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 the cell where Christ was held.

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 there than by a government.

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 good, though, to find joy in the good, the true, and beautiful.

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.

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. However, Christ does not view them the way we view them. He wants to shower mercy even on the worst sinner.

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 the depths of your love and devotion.

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 life in a way that may leave you desperate to cling to this life no matter what.

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 displeased, too. We can't trick ourselves into thinking that Christ is a-okay with everything.