Reflect and Comment on Reading: 20
… Shortly after this, I fell ill [general exhaustion]. The dear Mother Superior sent me with two other sisters for a rest to Skolimow, not far from Warsaw. It was at that time that I asked the Lord for whom else should I pray for. Jesus said that on the following night He would let me know for whom I should pray.
[The next night] 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.”
Excerpt From
Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
This material may be protected by copyright.
Every time I think I read everything I could read about St. Faustina another reading comes up & amazes me.
When she talks about her illness, exhaustion, & asks God whom else should she pray for he tells her to wait for the next night. When it comes, she sees her Guardian Angel & follows him to purgatory. I didn’t expect her to see flames in purgatory. Since she was shielded from the flames I realized they were painful & I again, didn’t think that kind of suffering would be there. She mentioned that their prayers didn’t do any good. I remembered while we were at Carmel, a priest said that once a person dies it is a sealed deal, in that no longer could we pray for others or ourselves. We would be totally dependent on prayers of the living.
The next surprise was knowing that Our Blessed Mother went to visit the souls in purgatory & the souls refer to her as “the Star of the Sea” because she brings them refreshment. I never read or heard before that she did that. I suppose that happens so that they know the time will come where they will be released into heaven.
At the end of this notebook, our Lord told her, “My Mercy does not want this but Justice demands it.” I immediately thought of a priest at Mass, during the homily saying that this is the time of His Mercy, but the time will come of His Justice. I believe I will never think of purgatory in the same way again. Praying for the souls in purgatory was mentioned a lot in the Catholic schools I went to but it seemed to disappear in current times. I will be remembering them.
God bless, Cocoa
The souls in Purgatory can pray for us but not for themselves so we can ask for their intercession. Please see https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/4-ways-purgatory-consoles-us#
Good bless everyone.
I totally believe in Guardian Angels! It bought back memories of a Litany I use to say to the Blessed Mother years ago that referred to Her as the “Star of the Sea”. The Litany also included “Gate of Heaven” and “Morning Star”. I have to get my old prayer book and say it. Remember He said “Love one another as I have loved you”. We were also directed to love our enemies. He wants our participation and caring for all souls. The souls in Purgatory now have a special meaning for me. God is Love, God is merciful and Just, He is all good.
In the May Issue of Catholic Digest, there is a very good article about Pope John Paul II. He died on April 2nd, 2005. This was the feast day of The Divine Mercy Pope John Paul II established. I just can’t get myself to believe that these things are just coincidences.
Peace,
Another affirmation of: Guardian Angels, Purgatory, Souls in Purgatory, the Blessed Mother and Christ’s Justice – I cannot say I totally understand God’s message in this reading (or any of the readings) but knowing God exists and of His Divine Mercy, helps me experience a certain peace when I read the Diary entries. Actually, I look forward to rereading the Diary and seeing what I missed. Like – the Blessed Mother being called “the Star of the Sea” – so, the souls in Purgatory are allowed to see the Blessed Virgin and call Her a name that none of us living have ever heard; now, through St Faustina’s Diary, we know another enduring name for our Blessed Mother.
St Faustina visiting with the souls in Purgatory, is another mental picture I cherish and St Faustina calling Purgatory a “…prison of suffering” gives us all cause to pray for those souls release; though, at the least, this is the first prison I hope I (we) get into or do better.
Cocoa, I agree, this Diary is full of Ah-Ha moments – like- God’s words about “…Mercy…” and “…Justice…” -reading this, to me, leaves no wiggle room for interpretation.
God’s Love
BB/UB/FB