Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

When we engage in a conversation with another, it is always an opportunity to share the love of God. Even casual conversation has such potential. For example, listening intently to the details of another’s life expresses care and concern for them and reveals the fact that you see their dignity and are acknowledging it by listening. Sometimes conversations can go astray and become dominated by thin...

It’s true that no earthly image can fully reveal the perfect love of God. God is transcendent and His love is beyond what this world can contain. But nonetheless, there are many things in this world that do reveal aspects of the love of God. One such image is that of a mother’s love. Though God has been revealed to us as the Father in Heaven and the Son of God came as a man, we can discover much a...

How do you pray? There are many good ways to pray. Here are some common ways: attending the Holy Mass or another Liturgy, praying the rosary or other chaplets, reading the Scripture meditatively, reciting beautifully written prayers, sitting in silence before our Lord, falling prostrate before Him especially in the Holy Eucharist, etc. One additional way to pray is to have a conversation with our...

Do you doubt the Love of God? The truth is that God is relentless in His pursuit of you. Though much of our holiness depends upon us, most of it depends upon God. While here on Earth, God never ceases to pursue you and to seek your conversion. He sends His Mercy to you constantly in every way imaginable. The problem is that if your heart is “deaf and blind” it will not perceive the tireless ways t...

Imagine if someone gave their life for you because they loved you. They were put into a situation where they knew you would lose your life if they did not freely give theirs. As a result, they chose to step forward in confidence, giving their life in exchange for yours. In order for someone to do this they would have to have an incredible depth of love for you, so much so that they valued your lif...

Should we fear the truth? On one hand the truth can get us in trouble. Look, for example, at the Martyrs. They are witnesses to the truth with the shedding of their blood. They “got in trouble” only in the sense that their testimony to the truth brought forth their persecution. But in the eyes of God this is no trouble at all. It is an act of great love and honesty, courage and resolve. They chose...

One of the dangers many encounter in our modern technological world is that of constant noise. We are easily bombarded with chatter all day long. It could be through the radio, TV, Internet, or the ceaseless conversation of another. Rarely do we find times of great silence. As a result, when silence is offered us, we often look to fill that silence immediately. But is this wise? Is it good to occu...

Our minds are a gift from God and one of the two primary ways we are made in His image and likeness. The other way is through the gift of our free will. But the intellect is an incredible gift that must be given to the work of God. It is good to pray that our Lord make our minds great, powerful and keen so that we may know Him, understand Him and comprehend all the rich mysteries that He desires t...

One motivation we should have for working diligently at spreading the Mercy of God is the reality of the Communion of Saints. Understanding this eternal communion will enable us to realize that what we do now we will rejoice in forever in Heaven. For example, if you go out of your way to share the Mercy of God with another and this Mercy is received and affects that soul for the good, this fact wi...

It is actually quite consoling to have someone with whom you can reveal the depths of your soul. This sort of confidant is a great blessing when absolute confidentiality, mercy and understanding are offered. Speaking even of your sins without hesitation can bring much healing when the person with whom we share these things responds with perfect love and is able to offer you the Mercy of God. We al...

The words of truth, spoken from the Heart of our Lord, bring joy to our lives and rejuvenate our spirits. When you hear these words of truth, take them in and act on them, you are set free from the burden of error and may experience a certain lightness of spirit and refreshment. However, the opposite is true also. When you listen to an error, take it in and believe it, the fruit of this error is o...

One unfortunate tendency within our fallen human nature is to “murmur” about another. It’s like a virus in that once someone starts, it passes to others quickly. Before you know it, many can be spreading rumors and gossip not based in truth, or truths not spoken in charity. This can be very painful to the person who the murmuring is about. We see this commonly among teens, but it is not exclusivel...

All of creation is capable of reflecting the glory and workings of God. God is the wisdom behind the Universe, setting all its laws in order and guiding all things perfectly. We only need to spend time meditating upon the laws of nature to perceive the laws of grace which they reflect. For example, take the morning dew. It arrives silently and without notice of its coming. It sinks in and soaks th...

Imagine the parent who loves a child with burning love. They are committed in every way to the care and well-being of their child. Their love is steady and irrevocable from the time of birth on into adulthood. Now imagine the pain in this parent’s heart if at some point their child walks out on them and fully rejects their love. This loving parent will not give up but will think about their child...

It is most appropriate to prayerfully reflect upon being held in the holy arms of our God. Understanding the Merciful love of the Father in Heaven through the holy embrace of love reveals to us His fatherly care. Running to the arms of Jesus opens our hearts to His merciful love. But one image that will also be helpful and holy to reflect upon is that of the infant Jesus. Imagine if you were privi...

Do you understand what you will be doing for all eternity? Heaven, if we are blessed to obtain it, will be an existence of eternal contemplation of the Most Holy Trinity. Though there is no time in Heaven, imagine if there were. And then imagine contemplating the Trinity for a million years in a row. Would you eventually become tired of this life and find boredom in it? Never in a million years an...

Do you see value in being reduced to nothingness in your own eyes? Perhaps not. The reason this language is difficult to accept is that humility is only fully understood by a special gift of God’s grace. Some ancient philosophers even hold up pride as a great virtue, discounting humility as weakness. Sadly, there are few souls that obtain the actual virtue of humility. Some may obtain a certain se...

Some people are called to a unique life of prayer and solitude within the context of religious life. In particular, there are those called to the eremitical life or the cloister. These holy souls are separated from the world and spend their days in quiet prayer and work. But what value does this life have to the world? This is an important question to understand. From a worldly point of view, they...

When something burdens us we often seek consolation from others regarding our suffering by speaking about them openly. Though it may be beneficial to share our burdens with another to an extent, there is also great value in embracing them silently in a hidden way. It may always be wise to share your burdens with a certain person such as a spouse, confidant, spiritual director or confessor, but be...

Many people enjoy excellent health while others do not. Some experience great physical discomfort in life due to infirmity or old age. Though many look for ways to alleviate this physical discomfort, it must be said that these pains offer an opportunity for grace. First, much grace is won in the life of the person suffering when that suffering is freely embraced. Grace can also be won for the live...

When you look at the desire in your heart, what stands out the most? Certainly there are many things that draw you. Many worldly rewards and pleasures can easily occupy your longings. A desire for physical pleasure, money and worldly success are among the strongest desires for many. The single desire you should have is a desire to Love God. From that desire you will also love others and you will f...

If you are given the glorious gift of a deep faith, many will see this and rejoice in it. But it may be the occasion for some to have jealousy. This is a sad and painful experience. Know that the jealousy of another is not caused by you or by your faith, it is caused by their sin. Therefore, if you experience the jealousy or ridicule of another stemming from their jealousy, do not be alarmed. Cert...

“Ignominy” could mean public shame, disgrace, humiliation and embarrassment. But it takes on special meaning when applied to Jesus. The “cloak of ignominy” refers to the public humiliation that Jesus endured as a result of His Cross. He was condemned as a sinner and liar. He was charged with deceiving the people and attempting to undermine the civil authorities. He was the object of extreme hate a...

What is it that is most dear to the heart of our Blessed Mother? If she were to appear to you and offer you her greatest desire for you, what would it be? Perhaps there would be some specific need that she has been made aware of by God for your life, but in addition to this she would most certainly call you to the virtues of humility, purity and love of God. We especially see these holy virtues al...

The evil one hates you with a profound hate. And the closer you draw to God, fulfilling His Divine Will, the more he will seek to attack you. Do not fear the bark of this little dog. One of the most common ways the evil one attempts to deceive you is by presenting himself as an angel of light. He does this by using his natural angelic powers of influence, speaking lies that have a faint resemblanc...