Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

Reflection 229: Day-to-Day Martyrdom

One early Church Father (Tertullian) said that “the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.”  This means that the shedding of one’s blood for the faith is not ultimately a tragedy; rather, it’s something that is transformed by Christ so as to nourish the faith of others.  And although you are most likely not to become a martyr in fact (shedding your blood), you are called to be a martyr in spirit by the day-to-day willing sacrifice of your life for the good of the Church.  Being a “day-to-day martyr” means that you offer each and every act of your day to our Lord as a sacrifice for His glory and for the salvation of souls.  It means that even the small acts of your day, the monotonous and seemingly unimportant ones, have the potential of being used by God as an instrument of grace.  Offer everything you do each day, all day, as a sacrifice for the Church and the Lord will use you as an instrument in ways you could never fathom so as to dispense His Divine Mercy (See Diary #1184).

Reflect upon both the great and small sacrifices you can offer to our Lord, this day.  If there is some heavy burden you carry, then focus on that.  But if your day seems filled with many small acts that all appear to be somewhat insignificant in the grand picture of life, know that you have a wonderful opportunity to offer these small acts to our Lord.  The power in this daily offering is beyond what you could comprehend and may be the greatest gift you can offer, and the source of much grace in our world.

Lord, I place before You all my work this day.  I give you every small act and every heavy burden.  I surrender all to You, dear Lord, and make them my holy sacrifice to You.  Use me as Your martyr of love this day and every day so as to become a greater instrument of Your glory and the upbuilding of Your Church.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Christian Martyrs in Colosseum, by Konstantin Flavitsky

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Reflection 228: The Unfailing Presence of God

Is God alive in your life?  Does He live within you?  Is He present to you in the inner depths of your heart day and night?  There is only one thing that would ever cause God to leave you and that is mortal sin.  Mortal sin is deadly sin.  It’s a freely chosen act that is in grave violation of the Will of God and a grave violation of your human dignity.  When you obstinately persist in such a sin, God cannot be present.  He waits for repentance and looks for an opportunity to return, but remains absent as long as the mortal sin remains.  But with that said, this should give you hope because it reveals that as long as you avoid mortal sin, or repent of one you have committed, you can be certain of the presence of God in your life.  You may not always sense His closeness, but He is there, living within you.  Do not doubt this truth and have full confidence of this absolute and irrevocable pledge of our Lord (See Diary #1181).

Reflect, today, upon the presence of God alive in your life.  And if you do not sense His presence, you only need to examine your conscience and discern whether you are in mortal sin.  Most likely you are not.  If you are, repent immediately and seek out the Sacrament of Confession.  But if you are not, then make an act of faith in the presence of God in your soul.  Thank Him for being there even if you do not sense Him.  And if you do not sense Him, be certain that He is there, hidden and silent for good reason.  God’s closeness to you is greater than you will ever know.

Lord, I thank You for being alive in my life and for living within the depths of my soul.  I thank You for being with me through all things and for never abandoning me.  In those moments when I do not sense Your presence, give me faith to know You are there.  And fill me with a confident trust in Your guiding Hand.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Silhouette of man spreading its arm, by Shane Rounce

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Reflection 227: Human Plans are Thwarted

It’s easy for us to come up with what we deem to be a great plan for our lives and for the glory of God.  We can think, and plan, and develop and organize things in a certain way only to find out that what we have come up with is not what is in the Mind of God.  The error some people find themselves in is that they have failed to sincerely listen to God speak and, therefore, have failed to allow Him to lay out His perfect plan for their lives and for their good work of giving Him glory.  The fact remains that if something is not the Will of God, it will not happen.  Our plans become thwarted by the Will of God.  And this is good.  The same is true if others attempt to inflict some idea upon us that is contrary to God’s Will.  The Lord always protects us from this when we trust in Him.  It’s true that, at times, He allows evils to befall us as part of His permissive Will, but this must be seen as a part of His plan for our holiness, permitting us to trust more deeply in His providential care (See Diary #1180).

Reflect upon whether you sincerely seek God’s Will before you develop your own plan or idea.  This takes patience and surrender.  It requires that we deny our own impulses and preferences and allow the Lord to speak and act.  Reflect, also, upon any plans you have had for your own life that have not come to fruition.  Know that this is either the result of a lack of trust on your part, or because your plan did not align with the Will of God.  Surrender any past “failure” you have experienced and renew your commitment to seek only the Will of God.

Lord, I trust that in Your perfect wisdom, You will direct my life and lead me to give You perfect glory.  Help me to deny my own untamed impulses and preferences so that You and You alone will enter into my life and take charge.  I give all to You, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Woman sits on grass during dawn, by Rainier Ridao

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Reflection 226: The Good Fruit of Mercy

Our Lord had a Heart of perfect Mercy for others.  It’s important to note that His Mercy is not only a general concept; rather, it is lived out in concrete action.  Specifically, there are many good fruits born of this Mercy such as concrete acts of compassion, kindness, understanding and consolation.  This is important to understand.  Mercy is not simply some general concept.  It’s concrete and practical.  It is seen, lived and experienced in daily life.  Those who were near Jesus while He lived on Earth would have experienced, first hand, His compassion, kindness, understanding and consolation.  Jesus wants to continue offering these to others through you.  Commit yourself to these concrete acts so that the Mercy of God will continue to take on flesh in our world (See Diary #1175).

When you look at your own life, and examine all your actions, what do you see?  Do you see concrete acts of the Mercy of God shining through?  Reflect, today, upon the particulars and specific acts you see or do not see.  Know that God’s Mercy shines through you in the smallest of ways.  Look for those ways and seek their increase in your life.  Do not wait.

Lord, please make me an instrument of Your Mercy in daily acts of kindness, compassion, consolation and understanding.  May these good fruits of Your Mercy be alive in my life in small and great ways.  I give myself to You for Your Mercy, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Compassionate Lord, by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

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Reflection 225: Spiritual Friendship Through Prayer

One powerful channel of the Mercy of God is friendship with another.  But friendship can be lived on various levels.  Sometimes this bond is based on superficial and unimportant things, and at other times it’s deeply grounded in our Lord.  A sign of a deep spiritual friendship is mutual prayer.  If you have been blessed with a faith-filled friend, seal and deepen that friendship through a commitment to mutual prayer.  Share your life and your needs with each other and commit to praying for those needs.  Through the act of mutual prayer you will discover that the Mercy of God is poured forth in each of your lives, and that your mutual bond will be deepened in the Lord.   This is a blessing of the Mercy of God as well as a source of its continued outpouring (See Diary #1171).

Reflect upon the friendships you have.  What is the basis of each friendship?  Perhaps each one will be varied.  Some will be casual acquaintances, based on a shared interest.  Others will be based on some deeper unifying bond.  Spend time today especially reflecting upon those friendships that are based on your shared love of God.  If you are blessed with one of these friendships, seek to deepen it through shared prayer.  Reflect upon that which your friend is in need of the most and commit yourself to praying for this intention.  And share your need with your friend.  This mutual exchange of prayer will be a powerful source of the Mercy of God.

Lord, I especially thank You this day for my friendships.  I offer my friends to You and ask for an abundance of grace to be poured out upon them.  Lord, I especially offer this particular need in my friend’s life (identify a need).  I thank You for Your unwavering love for each of us, dear Lord, and for Your own perfect gift of friendship in our lives.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Jesus as the Friend of Children, by Marie Ellenrieder.

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Reflection 224: To Speak or Not to Speak

One common human tendency is to talk excessively and to explain ourselves to others, especially to justify our actions in their minds.  This is especially the case when we sense that others misunderstand us.  But Jesus experienced this to the greatest degree as He stood before Herod and Pilate.  In these cases, He remained silent.  This is a lesson for us in that there are many times when our Lord calls us to remain silent in the face of misunderstanding.  Sure, there are other times when He calls us to speak freely and openly to another about our soul and our inner thoughts, but we must strive to discern His Will in each situation and know that silence, in certain situations, is what He calls us to.  Remaining silent, at times, will produce more good fruit than an excess of words.  Seek to imitate the silence of our Lord in those moments, trusting that He sees your soul and is pleased with you as you endure false perceptions and misunderstandings (See Diary #1164).

Are there times when you sense that others do not understand you?  This can be difficult and even painful.  Notice that in these moments you may tend to look for ways to explain yourself to others and defend your honor.  But silence in those moments may actually be what our Lord is calling you to embrace.  Reflect upon Jesus, standing before Herod and Pilate, and ponder His silence in the face of judgment.  Know that you will also be called to endure moments like this and, in accord with God’s mysterious Will, this act of silence will win more grace for the salvation of souls than all the words you could speak.

Lord, give me wisdom so that I know when to speak and when to remain silent.  I desire to imitate Your perfect silence and to endure the misunderstandings that You endured.  In these moments, give me grace to imitate Your humility as I imitate You.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Jesus Before Pilate, First Interview (Jésus devant Pilate. Premier entretien). by James Tissot

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Reflection 223: A Dreadful Day

Nothing in life has to be dreadful.  Even the greatest struggle and suffering we endure can easily be transformed by God to become a source of His Mercy and our sanctification.  But there is one thing that would be truly dreadful if it were to come upon us.  And that one thing is the Day of Judgment if we were to remain closed to the Mercy of God through our obstinance and refusal to humbly repent and change our lives.  This is a frightening reality to behold.  When we stand before the Judgment Seat of God we will never be able to justify our stubborn adherence to sin.  No amount of rationalization or self-justification will appease the Justice of God.  Do not allow yourself to come to this point.  Repent now.  Honestly repent and confess your sin.  Do not hold onto your self-righteousness.  This will be easy to accomplish if you clearly understand the infinite Mercy of God offered you now and until the day of your judgment.  After that, it will be too late.  Do not wait (See Diary #1160).

What do you need to repent of?  Seriously, what is it?  Do not cling to your own self-righteousness acting as if you have no sin.  You may fool others, you may even fool yourself, but you will never fool God.  His love for you is greater than you’ll ever fathom and knowing this should ease your worries about admitting your sin.  Do it and watch the floodgates of Mercy open before you.

Lord, I am sorry and I do repent of my sin.  I am so sorry, especially for the ways that I have failed to honestly admit my wrongs.  Give me the grace, this day, to see my soul as You see it and to admit to the ways that I have turned from You, clinging to my own sin and especially my pride.  Have Mercy on me, dear Lord.  I give myself and all my sin to You.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image: Jehan Cousin the Younger, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Reflection 222: Feeling Overwhelmed

There are days when you most likely feel overwhelmed on account of one thing or another.  It may be that you find yourself with much responsibility and are anxious about being able to properly fulfill your duties well.  Or you may feel overwhelmed for the opposite reason, finding that life seems to be at a standstill and you are not sure what to do next.  In these moments, of feeling overwhelmed, we must make an act of trust in God.  The truth is that God could enter any situation in an instant and transform it, enabling us to face what is before us with the ease of a child.  But He doesn’t always do that.  Sometimes He allows us to wait on Him so that the situation we face will help to purify us and urge us toward greater surrender and love.  Know that God loves you and could do anything to immediately lighten your struggle.  Knowing that will help you also realize that, at times, He remains at an apparent distance as an act of hidden Mercy.  It’s a Mercy because His wisdom is perfect and He will always act in a way that is most fruitful for your soul (See Diary #1153).

Look at your life this day and identify that which has the appearance of being your greatest struggle.  How does that make you feel?  If you do feel overwhelmed then pause and try to see the wisdom of God.  He will never abandon you and may actually be offering you a hidden gift of Mercy through which He is calling you to greater holiness than if He immediately made your burdens light and easy.

Lord, help me to trust in You especially when I feel overwhelmed by the hardships of life.  May I never doubt Your perfect love and perfect wisdom in all things.  Give me the grace to see beyond that which burdens me so as to discover the hidden Mercy You offer me to purify and strengthen my soul.  I thank You for all things, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Image: person sitting on pew inside church, by Stefan Kunze

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Reflection 221: Glorying in Yourself

Sometimes, those who are quite “religious” speak of many “religious” things.  They speak pious language and talk about holy things.  But in the end, it may be that all they say and do is actually said and done as a way of glorifying themselves in the sight of others.  This is the struggle of the Pharisees.  Sadly, those who struggle with this, just like the Pharisees, may even be fooling themselves into thinking they are exceptionally close to God.  But their pride has blinded them.  The goal of our lives must be to humbly point to God and offer all glory to Him, not to ourselves.  This can be very hard, but when done well, as an act of the utmost humility and truth, we realize that God actually does draw us into His glory and allows us to share in the honor that we owe to Him.  Only in this way do we come to realize our true dignity as His sons and daughters.  And in humbly pointing to God in all things, we are also lifted on high by God Himself (See Diary #1149).

Are you able to give all glory to God rather than trying to lift yourself up for others to see?  Reflect upon this in all honesty and humility.  The problem is that if you lift yourself on high, you will not be able to lift yourself very high and will actually find yourself in a more humiliated state than you could have imagined.  Lift the Lord on high and point to Him as the source of all goodness and leave the elevation of your own life up to Him.  He will raise you higher than you could ever do yourself.

Lord, I pray for the gift of humility.  I pray that in my humility I will see the truth and proclaim only that truth.  I especially pray that I will be able to see the truth that all good things come from You and are accomplished by You.  All glory be to You my Lord!  Jesus, I trust in You.

Image: Christ among the Pharisees, by Jacob Jordaens 

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Reflection 220: The Tormented Soul

Some people feel deeply tormented in the depths of their souls.  Sometimes this is caused by sin, sometimes it is caused by a special Mercy of God which enables the soul to experience the sufferings Jesus went through.  Whatever the case may be, if you encounter any torment, whatsoever, in the depths of your soul, know that you have a special right to the Mercy of God.  Why do you have this “right” to Mercy?  Not because you deserve it; rather, because God wishes to bestow it.  The greater your suffering the greater your right to the Mercy of God.  For that reason, do not be afraid to run to God in your misery and pain.  Do not be afraid of any form of rejection from God.  The soul that suffers is dearer to Him than any other (See Diary #1146).

The term “tormented soul” is powerful language.  But it’s also very honest language, describing the experience of many people.  So many people feel this deep interior torment, especially on account of their sins.  They feel dry, alone and trapped in this cycle of pain.  If this is you in any way, reflect upon the truth that God offers you a right to His Mercy more than any other.  He chooses you as His special object of compassion and lavishes upon you more than you could ever ask for.  Let yourself grow in confidence as you seek the Mercy of God and allow it to penetrate every torment you feel, no matter the cause, even if it comes from your sin.

Lord of utmost compassion, please help me to know, with certainty, that You love me and will never reject me.  I believe in Your Mercy and I trust that You desire to dispense it in abundance.  When I feel lost, confused and even tormented by my sin, help me to turn to You all the more, calling upon You to fulfill Your promise of love.  Jesus, I trust in You.  

Image via Pixabay

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