Journeying With The Saints

Today's readings are from Notebook 5, numbers 1388-1393.

The Catholic Church has seven sacraments. They are more than just nice symbolic ceremonies. They affect an actual change within us. The most perfect of all the sacraments is the Eucharist because it not only imparts grace but it is the actual communing with Christ in a physical way. Sister Faustina understands this completely.

Today's readings are from Notebook 5, numbers 1382-1387.

Another ten days down! Congrats!

We will have more interesting scenes from the convent today. Sister Faustina is visited by a deceased sister in need of prayers. What we are going to focus most, though, are Christ's words. He comments that souls don't pay attention to Him and treat Him like "a dead object."

Today's readings are from Notebook 5, numbers 1375-1381.

I am the absolute worst at conversing with people when they are hot and angry. I just end up getting hot and angry, too. Sister Faustina, today, is going to have all kinds of things going on in the convent. She gets a visit from five angry men at the gate and she handles the situation very well. It's a good lesson in how to respond to people.

Today's readings are from Notebook 5, numbers 1370-1374.

Sister Faustina shares with us that from her earliest years she wanted to become a saint. I think sometimes we set the bar too low for our young people--meaning teenagers. We don't expect hardly anything from them and, yet, there is so much greatness and potential sitting inside them--especially at a time when they have so much energy and youthfulness about them.

Today's readings are from Notebook 5, numbers 1365-1369.

One of the things I love reading in this diary is how devoted Sister Faustina is to Christ. She tries so hard, she prays so hard, and she is always looking for ways to be better. Because of this, Christ has created a new life within her. It's tempting to look at her and say, "She seems like she's always been a saint. She doesn't struggle like the rest of us." But, don't be deceived, she's struggled in her own way.

Today's readings are from Notebook 5, numbers 1360-1364.

My son asked me the other day if I would want to live here on earth for a million years if I could. I told him that I wouldn't want to and he asked why. I told him that our goal is to get to Heaven someday. Sister Faustina talks today about what her destiny is and she knows it's to reach Heaven and become a saint. That is our destiny, too.

This week we are reading the 40th number from "Way to Inner Peace." Our topic is patience and I'm not sure I'm the best gal for reflections on this topic as I'm fairly certain I'm one of the most impatient people on the planet. I thought I'd give a funny story--funny story now--on a time when I completely failed in practicing the virtue of patience.

Three Key Points: Submission, self-possession, remedy

Today's readings are from Notebook 5, numbers 1352-1359.

I was once having a conversation with someone and they said to me, "Nobody is going to tell me how to live out Christianity. I decide for myself." That comment begged the question, "Nobody? Not even Christ?" In contrast, Sister Faustina gives the most perfect and appropriate response to our Christian Faith.

Today's readings are from Notebook 5, numbers 1345-1351.

What happens in our life if all we see is our misery and never the mercy and love of Christ. Well, it makes for a very sad life. I had an interaction with a guy online about three years ago for an extended period of time. All he could see was his great misery and great sins. Try as I might, I could not get him to recognize Christ's mercy. He just couldn't see it.

Today's readings are from Notebook 5, numbers 1341-1344.

Sister Faustina is going to talk about sickness and death. She's even going to envision her own death as she meditates on death. It got me thinking a lot of sickness and death and our absolute fear of both.