Deeds of Love

[Diary 1249]

19 [August 1937]. Today during adoration, the Lord gave me to know how much He desires a soul to distinguish itself by deeds of love. And in spirit I saw how many souls are calling out to us, "Give us God." And the blood of the Apostles boiled up within me. I will not be stingy with it; I will shed it all to the last drop for immortal souls. Although perhaps God will not demand that in the physical sense, in spirit it is possible and no less meritorious.

Source: DIARY, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul © 1987 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M.  Stockbridge, MA 01263.  All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.

Note: If you like my post then consider buying the Book "Divine Mercy in my Soul" from the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception website. The owner of this blog have no other intention but to spread and proclaim the "Divine Mercy".

Jesus Commissions the Eleven [May 20, 2012]

The Sunday Gospel [Solemnity of Our Lord’s Ascension - May 20, 2012]

Mark 16:15-20

15He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.17These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages.18They will pick up serpents [with their hands], and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. 20But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs. 

Reflection

 “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” ~ Jesus in v. 15

What a simple, but immense, charge Jesus gave to his disciples! He even told them that those who accepted their message would be saved, while those who didn’t would be condemned.

Imagine their reaction: Really, Lord? We’re just fishermen. You can’t expect us to go out and save the whole human race! But Jesus made this a win-win situation. He did send his apostles out to preach and convert the world, but he didn’t send them alone. He made it so that people would be baptized not on the basis of his disciple’s preaching skills but in response to his own grace at work in their hearts. As the twelve became more open to the Spirit, grace would flow more powerfully. Yes, they had to become good at preaching, but they knew that God was even better.

Likewise, the more open we are to God, the more his grace will flow to us. This is part of the wonder of the Christian life: God takes every “yes!” Every time we sit in his presence in prayer, he fill us even more of his presence to take into the world. It does take effort on our part, but that human effort is so small when compared to the divine strength that accompanies it. Just as Mary’s “yes” to the angel Gabriel set in motion the biggest change in human history, our “yes” to the Lord will cause a chain reaction far beyond our expectations.

On this Feast of the Ascension, let’s rejoice with the saints who have come before us, and let’s commit ourselves to preaching to the saints who will come after us. None of the apostles could have guessed how far their “yes” to Jesus would take them – or how much fruit they would bear for the kingdom. And neither can we. There is much work left to be done, but our God is with us, and his promises are true.

Source: The Reflection is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarroabel.blogspot.com/).

Mercy as a Defense

 [Diary 1516]

My daughter, tell souls that I am giving them My mercy as a defense. I Myself am fighting for them and am bearing the just anger of My Father.

Source: DIARY, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul © 1987 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M.  Stockbridge, MA 01263.  All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.

Note: If you like my post then consider buying the Book "Divine Mercy in my Soul" from the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception website. The owner of this blog have no other intention but to spread and proclaim the "Divine Mercy".

Vine and the Branches [May 13, 2012]

The Sunday Gospel [May 13, 2012]

John 15:9-17

9As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.14You are my friends if you do what I command you.15I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. 16It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.17This I command you: love one another.

Reflection

[Jesus said,] “This I command you: love one another.” ~ v. 17

The book, “D-Day with the Screaming Eagles,” details the courage of the paratroopers who launched the invasion of Europe on D-Day, June 6, 1944. They gave their lives that their comrades might land safely. In one company alone, 219 jumped and only 73 survived.

These brave men lived out the meaning of Jesus’ words in today’s gospel. They died that that their friends might live. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (verse 13)

The sacrifice of the paratroopers and Jesus’ words in today’s reading invite me to inventory my own spirit of sacrifice – if not to the point of sacrificing my life, at least to the point of sacrificing my comfort and my time?

Reflection Credits: Fr. Mark, Link, SJ, Sunday Homilies

Source: The Reflection is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarroabel.blogspot.com/).

A witness to all our deeds

[Diary 630]

Then I saw one of the seven spirits near me, radiant as at other times, under a form of light. I constantly saw him beside me when I was riding on the train. I saw an angel standing on every church we passed, but surrounded by a light which was paler than that of the spirit who was accompanying me on the journey, and each of these spirits who were guarding the churches bowed his head to the spirit who was near me.

When I entered the convent gate at Warsaw, the spirit disappeared. I thanked God for His goodness, that He gives us angels for companions. Oh, how little people reflect on the fact that they always have beside them such a guest, and at the same time a witness to everything! Remember, sinners, that you likewise have a witness to all your deeds.

Source: DIARY, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul © 1987 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M.  Stockbridge, MA 01263.  All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.

Note: If you like my post then consider buying the Book "Divine Mercy in my Soul" from the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception website. The owner of this blog have no other intention but to spread and proclaim the "Divine Mercy".

The Vine and the Branches [May 6, 2012]

The Sunday Gospel [May 6, 2012]

John 15:1-8

1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 4Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Reflection

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” ~ Jesus in v. 5

How comforting it is to know that we do not walk alone through this life! No matter how isolated or weak we may feel, the truth is that Jesus is with us and will never abandon us. With Jesus as “the vine,” we can be assured that we will receive everything we need to nourish and sustain us. With the Father as the “vine grower,” all the circumstances of our lives – both pleasant and difficult – become his instruments as he prunes us and molds us into his image.

As an example of the effect that abiding in Christ can have, consider the early church as St. Luke describes it in today’s first reading. Where did Saul receive the courage not only to forego his former persecution of the church but to become one of its foremost apostles? His personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus changed him radically, but there were still layers of pride, prejudice, and fear that God had to strip away so that he could become more and more effective. More than likely, this pruning process was difficult, but Saul embraced it because the treasure of intimacy with Christ was so precious to him.

Think also of the disciples in Jerusalem when Saul attempted to join them. How did they overcome their fear and mistrust of their one-time persecutor? Again, they let the Lord lead them, guide them, and prune them where necessary. Certainly this was not an easy thing to do, but they came to trust that God could bring life from death, and so they were able to take the risk.

God is deeply committed to us, just as he was to those first believers. If we try our best to stay connected with him during our days, he will prune us as well. It won’t always be enjoyable, but it will be fruitful! Our lives will never be the same; they will keep getting better and better.

Source: The Reflection is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarroabel.blogspot.com/).

The loss of each soul plunges Me into mortal sadness

 [Diary 1397]

The Lord said to me, The loss of each soul plunges Me into mortal sadness. You always console Me when you pray for sinners. The prayer most pleasing to Me is prayer for the conversion of sinners. Know, My daughter, that this prayer is always heard and answered.

Source: DIARY, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul © 1987 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M.  Stockbridge, MA 01263.  All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.

Note: If you like my post then consider buying the Book "Divine Mercy in my Soul" from the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception website. The owner of this blog have no other intention but to spread and proclaim the "Divine Mercy".