Journeying With The Saints

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1074-1078. Most of our readings are of Christ speaking to Sister Faustina. I wish I had just a little bit of her mysticism. How incredible to have Christ speak so frequently with her. I can only imagine what a blessing it must have been to be that closely united. What we are going to do is walk through Christ's words and pull out the things that stick...

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1069-1073. So, do you have a sin or two that you still struggle with even if its been confessed? Do you struggle to fully believe in Christ's mercy? Sometimes this sneaks up on me. There are some sins that I've committed that haunt me from time-to-time. It's a trick of the devil, I know. But, if you realize anything from this diary, let it be that Chri...

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1062-1068. Sister Faustina is allowed to go back to her Congregation in our readings today. She has handled her sickness and suffering very well. She has not wasted her time with grumbling or complaining. She has used her suffering for the good of others. This is wildly different than how most of us--myself included--handle sickness. She is a good mode...

This week we are reading the 32nd number from "Way to Inner Peace." Bishop Sheen says that we "carry our faults in sacks behind our backs and the faults of of our neighbors in open baskets in front of us." You're going to hear an incredible story from Bishop Sheen during this episode. It demonstrates how within every soul there is a capacity for goodness. Too often, though, we only acknowledge the...

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1055-1061. We've been going through Holy Week with Sister Faustina and we are now at Good Friday. The readings will be a little longer to keep the flow of the day. I really love the rhythm of the seasons of the Catholic Church. I especially love Holy Week. It helps make Easter all the more glorious, I think. I share a cool Easter Vigil experience I had...

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1050-1054. What happens when we become numb to what Christ did in His Passion? Sister Faustina meditates often on Christ's Passion and it only makes her grow in appreciate of Christ's sacrifice and gift to us. She becomes even more sensitive to the gravity of sin. I think it is important that we meditate on Christ's Passion with right intention and wit...

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1043-1049.  One of the most misunderstood elements of the Catholic Church is the papacy. There are many misunderstandings and outright lies about exactly what the papacy entails. Sister Faustina has a vision of the Holy Father in her writings today and I thought this would be a good time to talk about the pope. 

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1038-1042. Sister Faustina feels great sorrow when others are suffering. She always feels empathy and wants to help those close to her and even strangers. Social media has created an unsympathetic society. We just see others as unknowns behind a screen. It is so important that we "lead with empathy," as my brother likes to say. 

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1033-1037. We are going through Holy Week again with Sister Faustina and she is meditating on Christ's Passion. This made me think of a scene from the movie "Passion of the Christ." There's a very specific scene where Mary is putting her head to the ground to "feel" Jesus through the stone floor as He is being held prisoner. I talk about when I went in...

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1027-1032. We know that, as Christians, we are to help out our neighbors. Sister Faustina helps out a sick person in another room and renders them a great service. This reading reminded me of when I read Pope Leo XIII's encyclical "Rerum Noverum." He stresses in it how important it is for us to help people at the local level. More help can be done ther...

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1021-1026. Christian's are often accused of being boring, lame, or too strict. This is a gross generalization, however, there have been some Christians that deny themselves all goodness in an attempt for piety. We must remember that God wants us to delight in His good gifts. We have to be temperate and prudent or we can tend towards gluttony. It is goo...

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1014-1020. We think we know how horrible sin is, but do we? We live in a world and culture that is trying to make all sin acceptable, even celebrated. Because sin is packaged as something that looks fun, cool, comfortable, or pleasurable, we don't often realize how horrible sin really is. This is why Confession is so important. 

This week we are reading the 31st number from "Way to Inner Peace." This week's topic is probably going to be one of the most fun topics to discuss, as far as I can tell. I have loved reading since I was a little girl. My mom would often take me to the library and I would get a huge stack of books. My love of reading was fostered at a young age and I've enjoyed it ever since. Of course, Bishop She...

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1005-1013. This is my last day recording from Turkey. Since our departure is what is weighing on my heart, it's what I'm going to talk about today. Somehow I'll make it connect with the readings today. The readings speak of all souls knowing Christ's mercy and love. Here in Turkey, for the most part, those things are not known or understood. 

Today's readings are from Notebook 3, numbers 1001-1004. Today we enter into Notebook 3 and we are going to ease our way into it. Sister Faustina gives us two poems and it will be good to hear them and just sit with them.   

Today's readings are from Notebook 2, numbers 996-1000. More milestones today! We hit number 1000 and we will finish Notebook 2. Yay! If we only get one thing out of this diary, we have to see that Christ wants to pour mercy out on everyone who asks for it. As humans, we can believe that there are some people that aren't worthy of mercy; those people that have done the worst of worst deeds. Howeve...

Today's readings are from Notebook 2, numbers 991-995. You can be sure that you will be tested in your Christian life. It is through that test that your love will either show up or it won't. There hasn't been a saint yet that hasn't gone through some trial. That's honestly how they become saints--through the test. It's so easy to love God when things are going great. But, easy love doesn't show th...

Today's readings are from Notebook 2, numbers 985-989. We've all seen the reports that rates of depression, anxiety, and fear are on the rise. I can't help but speculate that these rises are caused by the abandonment of faith. Sister Faustina talks about how she is astonished that people would deny eternity. If you believe that this world is all there is; it definitely will cause you to live your...

Today's readings are from Notebook 2, numbers 979-984. In our current culture and climate there is the push to make all sins okay. We are told that Christ is happy when we are living out our truth whatever we decide that to be. Today, though, Christ tells Sister Faustina that He is pleased with her effort of living out God's Will. So, if Christ can be pleased with certain actions, He can be disple...

Today's readings are from Notebook 2, numbers 971-978. Sister Faustina knows that greater knowledge of God brings about greater love for God. What are the ways we can have greater knowledge of God? Scripture is the obvious answer and attendance at Mass. Are there other ways, too? I talk about some ways that I think you can gain a greater knowledge of God.     

This week we are reading the 30th number from "Way to Inner Peace." This is probably my favorite reading so far. It covers a topic I have written about many times--facing ourselves and who we have become. Nobody likes to look at themselves and face their spiritual mirror but it is vitally important to do so. This is why the Sacrament of Confession was instituted by Christ. He knew our souls would...

Today's readings are from Notebook 2, numbers 964-970. Sister Faustina is a mystic...however, most of us are not. What does that mean? Are we lacking in our faith if we aren't mystics, too? No. Not all of us have this special grace and that's okay. Because Sister Faustina is a mystic it can be difficult for some of us to relate to her or get anything out of this diary. To be sure, though, even non...

Today's readings are from Notebook 2, numbers 958-963. Has anyone ever come to you and asked for you to pray for something that you knew was not good for them? Sister Faustina is approached by a woman who asks for prayers for something that was not good. Sister Faustina tells her that she can't pray for such an intention, but will pray for her, in general. That takes a lot of courage to say but we...

Today's readings are from Notebook 2, numbers 952-957. Somehow I make a connection between "The Karate Kid" movie and Sister Faustina's Diary. Lol! You never know where my mind is going to go. Sister Faustina shares with us that sometimes she just doesn't understand what God is doing in her life but she surrenders regardless. 

Today's readings are from Notebook 2, numbers 949-951. We will pray a litany to the Divine Mercy today. I would encourage you to think of any intentions you may have before we pray this litany.