Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

Every reflection of this book ends with a prayer and each prayer ends with the prayer, “Jesus, I trust in You.” But do you? Trust is not only a one time act. It’s not something we do or do not do. It’s something we must do on a continually deepening level. There is no limit to the depths of the trust to which we are called. The deeper your trust, the more the Heart of our Divine Lord will be drawn to pour forth His Mercy. One essential aspect of growing in trust is seeing our misery and sin. When we see our sin without trust in God’s Mercy, we are left in despair. But when we see the horror of our sin and trust in His Mercy to the same extent, He enters in and transforms our souls into His holy and pure dwelling place of love (See Diary #718). Do you trust in God and in His abundance of Mercy? If you do, you will also be aware of your sin to a great extent. Do you see your sin? Are you aware of your miserable condition? If so, do not despair; rather, see it as a graced opportunity to trust all the more in God and in His perfect love for you. Lord, I do trust in You but I do not trust You enough. Help me, first, to be aware of my wretchedness and sin. But in seeing this miserable condition, help me to turn to You rather than to despair. May my trust never end and may it grow continually deeper so that Your Heart may be opened and so that You will pour down Your grace upon me. Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Image: flickr

It is important to recognize the existence of the evil one, satan. And it’s important to realize his anger and hatred. His hatred is of greater intensity than we may be able to understand. It is beyond his control to cease hating us and seeking to destroy us with all his powers. Why is it important to know this? Because when we receive some attack from the evil one, either directly or through the “inspired” anger of another, we tend to react with fear, scandal, or anger ourselves. We tend to want to fight back. But if we understand the intense hatred of the devil, we will realize that he desires to draw us into his hatred and anger. Therefore, the best response to any experience of his hatred is to turn from him and his attacks and to remain at peace with God. The peace of our soul will dispel him and all he seeks to do to us. His anger is not worth even a moment of our attention or engagement (see Diary #713). How do you react to the evil one and his attacks? Do you recognize his insidious but vile ways? Can you discern his attempts to steal your peace and turn your focus to fear rather than faith? Reflect, today, upon the crucifix and turn your eyes to this saving act of perfect love given by our Savior. By turning to the Lord in all things, His peace remains and He will dispel the dark attacks of him who hates us. Lord, I turn my eyes to You and give my mind, heart, feelings and passions to You and You alone. Free me from foolish fear and from all attacks from the evil one. May I discern his evil ways and reject their effects by trusting in You and You alone. Jesus, I do trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above by Magda Ehlers from Pexels

Only in Heaven will we understand the gift of the angelic hosts. These magnificent spiritual beings were created by God out of love. Some were created for the sole purpose of eternal worship and adoration of the Most Holy Trinity. They never tire of this calling and worship God with an ever deepening love and communion. Other angelic beings were created to bring the love and Mercy of God to us. The Guardian Angels and Archangels are two such creations that are constantly interceding for us, protecting us and guiding us into the Will of God. Our knowledge of them is not necessary for their continued attentiveness to our love and care. But humbly acknowledging their mediation and calling upon them is an act of pure faith and trust in God. They are here with us and we must call on them, trust in them, hope in them and love them. Doing so is the Will of God and an acknowledgment of one central way through which He pours forth His Divine Mercy (See Diary #706). Do you call on the angels to come to your aid? Do you pray to your guardian angel and St. Michael the Archangel, in particular? We must trust in their powerful mediation and sacred ability to guard and protect us in accord with the Mind and Will of God. Speak to these angels today, and allow yourself to become more fully consecrated to their care. Lord, I thank You for the gift of the holy angels. I thank You for Sts. Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, my guardian angel and for the whole host of Heaven. I pray that I will continually be open to the workings of these angelic beings in my life. Through their mediation, keep me safe from all evil and direct me in accord with Your holy Will. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured Image above: Le Grand Saint Michel, by Raffaello Sanzio, via Wikimedia Commons

In your relations with others, do you sometimes feel misunderstood? It could be by a close family member, a friend, a coworker, etc. The problem is that the content of your mind, heart, will, intention, and all of your past experiences are what go into directing your actions. And no one understands all of this except God. We do not even fully understand what we do and why we do it most of the time. As a result, it is easy for others to fail to understand us and what takes place within us. It can also be easy for others to misunderstand us and even judge us. This can be hard to take but we must not let it bother us. Instead, we must direct our concern only to that which our Lord thinks. His Mind and His judgment are all that matters. And the misunderstanding we may experience at times from others must be seen as an act of the permissive Will of our Lord, primarily to test and strengthen our Mercy for others (See Diary #700). Can you think of a time in which you recently experienced the misunderstanding of another? If so, rather than letting yourself become angry or hurt over this, allow it to test the depths of your own merciful heart. Accept this humiliation with grace and give thanks to God that He has permitted you to share in the same act of misunderstanding and judgment that He took upon Himself. In this, you are blessed to be invited to share in the distribution of His Divine Mercy. Lord, give me a merciful heart. When I am misunderstood, help me to accept this as an opportunity for grace, forgiveness and Mercy. Thank You for loving me enough to allow me to endure such a test. I give myself to You, dear Lord, so that You can work in and through me to be a witness of all that You endured. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: Jesús en casa de Anás by José de Madrazo y Agudo, via Wikimedia Commons

Sometimes we tend to push the Will of God faster than God has chosen to move. As a result, we end up doing our own will and not that of God’s. The key is patience. We must patiently wait upon the Lord for Him to act in us so that He is the one doing all things through us. In fact, the act of patience is something that God desires greatly in our lives. Through patience, we are able to let go of our own will and our own ideas and watch the Lord accomplish so much more than we could ever do on our own. We must be diligent, and respond to the Lord when He opens a door or points the way, but we must wait for Him to do the opening and pointing (See Diary #693). What are you impatient with in life? What is it that you want God to move faster at? Reflect upon this inner struggle and know that the virtue of patience opens the door to the guidance and grace that God wants to give. Let Him do things in His time and His way and you will discover that His ways are far above yours. Lord, I know that Your ways are infinitely above mine and that Your thoughts must be chosen over my own (see Is. 55:8). Give me the grace of patience in all things. Help me to wait on You and to trust that Your Mercy will be bestowed in abundance in accord with Your perfect wisdom. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: Reni - Saint Apollonia in Prayer, via Wikimwedia

Perhaps it’s no surprise to hear it said that the Mercy of God is infinite. But “infinity” is quite a concept to grasp. In fact, some would argue that it is impossible to grasp. Delving into something that is infinite and has no bounds is beyond what we could ever fathom. So it is with the Mercy of God. Being infinite, we should realize that we will spend eternity, an infinite existence, seeking and receiving this Mercy that will never end. Right now, on Earth, our experience of the infinite Mercy of God is quite limited. It’s as if we can take in a thimble full while the endless oceans await (See Diary #687 & 692). Do you ever spend time reflecting upon infinity? Think of outer space, which never ends. And how could it? What would be at the other end of the end of space? So it is with God’s Mercy. How could it ever end? How could it ever be exhausted? His Mercy is as vast and wide as God is Himself. Reflect upon the essence of God, and as you marvel at His infinite nature, allow yourself to be drawn into His unending gift of Love. For when you can begin to grasp it, you will desire it. And when you desire it, you will have begun your journey into infinity. Lord, Your love for me is beyond what I can ever imagine. Help me to at least understand that I will never understand, fully, the depth of Your love. Help me to see that Your Mercy is endless and help me to begin my journey into eternity with You. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured Image above by Pexels from Pixabay

When you pray, do you ever sit and gaze upon the crucifix? From an outside perspective, the crucifix is a puzzling reality. Why would we lift high and honor such a horrific event? The brutal murder of the Son of God may not be, at first, something we are attracted to. Yet, the crucifix has a power and a draw for those who gaze upon it in faith because it is not only a horrific and brutal murder, it is, first and foremost, the complete victory over sin and death. The Crucifixion of our Lord was the greatest act of love ever known, because in that act, He destroyed death and sin forever for those who turn to Him with complete abandon. The crucifix is also a sign to us of the self-giving we are called to live. We are each called to enter upon that cross and die with Christ, giving ourselves to others. For in dying with Him, our sins are atoned for and we are able to share in the victory of His Resurrection. Gazing upon the Crucifixion of our Lord transforms us as it opens the doors of the Mercy won by this selfless act of love (See Diary #681). Try praying before the crucifix. Try sitting in silence and gazing upon it. To “gaze” is more than to simply “look.” When we gaze we seek to look beyond the image we see and to peer into the love that brought Jesus to that moment. We see a God of infinite love who was willing to go all the way to save us from our sins and love us with a perfect love. Lord, I do desire to gaze upon Your perfect act of love and to see Your Heart, bursting forth with Mercy upon me and upon the whole world. Help me to understand the unfathomable gift of Your Sacrifice and to enter into an eternal gratitude for this gift. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured Image above: Picdiet

If you were to examine the content of your prayer life over the past month, what would you see? Hopefully there would be many moments of surrender, intercession, praise and adoration. And hopefully there were also many moments in which your prayer consisted of deep thanksgiving to God. Being grateful, truly grateful, and expressing that gratitude in prayer is powerful. We have so much to be grateful for and yet, so often, we become more focused in on our problems than on the countless blessings God has bestowed upon us. Even in the midst of life’s darkest hour, there is much that a holy soul can find to be grateful for. Offering prayers of gratitude to God, with much sincerity, has the potential to lift our spirits to the heights of authentic spiritual joy (See Diary #675). What are you grateful for? Better put, in what ways has God blessed you in abundance? If you are not immediately aware of your blessings from God, that is a good sign that you may need to spend more time “counting your blessings.” It’s good to keep our eyes on the innumerable blessings God has bestowed upon us, to see them, name them and be joyful in them. The more we see them, the more we grow in gratitude, and the more we grow in gratitude, the more we are blessed. Lord, I thank You with profound gratitude for the countless blessings in my life. Help me to daily become more aware of those blessings and to be grateful for them. Help me to see that life itself is a gift and that You are active in my life day and night. Help me to especially see these blessings when life is hard, or when some burden weighs me down. May I be filled with a grateful heart and always rejoice in Your goodness. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured Image above: Author - LoveToTakePhotos (pixabay.com)

Do you converse with Jesus? This is a form of prayer that is most fruitful. “Conversation” with God is not the highest form of prayer, but it is a form of prayer that we often need to begin with. Conversation with God is especially fruitful when we carry some form of burden or confusion in life. When this is the case, it can be helpful to speak about this openly and honestly with our Lord. Speaking with Him, interiorly, will help bring clarity to whatever obstacle we are facing. And when the conversation is complete, and when we have heard His clear response, we are then invited to enter deeper into prayer by submitting ourselves to that which He says. Through this initial exchange, followed by a complete submission of mind and will, true adoration of God is brought about. So if something is on your mind, do not hesitate to speak openly and honestly with our Lord about it. You will find that it is an easy and fruitful conversation to have (See Diary # 670). Think about that which bothers you the most. What is it that seems to weigh you down? Try getting on your knees and pouring your heart out to Jesus. Speak to Him, but then be silent and wait on Him. In the proper way and at the proper time He will answer you, when you’re open. And when you do hear Him speak, listen and obey. This will allow you to walk down the road of true adoration and worship. Dear Lord, I love You and adore You with all my heart. Help me to confidently bring my concerns to You, laying them down before You and listening to Your response. Dear Jesus, as You converse with me, help me to heed Your voice and to respond with true generosity. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: pxfuel

A honey bee works diligently, day after day, and a colony of bees all work toward the same natural end. They work to produce honey. This is no small task and requires constant work on the part of thousands of bees to produce a small amount of honey. But, in the end, their efforts pay off and honey is made and stored in the hive. So it is with our lives. We are all called to serve the Lord individually, but we also do so in communion with others. Religious congregations, dioceses, parish churches, families and friends are all called in various ways to serve the Lord as a community of faith. When each one does his or her part, the Lord accomplishes an abundance of good fruit so as to bring the sweetness of His love into a world in much need (See Diary #664). Do you see yourself as a “lone Christian?” Or do you see yourself as a member of the family of God, seeking to do your humble part so that the Church, as a whole, can complete Her mission? The Church is called to bring the sweet love of our Lord into a world starving for love. Reflect upon whether you are doing your small part. Your part is all that you are responsible for. It is nothing other than embracing the Will of God each and every day and each and every moment of the day. Small acts of love, the daily choice to trust, the humble submission of your will. You can fulfill your mission in life and when you do, the Lord will add this to the works of all His sons and daughters and, through His whole Church, He will transform the world, bringing forth His glorious Kingdom. Lord, as a single bee produces only a tiny bit of honey, so also do my actions and service to You produce only that which You have given me to accomplish. I offer my love and service to You so that You may unite it with the love and service of others, producing, together, an abundance of Mercy for a world in such need. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured Image above: Pixabay

We cannot do anything good on our own. This is a fact. All we can do on our own is sin. In fact, the only way to please God and to do good things for Him is to rely upon Him for everything. We must have a relationship of complete dependence upon God in all things. It’s easy to think that we will please God if we simply try harder with an action we have undertaken on our own and believe is good. If we do this or that and do it well, we will please Him. But this is not true. God is not looking for us to do something of our own choosing for Him, and to try and try again until we accomplish it. No, He is only looking for one thing: obedience to His Will in all things. And the only way we can be obedient to that which He calls us to embrace, is by becoming completely dependent upon Him in every way (See Diary #659). Reflect upon the joyful discovery of the Will of God. When we discover what He asks of us, and then accept His Will, we will also, necessarily, enter into a relationship of trust and utter dependence upon Him. This act of depending upon Him to fulfill His Will produces an abundance of peace and joy. Reflect upon whether you see this total dependence upon God alive in your life. Where you see it lacking, surrender more deeply in trust, giving up that which you cling to by your own will, choosing instead the Will of God as He makes it known to You. Lord, I choose this day to become completely dependent upon You and Your most holy Will. I choose, further, to give up my own will and all that I try to do on my own. May my surrender and dependence upon You become the source of my enduring peace and joy. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: by Geralt, via needpix.com

One common tendency we all have is curiosity. We easily become curious about almost everything, desiring to know. Magazines, news articles, shows, daily gossip sessions, etc., all have as their aim the satisfaction of our curiosity. This curiosity must turn into a desire to know God and all He speaks to us. But, with that said, we must also know that we cannot know. The wisdom and Will of God are so far beyond our limited minds and hearts that we will never be able to understand their mystery. Life is a mystery. Struggle and hardship are mysteries. Love is a mystery. And yet, as we humbly face the countless mysteries of life, we also face the incomprehensible mystery of God. Interestingly, knowing that we do not know, and understanding that we cannot understand, present us with the great mystery of God. In the face of this incomprehensible Mystery, we are in the presence of God. This is a gift! This silencing of our understanding before the mystery of God enables us to face life in faith. Faith is a way of knowing without fully comprehending. It’s a gift enabling us to walk through life in darkness, yet with clarity and certainty (See Diary #651). Do you find that you do not understand God or His ways? Do you look at your life and wonder, “Why this?” or “Why that?” or “Where is God in all of this?” God and His ways are a mystery. But, as a mystery, you are invited to enter in with the darkness of faith. This will only make sense if you let the Holy Spirit penetrate your thoughts and teach you in a new way. Your “understanding” of the Mind and Will of God will not so much be like other forms of knowledge; rather, your knowledge will be new, certain, clear, deep, and yet mysterious at the same time. Allow yourself to be taught by faith and you will be able to face any and every mystery and hardship that you encounter in life. Lord, oh Incomprehensible Mystery! I stand before You in awe and in darkness. Yet in the darkness of my understanding, I reaffirm my faith and trust in You. As I face the mystery of my life and, even more so, the mystery of Your life, I allow You to consume me with the gift of faith. Help me to believe without seeing and to know without understanding. Most importantly, I desire and choose to give my life to You, oh Incomprehensible Mystery, and I choose You above all else. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured Image by Barbara Jackson from Pixabay

Is it better to do great works, or small sacrifices? It’s easy to conclude that some great work for God is far better than any small sacrifice. But is it? That all depends upon the Will of God. Sometimes we take on some “great work” for God but, in the end, it’s not part of His plan. A work is great only when it is done because God inspired it and remains the one leading it. Conversely, if God inspires a very small sacrifice on your part and you accept it and live it, then you can be assured that this small sacrifice will do more good for the salvation of souls than any other sacrifice you could ever dream up on your own. In fact, trying to force the Will of God to conform to your own will, inevitably, does more damage for the Kingdom of God than good, even if your idea seems holy (See Diary #639). What is it that God is inspiring you to do? How are you called to serve His holy Will? Look for His inspiration in the smallest of things. It may be a kind word spoken to another, or a small hidden sacrifice that only you are aware of. And if He is calling you to do something “great” that others will notice, do not be afraid of this, but do not be overly proud of it either. Do all things, great or small, in accord with the Will of God and you will find that all things you do are truly great! Lord, I believe that greatness is found only in Your holy Will. Help me to set aside my own ideas and agendas so that I may seek only that which is in Your perfect Heart. Help me to humbly embrace every small sacrifice You ask of me, and to have courage to do those things which seem to be beyond my ability. May I listen to You and respond generously to whatever You say. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: flickr

There is little doubt that each one of us will encounter, from time to time, the sin of another. It could be in their words, actions or the omission of what they ought to do. Sin hurts and requires correction. Very often, when we are sinned against, we tend to get angry. But the anger we have is not always “holy anger” and is not, therefore, always from God. We can easily allow our wounded pride to be the source of a harsh, or even subtle, correction of another. This, then, becomes our sin. But sin must be confronted and God will, at times, call us to correct others. Our correction may even be severe. But when it comes from the holiness of God, inspiring and guiding us, our correction of the other will not wound them, it will be an act of Mercy. They may need severity, and God may inspire us to be severe, but we must always be careful that what we offer ultimately flows from the Mercy of God (See Diary #633). Reflect upon any moments of contention that you have encountered lately. Were words spoken, or actions done that were based more on unhealthy emotion than on love? Examine how you react when hurt by another. Do you look at them with Mercy and seek to offer the Mercy of God, even if it must come, in that moment, in the form of a holy rebuke? Do not be afraid to let God use you to offer this form of Mercy. It may be hard to distinguish from the sin of anger, but we must strive to offer this Mercy for the good of those we are called to love. Lord, I offer myself to You so that You can use me as an instrument of Your Divine Mercy. When I am sinned against, help me to forgive immediately. But help me, also, to know how best to address the sins of others. Help me to know how to offer correction in love for their good. Give me courage and wisdom, dear Lord, and use me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: Jesus casting out the money changers at the temple; by Carl Bloch, via Wikimedia Commons

Have you encountered the sweetness of Jesus? He, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, come to you in the secret depths of your soul. There, in this hidden place, they desire to communicate with you. Their communication is beyond words and concepts. It’s a communication of profound love that leaves the soul at peace and with a delight of the greatest sweetness. Their encounter with you is not an emotion; it’s a spiritual union (See Diary #622). How deep is your relationship with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit? Is it something more intellectual? Is it based only on the fact that you believe in them, for the most part? Or is it something that goes much deeper? The goal must be to come to know God in a real and tangible way. But that knowledge of Him must also be personal. It must become a relationship that is lived and that sustains you in all things. If the Blessed Trinity lives within you, and if you allow yourself to embrace that relationship wholeheartedly, then you will discover an inner sweetness that overwhelms any suffering or hardship you endure. The sweetness of that love will carry you, day in and day out, to the glories of Heaven. Lord, I long to know You, to love You and to become one with You. I desire to have You live within my soul, refreshing me with the sweetness of Your presence. Take my life, sweet Jesus, and unite me with Your perfect Heart of love. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: flickr

You are called to love God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength. But how do you do this? What does an active loving of God look like in our lives? Ultimately, we love God through holy obedience. We must obey His Divine Will above all else. Perhaps that seems like a strange concept, that love of God is best expressed in holy obedience. But it is. It’s expressed in holy obedience because of one simple fact: The Will of God is perfect, perfect for us, exactly what we need, it’s what we were made for, and we must enter into perfect submission to His Will. In the end, the only way we will understand this form and depth of love is by living it (See Diary #616). How well do you do with the practice of holy obedience? When you think about this, does it inspire you, or turn you off? Holy obedience can be a difficult virtue to embrace and live wholeheartedly. It can be difficult to accept and to embrace as good. Look at your inner reaction to the idea of striving to obey God in all things. If you can rid yourself of any resistance to this practice, you will find great joy in loving God in this perfect way. Lord, I want to obey You in all things. I thank You that Your law is perfect and, when embraced, completely refreshes my soul. Help me to always love You in this holy way so as to make Your Will my own. In this act, I imitate Your perfect obedience to the Will of the Father. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Do you have fear in your life? It’s important to know that some fear is quite unhealthy, stemming from a form of pride, while another form of fear is quite healthy, resulting from your profound love of God. The “holy fear” is filial fear, which is the fear of a child of God. This particular form of fear is present when your love of God is so deep that you fear doing anything that would harm your relationship with Him. It’s not that you are afraid of God, rather, you have a holy desire to avoid all sin. This form of holy fear must also enter into every relationship of love you have for others. You should deeply desire to avoid all that harms each and every relationship you have been blessed to receive. This is a gift of God’s abundant Mercy (See Diary #610). Consider your love of God. Is it strong enough to produce the healthy desire in your heart to avoid all that might hurt that relationship? This holy fear must become a driving force to develop a profoundly personal relationship with our Lord. Consider, also, your relationship with others. Do you have a healthy desire to eliminate anything that is an obstacle to your wholehearted love of them? Seek this gift of God’s Mercy and the Lord will draw you closer to Himself and to others. Lord, I do love You and I desire to surrender to You everything in my life that keeps me from loving You with my whole heart. Give me a holy fear so that I may draw closer to You and learn to love others as You love them. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: Titian – Saint Catherine of Alexandria at Prayer, via Wikimedia Commons

Do you know that our Lord chooses certain people for a specific mission of suffering? He picks certain people, who are few in number, to more fully resemble His innocent suffering here on Earth. These holy souls suffer in many and varied ways. They are the continuation of the innocent suffering of Jesus Himself. They have a very specific mission on Earth and it is a mission requiring the greatest sacrifice imaginable. The good news, for these chosen few, is that the crown of glory that awaits them in Heaven makes every act of suffering here on Earth worth it. Through their suffering, completely embraced in joy, and offered to the Father through the Son, they make up that which is “lacking in the sufferings of Christ” as St. Paul explains to us (Colossians 1:24). Though this unique vocation is only given to a few in a profound way, we are all called to share in Christ’s sufferings so as to also share in His glorification (See Diary #604). What do you do with your daily sufferings? Do you “offer it up?” This invitation from Jesus, to unite our sufferings with His, is a true calling that has more potential for grace than anything else. It’s what makes us most like Him. It is the greatest sacrifice we can offer and the most powerful prayer we can pray. Think about the sufferings you encounter in your life. No matter what they are, do not run from them. Try to embrace them and offer them up, joyfully, to our Lord. Heavenly Father, I give to You, this day, all my joys, works and sufferings. I especially offer You the sufferings I endure. I offer You all the small and great ways in which I experience suffering, hardship and pain in my life. May these become a sacrifice of love, offered in union with the one and perfect sacrifice of Jesus, Your Son. Transform this offering and make it a source of grace in this world. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: John Joseph Kilpin Fletcher - The sign of the cross in Madagascar, via Wikimedia Commons

Do you want to see The Divine Mercy of God pour forth upon the world in an abundant way? Hopefully and presumably the answer to that question is an easy, “Yes.” It’s important to know that, in some ways, you are responsible for whether or not that happens. Specifically, Jesus has chosen to make His abundance of Mercy flow forth as a direct result of your intercession for others. It’s true. Your personal choice to pray for others has a direct result on Jesus offering them special graces. This is a grace offered others in addition to the many other graces He offers in other ways. Do your part and others will be blessed in abundance. Ignore your part, and they will not receive the specific grace you could have won for them through your prayers (See Diary #599). Reflect, today, upon the person or people God has entrusted to your intercession. This is no small responsibility. God has chosen you for this task. And through your prayers, others will be blessed. Who is it that God wants to bless through your prayers? Make a concrete decision to pray for them and trust that the Lord’s Mercy will be bestowed as a direct result. Lord, I pray that You will show me who You wish me to pray for. Place on my heart this desire. Help me to be faithful in my intercession and to trust in the power of that prayer. Here and now I offer (think of a person) to You. And I especially offer this person to the Immaculate Heart of Your Mother for her perfect prayers. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Feature image above: The Infant Samuel at Prayer - Sir Joshua Reynolds, via Wikipedia

Who, in their right mind, would want to be humiliated? What would you do if you were humiliated? Most people would be tempted to seek ways to avoid humiliation. Some would become deeply hurt as a result. Others would become angry and defensive. And though the source of one’s humiliation may not be fair, it’s important to understand that humiliations can become an invitation to the deepest depths of God’s grace and Mercy. Humiliation has the potential to produce humility when embraced properly. Though anger and hurt may also result, humility must be the goal. What matters most is that we shed any pride, anger or hurt that we experience and allow ourselves to enter into the depths of humility. This necessary quality will enable us to rely solely upon God, seek consolation and peace only from Him, and allow Him and His holy Will to be the one and only source of our joy in life. Nothing could be better for the soul than the humility that comes from humiliations (See Diary #593). What is it that humbles you the most? What wounds your pride and causes you to be angry or defensive? What do you stew over and think about obsessively? If something comes to mind, then this may be something very specific that the Lord wishes to turn into a source of grace and Mercy. Everything, be it sin, injustice, hurt, etc., has the potential to be turned into grace by our Lord. He truly is that All-Powerful. Identify that which wounds your pride the most and try to look at it from a new perspective, letting the Lord turn it into a source of grace. Lord, my pride is wounded so many times. There are so many experiences I have that do not sit well with me. Help me to allow all those things that are out of my control to become transformed by You and Your grace so that they may no longer weigh me down, causing hurt and anger. Take these humiliations, dear Lord, and transform my heart through them so that, in my humility, I may come to know You more intimately and surrender to You more fully. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.life Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed. Featured image above: Pietro della Vecchia - Christ Mocked (The Crowning with Thorns), via Wikimedia Commons