Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

How nice it is when you have a friend that you trust with every detail of your life.  We long to know others and we long to be known by others.  When you find someone in whom you can confide even the smallest struggle or express the smallest joy, you have found a true friend.  The Lord desires to be your closest friend.  You must work to foster a “detailed” relationship with Him.  He knows all thi...

When we desire to accomplish the Will of God in this world and do wonderful things for Him, we can sometimes seek to do things our way according to our timing. But to truly accomplish the Will of God you must pray hard, surrender yourself to His holy Will, and then even surrender the fulfillment of His Will. It’s not a matter of just doing what you think best, when you think best; rather, it’s a m...

The Blessed Trinity is described as having one Divine nature, yet remaining three distinct Persons.  As a result, the three distinct Persons share in a perfect unity.  In fact, they could not be “united” if they were not distinct from each other.  So it’s necessary to speak of God as the One in Three.  Each one of us is called to share in this same unity.  We do not share in the very nature of God...

Are you patient?  Both patience and impatience are born from a struggle within your will.  There are many times in life when your will is drawn by something other than God, wanting something that God is not leading you to.  Patience is a virtue that enables you to step back, take a deep breath and redirect your will to that which God alone has chosen for you.  Patience is the gift of strength with...

Try to imagine what you will think about this time on Earth when you get to Heaven.  Will you miss this life?  Will you want to return?  Will you wish you made more money while here or had more worldly success?  Most likely not.  Compared to Heaven, this world is pitiful.  That doesn’t mean that our lives cannot be glorious here, it just means that Heaven will be infinitely more glorious.  For tha...

It’s easy to love God when we feel like it and when life is going well and is quite easy.  But when life is challenging, we are immediately tempted to turn in on ourselves and, in so doing, turn from our love for God.  But a true sign of holiness is that we love God no matter what we feel or experience throughout our day.  Come rain or shine we must not waver in our love for our God and others (Se...

Meeting someone of great power can be cause for excitement.  For example, meeting with the president of a company you wish to work at, or meeting someone famous for the first time, or meeting with the bishop or the Holy Father may all cause a certain excitement.  But it could also cause a certain fear and anxiety.  Of course the most important and “influential” person you will ever meet is your Go...

There is one thing, and one thing only, that has the power to free sinners from the fires of hell.  That one thing is Mercy.  God offers His Mercy freely and in abundance, but He has also chosen to offer His Mercy in response to our prayers when they are prayed with the utmost faith and childlike confidence.  Jesus cannot refuse a heart that is pure and is filled with love for sinners.  Your heart...

When you pray, and when you pray long and hard, the Lord will enter in.  He will commune with you and unite His Heart to yours.  You will experience these effects in various ways.  One common effect is that the closer you are drawn into union with Christ, the more you will desire this union.  And the more you desire this union, the more you will be drawn into union.  Your prayer has a cyclical eff...

Imagine being All-Powerful, or being an intimate friend of one who is All-Powerful.  There is a story of Pope St. Leo I, who lived in the fifth century, which reveals the power of God.  It is said that Attila the Hun and his violent army sought to sack Rome.  Pope St. Leo met Attila and “persuaded” him to turn back.  Later, when Attila’s army asked why he turned back, Attila stated that he had bee...

When we become aware of our sins we may have various reactions.  We may remain indifferent, or repent out of fear of God’s justice.  But the ideal response is to turn to God with love and to have true sorrow as a result of that love.  If we have a burning love for God, we will become attentive to even the smallest sin we carry.  And every sin we see, we will desire to be rid of.  This burning love...

When you see someone with manifest sin, what is your reaction?  Many people react with disdain and harsh judgment.  When someone breaks the law, we harshly condemn them.  When someone lives an immoral lifestyle, we belittle them.  Very often, our attitude toward the sinner is merciless.  This is a problem.  True, we must see sin for what it is and work to oppose it, especially when it affects othe...

Do you see the wretchedness of your own soul?  Some may be offended by such a question.  But if we understood the Mercy of God, and realized that it is our “wretchedness” that enables Him to be glorified the most, we would not shy away from such a thought.  Many want to be holy and to see themselves as holy.  It’s easy to think, “If I am good, God will be pleased.”  But what we fail to realize is...

Light dispels the darkness.  Scientifically speaking, we know that light and dark are not opposing forces; rather, dark is the absence of light.  And when light enters in, the darkness is no more.  So it is with the Mercy of God.  Without Mercy, our souls are dark.  We fall into doubt, confusion, fear and despair when Mercy is absent.  In this case, we are left in utter darkness where the filth of...

When pondering the love and the Mercy of God, it is tempting to see His love in a more general way, as if it were something evenly distributed to all people in the same way.  But God’s love for you is something so much more than a general gift to all people.  It is deeply personal and singular, being offered specifically for you, out of love for you.  God does not see you as one of many; rather, H...

Have you discovered the great joy of going to Confession?  Some do not consider the Sacrament of Confession to be a great joy.  Instead, they see it as a painful and humiliating experience.  But perhaps some need the humiliation of an honest confession to help break them out of their sin.  Others, those who sincerely seek the abundant Mercy of God, will take great delight in going to Confession be...

Every time we pray the “Hail Mary” prayer, we pray for the sacred hour of our death.  In so doing, we entrust that hour to our Blessed Mother so that she will intercede for us at the moment we need it the most.  Another holy prayer to pray in preparation for that hour is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.  Too often we fear the moment of our death.  And though this is understandable to a certain extent,...

The content of your daily speech is a clear reflection of the content of your soul.  So what does your speech reflect?  Very often you may find that your conversations throughout the day have been about superficial and worldly matters.  Though some casual conversations of this sort are normal and healthy, you should also be able to point to regular conversations that speak of the glory of God and...

Do you ever struggle with making the right moral decision?  This happens as a result of our fallen human nature.  We are easily confused in life and can easily fail to grasp the Mind and Will of God.  So what should you do?  Know that your conscience is a sanctuary to which the Lord must be invited.  When invited, He will come and dwell there to teach you all things.  When facing decisions in life...

There are times in life when fear enters into your life.  You may have some daunting task before you, or may be walking down a path of the unknown.  These, and many other experiences in life, can become a cause for fear and anxiety.  Fear of the unknown can especially become all consuming.  But it need not be if the Lord is with you and is your constant Refuge.  Jesus desires that you turn to Him...

One painful experience you may face is that of the rash judgment by another.  At times, others will look at you with judgment and disdain for reasons out of your control.  Perhaps they will identify some small fault and magnify it in such a way that they use it as the lens through which they see your whole life.  This can be quite painful and can evoke much disordered emotion.  But it doesn’t have...

Imagine the scene of our Blessed Mother in the humble state of the Nativity.  She had no home at that moment other than this place where animals gathered.  Yet in the stillness of that holy night, she was at home as she gazed upon her Child with the deepest adoration and love.  She gazed in silence as He lay sleeping on the hay. This must be an image of your soul.  You are called to enter into the...

Little children can’t wait to grow up.  When they have a birthday, they are filled with joy that they are one year older.  And yet, as little children, they are still dependent upon their parents in many ways.  The same is true of us in a spiritual sense.  We often want to “grow up” and to become great saints, attaining great things for God.  And yet, we must often remind ourselves that we are sti...

Human suffering is one of the greatest mysteries of life.  The Diary of Saint Faustina, as well as the whole spiritual tradition of our faith, reveals much about this profound mystery of suffering.  First, from a purely secular point of view, suffering is far from desirable.  In fact, it is typically avoided at all costs and seen as the greatest of tragedies.  However, from a Christian perspective...

In order to be truly close to someone else, and to understand them on a deep level, is it necessary to speak continually and to share every detail of your mind and heart?  Not if both souls are intimately united with God.  In that case, very little has to be said in order for each person to recognize a shared unity and to understand the other.  When God is alive in each person, it is His presence...