The Divine Mercy Chapel in Surnanci, Medjugorje
October 5, 2022
St. Faustina Kowalska
Dear Family of Mary!
Today is the Feast of St. Faustina Kowalska, to whom the Lord Jesus entrusted the beautiful Message of Divine Mercy and the Feast of Divine Mercy! St. Faustina was a nun who lived in Poland in the early 1900’s. She was called by Jesus to reveal to the world His great Mercy for all mankind. She was very faithful to the words that Jesus gave to her and through her confessor, Fr. Sopocko, they were spread throughout the world. She also lived Divine Mercy through her intercessory prayer, especially for the dying.
St. Faustina prayed for and offered mercy to others. She wrote in her diary how to live Divine Mercy each day. Here is her list of ways to be merciful:
163 General Exercises
O Most Holy Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want to glorify Your mercy.
1 want to be completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection, O Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue.
Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.
Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.
Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my hart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.
You Yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind. The second: the word of mercy – if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third: prayer – if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically. O my Jesus, transform me into Yourself, for you can do all things. (Diary, entry 163)
Our Lady has asked us to be merciful as well:
March 2, 2019
“Dear children, I call you ‘apostles of my love’. I am showing you my Son who is the true peace and the true love. As a mother, through the mercy of God, I desire to lead you to Him. My children, this is why I am calling you to reflect on yourselves, starting out from my Son, that you look to Him with the heart and that you may see with the heart where you are and where your life is going. My children, I am calling you to comprehend that it is, thanks to my Son, that you live – through His love and sacrifice. You are asking of my Son to be merciful to you and I am calling you to mercy. You are asking of Him to be good to you and to forgive you, and for how long am I imploring you, my children, to forgive and to love all the people whom you meet? When you comprehend my words with the heart, you will comprehend and come to know the true love and you will be able to be apostles of that love, my apostles, my dear children. Thank you.”
Dear St. Faustina, please pray for us that we can begin to live a life of merciful love today, and through the intercession of Our Lady of Medjugorje, may we become mercy for others. Amen.
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
(c) Mary TV 2022
