Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

The world is beautiful and reveals the beauty of God, but spiritual realities, such as the Holy Eucharist, are far more beautiful.  To see the beauty of God, present in the Most Holy Eucharist, you need eyes of faith.  One of the best ways to sharpen your vision of this beauty is through adoration.  Though receiving Holy Communion must be the ultimate union we experience with our Lord, adoration o...

What is it that has the power to steal away the peace and calm of your heart?  What if you were insulted, ridiculed, falsely judged, imprisoned, beaten or even killed?  Would any of these rob the peace of God in your heart?  Only if you let it.  It is essential that you know and believe with firm faith that nothing can steal the peace of your heart unless you let it.  Your goal must be to be free...

It’s amazing to consider two facts side by side.  First, consider that Saint Faustina heard Jesus tell her, over and over, that He desired that the Feast of Divine Mercy be promulgated and celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter every year.  How was this lowly cloistered nun to accomplish such a task for the universal Church?  Second, when St. John Paul II canonized Saint Faustina on Divine Merc...

There is no greater gift in this world than Holy Communion.  And yet we so often approach that Sacrament with a distracted and inattentive heart.  To overcome such a distraction you must first be convinced, with your entire mind, of the deep truths of the reality of Holy Communion.  You must submit, with deep faith, to the reality that God is there, fully, in veiled form, coming to unite Himself w...

One act of Mercy you can offer to others is to perceive the gifts of God in their lives and to rejoice in that fact.  Sadly, there can often be a temptation to be jealous or envious of others, especially when you see their natural talents or the grace of God in their lives.  But if you can look at them with humility, your heart will be moved to see God at work in them.  You will see their natural...

Do you ever soak in God?  This is a rare and even non-existent experience for most people.  Soaking, or drowning in God means that you become immersed so deeply in prayer that it’s as if you are lost in His presence.  When this happens, the Lord fully takes you over and possesses your soul for that moment.  You may not remain this way and you may soon return to your sins, but moments of pure conte...

That may sound like an unusual heading.  You should be concerned about sin inasmuch as you should diligently seek to avoid it.  But if you were to realize that your understanding of the Mercy of God is but a drop of water compared to the ocean, you would not allow your concerns to turn into worries.  To be concerned is to be conscientious and being conscientious is a grace.  But when you look at y...

It’s easy to be grateful only when things go well.  But when times are tough we tend to turn in on ourselves in self-pity.  But you must learn to glorify the Lord in all things.  There are countless blessings and graces that God gives you for which you must experience immense gratitude.  Family blessings, spiritual consolations, fulfillment of duties, etc., must all be occasions of gratitude.  But...

Normally we do not put the words “passion” and “refreshment” together.  How could the Passion of Christ be refreshing?  It is only horrific and sorrowful from an earthly perspective.  The Lord suffered greatly and our blessed Mother suffered with Him with the most sorrowful heart.  But they both took great refreshment in this act also.  This is because the Passion is pure love.  And love refreshes...

If you have ever been to a wonder of nature, the moment you behold it is an awe-inspiring moment.  Looking at the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, or the Swiss Alps for the first time will take your breath away and leave you in a moment of adoration of God’s creation.  But if the beauty of nature can evoke such a response, then the infinite beauty of God will leave you in awe for eternity.  It will be...

It may not be immediately pleasant, but at times we greatly benefit from being tested.  The Lord permits this in a variety of ways.  Being tested is not a temptation; rather, it’s a way that the Lord allows us to endure a trial so as to invite us to more deeply submit to His holy Will.  When you feel a trial come your way, the best thing you can do is to get down on your knees and pray, “Lord, may...

It may not be something you immediately conclude, but a soul who has a pure love of God is feared by many.  The “fear” that they have is a fear to oppose such a soul.  Those with malicious intent will not dare to attack such a person because they know it may backfire on them.  It’s impossible for anyone to harm you when your heart is perfectly set on the Lord (See Diary #1643). What do you fear? ...

One act of love we can offer another is our confidentiality.  We have all had experiences of people coming to us with a problem or confusion and they ask us to keep it to ourselves.  Can you keep this form of a sacred secret?  Confidentiality is a wonderful act of mercy to others.  If you can be truly confidential, others will come to realize this quality in you and they will more readily come to...

In our lives it is almost certain that we will encounter people from time to time who are agitated, upset or worried.  They may obsess about this or that and their thinking may even be somewhat irrational.  What a graced opportunity this is for Mercy.  Anxiety and worry will happen in life and we should not let it draw us in.  We must keep our peace, make the situation light, and especially offer...

It’s interesting how often we desire earthly possessions.  Even if you had every treasure in the world all to yourself, this could not fill the longing in your heart.  There is one thing and one thing alone that fills the void within you and that is the Lord and His holy Will.  Nothing else suffices, yet we often work so hard at gaining more and more of the things that pass away (See Diary #1632)....

One of the hardest things to do in life is to pray for those who persecute you and to treat them with the utmost respect and compassion.  But what benefit is there in hating them or lashing out at them?  Doing this “harm” to them is far more damaging to your own soul than to theirs.  Forgive, forgive, and forgive again.  In fact, forgiving another is a form of God’s justice in that it reveals that...

One of the greatest blessings we have been given is the ability to serve others.  We serve them in many ways, especially in accord with our particular vocation.  But the greatest service we could ever render a person is to be a minister of the Mercy of God, leading them to the glories of Heaven.  Imagine what Heaven will be like knowing that you have inspired countless souls to grow in their love...

Life can appear to be complicated at times and so can we.  But the truth is that we need to cut through the complexities of life and realize that, from the perspective and Will of God, life is simple.  It’s simple in that all we need to do is say “Yes” to Him every day, surrendering all to Him and trusting Him every step of the way.  We must be diligent in responding to His promptings and grace, b...

The Lord speaks much about sufferings to Saint Faustina.  She suffered much through humiliations and through physical illness.  And Jesus never tired of reminding her that her sufferings take on great power when united to His Cross.  This message must never be forgotten.  Though suffering may not be a “happy” topic, it is a joyous one when properly understood.  When you realize that your suffering...

It’s important to know that the Lord will never allow you to carry a cross that is beyond your strength.  Do you believe this?  If you do, it should help you to set your eyes on the road ahead and plunge forward doing the Will of God.  If struggles come your way, even if they are great, know with certainty that the Lord is with you, carrying you if needed, through everything you face in life.  Not...

Do not underestimate the power of your prayers.  The greater your trust in the Mercy of God, the more powerful will your prayers be for those who need them.  The Lord knows all things and He knows who needs what.  But He wants to dispense His grace in union with those who ask for it.  Your prayers for others are the most powerful way that you can bring the Mercy of God into this world (See Diary #...

Why do you fear Confession?  This glorious Sacrament is offered to you from the tender Heart of our Lord.  Through this glorious gift Jesus lifts the burdens you carry so that you can more fully share in His Mercy.  If you understood this, there would be no hesitation in running to Confession on a regular basis.  You would desire it not because it reveals your misery, but because it heals it and r...

Heaven invites us into a life of glory and fulfillment that is beyond what we could ever comprehend.  Not even in Heaven will we fully comprehend the glorious mystery of God and His Mercy.  From Heaven, the saints, radiant with glory and grace, look down upon us with love, seeking to lavish us with the Mercy of God.  Seek Heaven as your primary and ultimate goal in life.  Do all things with this g...

God is hiding.  But why?  He hides under the veil of secrecy and silence so that we will diligently seek Him.  He does not choose to compete with the distractions of the world since He wants you to choose Him as your one desire.  Desire to seek Him, hidden in your heart, hidden in the holy Sacraments, hidden in the silence and hidden in the people whom you encounter throughout your day.  The Lord...

One common struggle many people have is that of impatience.  We tend to want what we want when we want it.  In our fast-paced society we are used to instant everything.  A full meal can be reheated within minutes, text messages can be sent worldwide in seconds, news travels the moment it happens, and for many people almost anything they could ever want or need is generally only a short drive from...