart talk came to an end. She asked me for a glass of water and for two other things which I did willingly. However, had it not been for the grace of God, I would not have been able to act in such a way toward her. When they left, I thanked God for the grace which had supported me during that time.”
Peace,
1628 St Faustina sets this whole reading by giving us the mental picture of the merciful Christ on the Cross. How can I not heed the instruction from Christ on how to treat those who hate me? Or, for those who my feelings for are less than friendly? Reading His explanation -how we will know we have love for those who hate us… gives me a new goal to achieve in my life. I like to have a better than basic understanding of the intangible and Christ makes this instruction very black and white.
1694 Shows how St Faustina put these instructions of Mercy to practice – do I look for these opportunities in my life?
1695 What a blessing to know you have just done God’s Will, and learn what you did right from God! I like the way this reading reconfirms His instructions on mercy and love for everyone I encounter.
God’s Love,
BB/UB/FB
1628: “Have great love for those who cause you suffering.” The sign that you have love is that AFTER “you have experienced annoyance and contradiction, you do not lose peace, but pray for those who have made you suffer and wish them well.”
1694 & 1695: Faustina is always open to God’s grace moment to moment—instead of confronting her nemesis as is her initial impulse, she hears God’s call to be merciful and she is. In her mercifulness she delicately makes known the condition of the woman’s soul, and the woman is moved by this mercifulness more than she would ever have been by confrontation.
Bonnie.
1628, 1694, & 1695: “Love everyone out of love for Me, even your greatest enemies, so that My Mercy may be fully reflected in your heart.(1695).” Oh boy! My typical reaction when faced with immediate situations like this is like St. Faustina’s encounter with her adversary, “my blood froze in my veins! (1694).” But earlier (1628) our Lord taught her, “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.” So, Lord, at these critical times help me in this WILLFUL choice to transcend my feelings and to pray for your Mercy.
Gene.
Jesus knows our many flaws, genetic and intergenerational included. He accepts them as part of our makeup. But He lets us know we can work through them as long as we have love. We need to forgive one another for peace of soul and also to be able help one another. He is so patient, compassionate and merciful. The insight gained in these readings that God does understand us and with love for Him and one another we will make it !