Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

Reflection 288: Silence in the Face of Ridicule

If you are given the glorious gift of a deep faith, many will see this and rejoice in it.  But it may be the occasion for some to have jealousy.  This is a sad and painful experience.  Know that the jealousy of another is not caused by you or by your faith, it is caused by their sin.  Therefore, if you experience the jealousy or ridicule of another stemming from their jealousy, do not be alarmed.  Certainly it is appropriate to feel holy sorrow over their action, but that sorrow must not turn into a wound.  Instead, pay no attention to the mistreatment of another other than this holy sorrow that leads to silent surrender to God.  Pray for this person and have great hope that their sin will be realized by them and that they will repent.  Your hope, your silent suffering, and your holy sorrow will become an act of Mercy to them allowing them to see the effects of their sin (See Diary #1422).

Accepting the darts of another’s sins can be difficult.  Reflect upon how you react when one of these arrows is sent your way.  Though it is easy to react with vengeance, your mistreatment by another offers you an opportunity for much grace.  Mercy, silence and holy sorrow provide you with the tools you need to help bring conversion to those who mistreat you.  This is difficult to do and can only be done when you have fully surrendered to the Mercy of God.  God loves you and He loves every sinner with a burning love.  Reflect upon that love God has for those who have hurt you and reflect upon the fact that you are in a unique situation to help them experience God’s love.  Do not shy away from this duty and the Lord will bless you more than you could ever imagine.

Lord, I pray that Your Mercy floods my heart, especially for those who have hurt me.  May I love them with Your Heart and become a source of grace in their lives.  I love You, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: St. Sebastian Holding Two Arrows and the Martyr's Palm, by After Andrea del Sarto

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Reflection 287: The Cloak of Ignominy

“Ignominy” could mean public shame, disgrace, humiliation and embarrassment.  But it takes on special meaning when applied to Jesus.  The “cloak of ignominy” refers to the public humiliation that Jesus endured as a result of His Cross.  He was condemned as a sinner and liar.  He was charged with deceiving the people and attempting to undermine the civil authorities.  He was the object of extreme hate and ultimate persecution by the religious leaders of His day.  This was a brutal blow.  If Jesus would have had the sin of pride He would clearly not have been able to endure their scorn and mistreatment.  He would have brought forth a myriad of angels to destroy His persecutors.  But He didn’t.  Instead, He endured every humiliation with confidence and integrity.  The sufferings Jesus endured never evoked in Him even a single feeling of hatred or revenge.  In fact, from the Cross itself He cried out, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”  This powerful witness must influence you and strengthen you to pay no attention whatsoever to the false judgment of others.  God has no concern about false judgments and the public humiliation that these judgments impose.  Embracing the “cloak of ignominy” means you ultimately allow every worldly humiliation to dissipate before the Mercy and truth of God (See Diary 1418).

Reflect upon this struggle within you.  It requires great humility to ignore false opinions.  Seek to embrace that humility and allow the truth to make you free.  Jesus’ “cloak” must cover you since it is ultimately a cloak of His grace and Mercy.

Lord, I take upon myself Your cloak of ignominy.  I wear it with confidence and trust.  Help my only care to be Your truth and to shed all other opinions that are contrary.  My happiness rests in You alone, dear Lord, and all my hope is in You.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Image: Crucifixion, by Jacopo Tintoretto   

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Reflection 286: Humility, Purity & the Love of God

What is it that is most dear to the heart of our Blessed Mother?  If she were to appear to you and offer you her greatest desire for you, what would it be?  Perhaps there would be some specific need that she has been made aware of by God for your life, but in addition to this she would most certainly call you to the virtues of humility, purity and love of God.  We especially see these holy virtues alive in her life.  Our Blessed Mother was humble in many ways.  She was The Immaculate Conception, freed from all sin and the most glorious creation of God, yet while on Earth she was hidden and even thought to be a sinner on account of Jesus being conceived before she was married. However, she lived perfect purity in her life which was the source of her most perfect love for Jesus, Joseph and everyone else she encountered.  Her purity enabled her to love others with the utmost dignity and respect.  Her love of God was also perfect in every way and was made manifest by her total submission to His holy Will.  She said, “Let it be done to me according to Your Will.”  She meant that and lived it.  Allow this witness of our Blessed Mother to call you to embrace these holy virtues so as to imitate and share in her glory and holiness (See Diary #1415).

Reflect upon these three virtues in your life.  How well do you manifest them?  Think about how they would have been lived in the life of our Blessed Mother and seek her powerful intercession so that you may imitate these virtues which she lived to perfection.

Dearest Mother, I gaze upon your beauty and upon the virtues that radiate from your life.  I especially rejoice in your humility, purity and love of God.  Help me to imitate these virtues in my own life so that I may imitate your beauty and holiness.  Mother Mary, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Uffizi Gallery, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Reflection 285: Deception as an “Angel of Light”

The evil one hates you with a profound hate.  And the closer you draw to God, fulfilling His Divine Will, the more he will seek to attack you.  Do not fear the bark of this little dog.  One of the most common ways the evil one attempts to deceive you is by presenting himself as an angel of light.  He does this by using his natural angelic powers of influence, speaking lies that have a faint resemblance to the truth.  He rarely speaks outright with obvious lies since he knows we would immediately identify him as the source.  Instead, he seeks to manipulate the truth and lead you into confusion, tempting you to doubt the truths that God has spoken and to doubt the holy Will of God.  He may subtly remind you of your past sins and weaknesses while trying to mask the infinite Mercy of God which eliminates those sins and manifests its power through your weakness.  He may tempt you to discouragement and despair, removing from your heart the hope you have been given in Christ Jesus.  He may tempt you to anger and resentment leading you to believe that you are justified in holding on to these feelings.  Whatever the case may be, the evil one is a slippery liar and you must overcome his deceit by turning constantly to the truth of the Mercy of God (See Diary #1405).

Reflect upon the subtle lies that you have allowed yourself to believe.  Whatever they are, you will know them by their fruits: sadness, anger, hurt, confusion and the like.  Identify these and dismiss them through prayer.  Allow the Mercy of the Lord’s Truth to permeate your soul and set you free.

Lord, help me to know the truth and to be set free through this knowledge.  Please protect me from the subtle lies and deceptions of the evil one.  I rebuke him in Your holy Name and entrust myself to Your protecting Hand.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: The Angel Binding Satan, by Philip James de Loutherbourg

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Reflection 284: Living in the Moment

One common temptation that many face is that of living either in the past or in the future, and failing to live in the present moment.  You live in the past when you remain controlled by past events, sins, hurts, etc.  The past must be healed and your sins of the past must be forgiven.  Once that is done, you must let go of the past and not allow it to affect you in a negative way.  The past can affect you for good when 1) you learn from the mistakes you have made, 2) you are strengthened by the healing of past hurts, 3) you continue to rejoice in all that God has done for you.  You are affected negatively by the past when you dwell on your past sins and hurts, failing to seek forgiveness and healing.  You live in the future when your mind is constantly obsessed with that which is out of your control.  It’s easy to fear the future or to be anxious about it, but you must remember that the future is not yet here and you ought not allow fears or worries about it to cause undue stress.  All we have is the present moment.  Therefore, it must be your constant goal to live each moment, day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute.  Be present to the present moment.  Embrace it, live it and encounter the love and Mercy of God as He is present to you here and now (See Diary #1400).

Do you struggle letting go of the past or trying to control the future?  Seek to embrace this present moment and all will be well.  Reflect upon this tendency and especially look at what God wants of you today.  Keep your focus upon this present moment and seek to meet our Lord in it.  His Mercy awaits you here and now.

Lord, I offer to You all the events of my past and entrust to Your care all that will happen in the future.  Free me from past hurts and sins, and alleviate my worries about the future.  Help me to meet You and Your abundant Mercy in this present moment alone.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image via Pixabay.

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Reflection 283: Overcoming Sin

The message of God’s Mercy is so simple that we can easily miss it, even after reflecting upon the many pages of this book or upon the Diary of Saint Faustina.  The simple truth that the message of God’s Mercy must convey is that we should have no fear, whatsoever, of admitting our sins and trusting in God’s perfect forgiveness.  Fear easily paralyzes us and keeps us from being honest in regard to our sins.  But if you understand the Mercy of God and realize how all-consuming it is, fear will have no power over you.  And though this may be easier to understand in theory, it can be very hard to embrace in your actions.  The only way to fully enter into the Mercy of God is to give Him that which properly belongs to you, namely, your sins.  Do not hesitate in doing this.  Have full confidence in your loving Father and allow the light of His Mercy to replace the darkness of your sin (See Diary #1396).

How easily can you admit your sins to God?  And when you do so, are you able to admit them with full confidence and hope?  Are you able to admit them in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the greatest source of God’s Mercy?  You do not need to carry guilt and shame in regard to your sins no matter what they are.  Trust in the omnipotent love of God and let go of your hesitation and fear.  If you do this, you will discover that joy will begin to permeate your soul and lift the heavy burden that sin imposes.

Lord, please remove all fear from my life.  Cleanse me of my sin and free me from the burdens they impose.  Give me full confidence in the abundance of Your Mercy and open my heart to receive all that You wish me to receive.  I love You, dear Lord, may I allow that love to dispel all that is not of You.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image via Pixabay.

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Reflection 282: Suffering, Persecution, Abuse and Disgrace

This heading may not seem immediately attractive to you.  Who would want to endure these things?  But we ought to remember that Jesus endured them all to the greatest degree.  Was Jesus happy?  Was His soul at peace?  Most certainly.  This reveals to us that these crosses in life cannot ultimately do us harm if we are immersed in the presence of God.  Remember Jesus agonizing in the Garden, or the mockery He endured, or the rejection that many directed at Him, yet in all of this He remained in a peaceful repose.  Nothing in this world can steal us away from a profound peace if we remain immersed in the presence of God.  All the suffering, persecution, abuse and disgrace in the world cannot ultimately have victory over a soul given to God (See Diary #1394).

Reflect upon that which has the effect of stealing your peace away.  If you were perfect, this would not happen.  That may be hard to accept but it’s true.  We easily point to this or that as the source of our unrest when the source is always within.  It’s either a sin we have clung to, such as anger, or a sin of omission, such as a lack of trust.  Whatever your experience is, do not get caught up on your sin.  Simply turn your eyes to our merciful Lord and know that He can keep you in His peace through anything if you let Him.

Lord, I invite You to take control of all my inner thoughts, feelings and emotions.  Bring stillness and peace to my heart as I continue through this life filled with struggle.  When I experience the harshness of others, help me to use that as an opportunity for greater trust in Your Mercy.  I know that in all things I can remain wrapped in Your arms of grace.  I give myself to You, dear Lord, please protect me and keep me close to Your Heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Christ with the Crown of Thorns, by Dirck van Baburen

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Reflection 281: The Immovable Will of God

At times, when we love God with a profound love, we may find that we have strong impulsions to do great things for God.  And yet, despite our desire and firm resolve, it can seem as if God is not permitting our work to move forward.  This may be because the Lord is not ready to act.  Though it’s good to have a strong desire to do great things for God, we must always remember that our desires must align with the perfect timing and wisdom of the Will of God.  He knows best and He will allow the work He inspires to come to fruition when He wills it, not before.  Surrendering your impulsions to God is a way of letting God purify the work He calls you to do so that it is ultimately His work in us and not our own work done in accord with our own idea of what is good.  God’s Will is immovable and all the longings and desire in the world will not move Him to act contrary to His perfect plan set forth at the perfect time.  Humble yourself before God so that He will bless the world with His Mercy through You in the way He desires (See Diary #1389).

Do you have a heart filled with the desire to serve our Lord?  Hopefully you do.  Reflect upon these desires and know that they please our Lord.  But also reflect upon the fact that, if they are to come to perfection, even the most pure desire must be submitted to the Will of God.  Make that prayerful resolution today and God will use your heartfelt desire to manifest His Heart of Mercy to the world.

Lord, I do desire to serve You with all my heart.  Please increase that desire and purify it so that my will dissolves into Yours.  Help me to let go of even my “good” ideas as I submit to Your wisdom and love.  I do love You, dear Lord, and desire to be used by You in accord with Your perfect Will.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: St Filippo Neri in Ecstasy, by Guido Reni

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Reflection 280: Ignoring God

Do you ignore God?  It’s far too easy to do and, therefore, all too common.  Very often, God is ignored after receiving Holy Communion.  Many people get in the habit of coming forward to receive Him and do so with many distractions and little attention to the sacredness of this encounter.  Do not allow yourself to fall into this habit.  Receiving our Lord in Holy Communion must become a profoundly intimate encounter.  Our souls are fused as one in this moment and we must be attentive to this reality.  Though Holy Communion is the most profound encounter we can have with our Lord, we must be deeply aware of His presence all the time.  When we pray to Him, we must allow ourselves to not only say prayers, but to be drawn into His glorious presence and consumed by His Mercy.  As we go throughout our day, we must be constantly aware of Him walking with us, leading us and speaking to us.  Do not ignore our Lord.  If you find that you do this at times, or if it has become a regular habit, know that the opposite habit can be formed.  Making regular choices to be aware of Him within you and all around you will open the door to you walking in His Mercy every day (See Diary #1385).

Reflect upon your attentiveness to our Lord as honestly as you can.  Reflect, especially, upon your attentiveness to Him as He comes to you in Holy Communion.  Seek Him, listen to Him and receive Him and your life will take on a new direction.

Lord, I know that I ignore You at times and that I fail to be attentive to Your gentle and holy Voice speaking in the depths of my conscience.  I know that I do not properly reverence You and adore You in the countless ways that You come to me.  Give me the grace to form a holy habit of always knowing that You are near.  As I form this habit, give me the grace to love You with all my heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Saint Stanislaus Kostka Receiving the Holy Communion from the Hands of Angels, by Jan van Cleve

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Reflection 279: Your Inner Conviction

You must seek to hear God speak to you through an inner conviction within your soul.  At times you may sense that God’s Voice is loud and clear, and at other times it may seem faint and confusing.  There are many things that can compete with the Voice of God but if you are open, you will come to know His Voice with familiarity.  This is important for your spiritual life.  Learning to hear Him speak and coming to recognize His Voice allows you to more easily walk in His ways throughout your life.  Seek to know this inner conviction that His Voice presents to you.  And as you learn to discern it, grow in confidence at His commands of love.  Daily obedience to Him in this way must become the foundation of all that you do in life and it will become an abundant source of His outpoured Mercy (See Diary #1383).

How familiar are you with the Voice of God?  You most likely will not hear Him speak to you in an audible way.  His Voice often comes as a strong sense that we ought to do this or avoid that.  He speaks by influencing our will even more than our mind.  We may be attentive in our mind to what we sense, but the conviction God gives us is a spiritual sense.  Though God may speak to each person in a unique way, this inner conviction is a common experience of God’s communication.  Reflect, today, upon God speaking in this way and if you struggle with this goal, recommit yourself to listen.  Through this habit you will discover the abundant Mercy that God has in store for you as He guides you day by day.

Lord, I desire to hear Your Voice speaking to me in the depths of my conscience.  Please do speak and fill my will with a sense and a conviction of Your holy and perfect Will.  May I learn to be attentive to You every day and follow Your gentle commands as the guiding light of my life.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

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