The Unprofitable Servant: Divine Mercy

Showing posts with label Divine Mercy. Show all posts

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Thought for the Day

"The torrents of grace inundate humble souls. The proud remain always in poverty and misery, because My grace turns away from them to humble souls." - St Faustina's Diary (1602).

That's all. And yes, my statues are draped in purple cloth (that I bought from the Amish).

Friday, April 4, 2014

"Where There Is Pride, I Am Not There"

I can think of so many ways I commit sins of pride on a daily basis. Yesterday it occurred to me that between the time I left the confessional and returned to my pew, I gave in to pride. It is insidious, just like the enemy himself.

I even gave in to pride IN the confessional when the priest told me I made a beautiful confession and I said thank you.

"Don't thank me, thank the Holy Spirit. It is only by his grace that you were able to make this confession. Don't take credit that doesn't belong up you."

"Only the humble soul is able to receive My grace." - St Faustina's Diary (1220)

I know when I become stagnant in my spiritual life the first thing I need to take account of is how much pride has infested my soul. Nothing roots out pride like prayerful mortification. And if we are fortunate enough to be provided with the opportunity to be humiliated, we have to offer it up and forget it immediately. Dwelling on embarrassments is just another manifestation of pride. When something happens that calls unwanted attention to ourselves, we should consider whether or not it is an act of pride to have to keep apologizing or explaining. Let go of it as soon as possible.

Nothing we accomplish that is any good occurs because of anything we do but rather what God accomplishes through us. Accolades that are dwelt upon are poisonous to our sense of humility. We accept them out of charity and then they, like past injuries borne, must be forgotten lest they, too fester and rob our souls of needed graces.

"Where there is pride, I am not there."

Humility is the nectar that draws Him near.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Holy Communion

"See, I have left My heavenly throne to become united with you. What you see is only a tiny part and already your soul swoons with love. How amazed your heart will be when you see Me in all My glory. But I want to tell you that eternal life must begin here on earth through Holy Communion. Each Holy Communion makes you capable of communing with God throughout eternity." - St Faustina's Diary (1811).

Sometimes when I am kneeling at the altar rail at Holy Communion, I fix my mind on the notion that I will soon encounter the living Christ. And I think of how this meeting will not be for the purpose of judging my soul but instead to fill it with Divine Love. Some day it will not be so.

The truth is that as I read Faustina's diary again during this season of Lent, I am reminded of how poorly I receive Jesus. He has to compete with the debris which I have sinfully allowed to enter and which never fails to make an appearance at the most inopportune times. You can receive Him, but giving Him a compelling reason to stay is another story altogether.

I know from personal experience that the more you are in His Presence, the more He will illuminate your soul. But recognizing our sins is not enough. The desire to change must be powered by His grace obtained through the sacraments. Of all the virtues, humility may be the most important in the struggle for Christian perfection.

Last night before I turned in, I had to make a painful but necessary admission to myself which I promptly brought to confession. As humble as I or others may think I am, I'm really not, and pride has even seeped into aspects of my spiritual life. But I will not let this deter me. The "you shouldn't receive the Eucharist today because you're no good" spiel is the voice of a liar speaking to you. Unless you're not in a state if grace, do not permit the liar to talk you out of receiving your Eucharistic King.

Go to Mass and Holy Communion every chance you get. Heed the words He spoke to St Faustina and prepare your soul for the day it will see Him in all His glory.

Monday, March 17, 2014

The Sanctity of Suffering

"The more you will come to love suffering, the purer your love for Me will be." - St. Fautsina's Diary (279)

Who among us striving to be holy wouldn't want to have an ever-more pure love for Our Lord? But if you are like me, you may have days when you are tempted to ask: "Dear God, don't I already love You enough that You had to send me this?"

St.Therese referred to the sufferings Jesus sent her as "choicest", a word I might use to describe a spotless piece of fruit or a good cut of meat. What are some choice sufferings that we endure without ever considering their worth?

The unkind word of a spouse of child when we least feel up to hearing it?

False accusations or suspicion about our motives?

Being mortified in public in one way or another?

Watching helplessly as someone we love is injured by another?

Watching our children suffer physical and/or mental anguish?

Favoritism that costs us attention, a promotion or even a job?

Being left out?

Getting taken for granted and never shown an ounce of appreciation?

Only being acknowledged when someone wants something from us?

Watching someone else take credit for our idea or an accomplishment that came about because of very hard work?

An illness that isn't serious yet causes anguish just the same?

Going back to the "one night in a bad inn" observation of St. Teresa of Avila, I tell you that I have often to remind myself that this kind of misery is a temporal punishment, and the more that is heaped upon me, the less I may have to suffer the flames of Purgatory. When I have grown up spiritually, I hope that I will not think of my own gain, but of the consolation my suffering might give to the Heart of Jesus and the graces it may win my children, both those I brought into the world and those I have adopted spiritually.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Mary, Queen of Peace

Ever glorious and blessed Mary, Queen of Virgins, Mother of Mercy, hope and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender heart whilst thine only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord, suffered death and ignominy on the cross; through that filial tenderness and pure love He had for thee, grieving in thy grief, whilst from His cross He recommended thee to the care and protection of His beloved disciple, St. John, take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries, of every kind whatsoever. Thou art the Mother of Mercies, the sweet comforter and only refuge of the needy and the orphan, of the desolate and afflicted. Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable, forlorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer; for since, in just punishment of my sins, I find myself encompassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with much anguish of spirit, wither can I fly for more secure shelter, O amiable Mother of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy maternal protection? Attend, therefore, I beseech thee, with an ear of pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest request. I ask it, through the bowels of mercy of thy dear Son; Through that love and condescension wherewith He embraced our nature, when, in compliance with the divine Will, thou gavest thy consent, and whom, after the expiration of nine months thou didst bring forth from the chaste enclosure of thy womb, to visit the world, and bless it with His presence. I ask it, through that anguish of mind wherewith thy beloved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on the Mount of Olives, when He besought His eternal Father to remove from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of His future passion. I ask it, through the threefold repetition of His prayers in the garden, whence afterwards, with dolorous steps and mournful tears, thou didst accompany Him to the doleful theatre of His death and sufferings. I ask it, through the welts and bruises of His virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips wherewith He was bound and scourged, when stripped of His seamless garment, for which His executioners afterwards cast lots. I ask it, through the scoffs and ignominies by which He was insulted; the false accusations and unjust sentence by which He was condemned to death, and which He bore with heavenly patience. I ask it, through His bitter tears and bloody sweat; His silence and resignation; His sadness and grief of heart. I ask it, through the blood which trickled from His royal and Sacred Head, when struck with the sceptre of a reed and pierced with His crown of thorns. I ask it, through the excruciating torments He suffered, when His hands and feet were fastened with gross nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it, through His vehement thirst, and bitter potion of vinegar and gall. I ask it, through His dereliction on the cross when He exclaimed, "My God! my God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" I ask it, through His mercy extended to the good thief, and through His recommending His precious soul and spirit into the hands of His eternal Father before He expired, saying, "It is consummated." I ask it, through the blood mixed with water, which issued from His Sacred Side when pierced with a lance, and whence a flood of grace and mercy has flowed to us. I ask it, through His immaculate life, bitter passion and ignominious death on the cross, at which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by the bursting of rocks, rending of the veil of the Temple, the earthquake, and the darkness of the sun and moon. I ask it, through His descent into hell, where He confronted the Saints of the old law with His presence, and led the captivity captive. I ask it, through His glorious victory over death, when He arose again to life on the third day, and through the joy which His appearance for forty days after gave thee, His blessed Mother, His Apostles, and the rest of His Disciples; when in thine and their presence He miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, infused into the hearts of His Disciples, when He descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, and by which they were inspired with zeal in the conversion of the world, when they went to preach the gospel. I ask it, through the awful appearance of thy Son, at the last dreadful day, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world, by fire. I ask it, through the compassion He bore thee in His life, and the unspeakable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet contemplation of His divine perfections. O glorious and ever blessed Virgin! comfort the heart of thy supplicant, by obtaining for me, (Mention your prayer intention here...) And as I am persuaded my Divine Saviour doth honour thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses nothing, because thou asketh nothing contrary to His honour, so let me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, and His filial loving heart, who mercifully granteth the requests and complieth with the desires of those that love and fear Him. Wherefore, O most blessed Virgin, beside the object of my present petition, and whatever else I may stand in need of, obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true contrition of heart, unfeigned tears of compunction, sincere confession, condign satisfaction, abstinence from sin, love of God and my neighbour, contempt of the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies, nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for love of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Obtain likewise for me, O sacred Mother of God, perseverance in good works, performance of good resolutions, mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere repentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive presence of mind, as may enable me to receive the last Sacrament of the Church worthily, and die in thy friendship and favour. Lastly, obtain through thy Son, I beseech thee, for the souls of my parents, brethren, relatives and benefactors, both living and dead, life everlasting, from the only Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Lord God Almighty, to Whom be all power now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bonaventure

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.
May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;
may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

What You Read On This Blog....

You may use anything I have written on this blog. You do not need to credit me, though it would be nice if you did to increase traffic to this blog. Somewhere in "The Story of a Soul", St. Therese commented that she could not concern herself with whether someone took credit for one of her ideas or observations because, after all, everything that is good and holy is inspired not by ourselves but by the Holy Spirit. If you find something useful here that you'd like to print on your own blog or elsewhere, be my guest. It doesn't "belong" to me in the first place.

If you email me, rest assured nothing you send me will be used, unless you have explicitly granted me permission to do so.

Blog links which appear on The Unprofitable Servant may contain content with which I do not necessarily agree.

God Bless You!

The Unprofitable Servant