Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

This last reflection is dedicated to the Queen of Mercy, the Most Glorious Mother of God. She, more than any other, was and continues to be a perfect instrument of the Mercy of God. She brought forth Mercy Himself into this world by her fiat, her “Yes,” at the Annunciation. She suffered greatly as she watched her Son suffer such brutality, and offered her motherly love to console His Heart and to...

In regard to your eternal salvation, the hour of your death is so very important. When you pray the “Hail Mary” prayer, you pray specifically for this sacred hour. It is a holy hour. But it is also an hour when the evil one will lash out at you one more time to try to steal your soul for all eternity. It is essential that you spend your life preparing for this sacred hour by your prayers, a life o...

Imagine you were in a crowded room with much noise and someone whispered to you from across the room. You may notice them trying to speak but it would be difficult to hear. This is much like the Voice of God. When God speaks, He whispers. He speaks gently and quietly and only those who are truly recollected throughout the day will notice His Voice and hear what He says. The Lord wants us to elimin...

Jesus’ Heart is pure Mercy. It’s a fountain of grace pouring out upon the world. This is consoling but there is another heart that must also become a fountain of Mercy, and that is yours. You must become so immersed in the Mercy of the Lord that your heart bursts forth with rivers of grace for others. This is especially how God touches those souls who are lost and do not pray. By you going to them...

Though this may be hard to understand and to believe, interior sacrifice united with pure prayer does incredible good for the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world. In fact, if missionaries did not have the power of holy souls who offered daily interior sacrifices and prayers, their efforts would have little effect. The grace of God is what moves people and this grace is especially won t...

The tempter, satan, is real, but he is no one to fear. You should pay no attention to him. You should not engage his ideas. You should not bargain with him. In the face of temptations you should have courage, trust in the Mercy of God, and hope. Do not become curious about the sins of others, do not talk about them, do not be upset when mistreated, and do not complain. Seek wise counsel from other...

With God there is no time. Time is strictly an earthly phenomenon. In God, all things are, always were and always will be. One effect of this eternal love is that God has loved you for all eternity. He has known you even before the foundation of the world and will know and love you forevermore. This all-encompassing love should give you great comfort. There never was a time that God did not perfec...

Often, when we speak of the Mercy of God, we speak of the forgiveness of sins. This is the first act of God’s Mercy. He sees every sin, even the slightest imperfection, and despite the suffering these sins impose upon Our Lord, He lavishly bestows Mercy to forgive. Forgiveness becomes total and permanent. God never brings up sins that have been forgiven. But God doesn’t stop there. It’s important...

When someone is troubled, you may shy away from them. It’s easy to think that engaging them will impose a heavy burden on your time and energy. But if the Lord is the one directing your conversation, He can do amazing things in a short while. Sure, there are times when love demands many hours of care, but often times a few words, a listening ear, or a gentle smile will do more for a person in need...

Reflection 356: The Beating of Your Heart When there is excitement in your life, your heart begins to beat faster. This is a natural reaction. For that reason, it is good to ponder whether your heart ever beats for God? Do you allow yourself to become caught up in a holy awe of the presence of God? Do you become excited about the mission that God has given you? And, if so, do you ever find that yo...

]Some people are very good at talking about others. They offer continual opinions and judgments of them and speak freely, as if they have everything figured out. Do not be like one of these people. Those who have their minds and tongues occupied with the activities of others have little time to look into their own souls so as to discover who they are (See Diary #1717). Do you struggle with idle ta...

When a person begins to lie, and forms a habit of this sort, they will eventually become entangled in a web of lies. One lie leads to another and pretty soon they do not know how to break free of this web. This is where you must offer mercy. It’s very easy to be harsh toward someone who has clearly led themselves down the wrong path. It’s easy to point the finger and rub in their sin. But the Lord...

Music is a discovery and expression of the natural laws of God’s creation, relying upon the order and rhythm found in its natural design. Some music uses the natural order of things to glorify earthly realities. Some forms of music even express sin and disorder. But the greatest form of music is that which beautifully and clearly articulates the high order, harmony and symmetry of the life of God....

It may not be pleasant to consider the chastisement of God. But it must be understood that His chastisements are real and are an act of His abundant Mercy. When souls turn from God and refuse His Mercy, this deeply wounds His Heart. As a result, God becomes more “passionate” so to speak in His tireless pursuit. One way He seeks to open their hearts is through chastisements. Think of the Pharisees,...

It must be your constant goal to know God. Study of Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and the lives of the saints all help in this endeavor. But knowing God is not the ultimate goal of life. Knowledge comes from faith and faith is a gift from God. But being fully united to God in charity is of far greater importance. They are not opposed, but they are not the same. In fact, at times the Lord...

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 of H...

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 from...

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 Mercy S...

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 with...

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 gif...

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 contempla...

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 your...

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 grat...

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 a...