(Remember Sr. Marie of Jesus? Todays Prayer: Spend the day pondering the meaning of trust as it is summarized in these three words: Distrust, Blessing, and Grace. 167 We can develop this wise capacity by continuing what weve been doing all along, namely, pondering in our hearts (see Lk 2:19), but now with a more refined focus. Using the same 33day preparation format, 33 Days to Merciful Love journeys with one of the most beloved saints of modern times, St. Therese of Lisieux, and concludes with a consecration to Divine Mercy. We need only fear becoming one who sins but does not repent, one who tires of asking for forgiveness and ends up believing that he doesnt need to ask for it any more. Apart from falling into the evil habit of corruption, Therese would say that there is no reason to be afraid. Emphasis added. Third, Im grateful to all those who read drafts of this book and offered comments and suggestions, especially Sarah Chichester, Ann Diaz, Jane Cavolina, Chris Sparks, Felix Carroll, and David Came. And while he doesnt specifically use the term console,202 its clear that thats what hes getting at: The events of Good Friday and, even before that, in prayer in Gethsemane, introduce a fundamental change into the whole course of the revelation of love 156 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE and mercy in the messianic mission of Christ, The one who went about doing good and healing and curing every sickness and disease now Himself seems to merit the greatest mercy and to appeal for mercy, when He is arrested, abused, condemned, scourged, crowned with thorns, when He is nailed to the cross and dies amidst agonizing torments. So, in a way, you might say diat die Image of Divine Mercy is Jesus own heart medication. And so even now, in a wondrous yet true manner, we can and ought to console that Most Sacred Heart which is continually wounded by the sins of thankless men, since as we also read in the sacred liturgy Christ Himself, by die mouth of die Psalmist complains that He is forsaken by His friends: My Heart hath expected reproach and misery, and I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none: and for one that would comfort me, and I found none (Ps 68:21) (13, emphasis added). Seraphims answer is very interesting. And we know she was blessed. 56-60. And such praise itselfis a powerful act of trust, pleasing to the Lord. Join us for our spring Bible study and retreat, 33 Days to Merciful Love, the stirring sequel to the international sensation, 33 Days to Morning Glory.Using the same 33-day preparation format, 33 Days to Merciful Love journeys with one of the most beloved saints of modern times, St. Therese of Lisieux, and concludes with a consecration to Divine Mercy. 1,6 Georgina Molyneux, Cure D'Ars: A Memoir ofJean-Baptiste-Marie Vtanney{London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, 1869), p. 157. Has he not said: OFFER TO GOD THE SACRIFICES OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING! Youve made it to Consecration jLJDay, the day you will offer yourself to Merciful Love, a day of great joy and happiness. So, when we keep trying and keep trusting, God purifies [us] every moment in His love and He lets no sin remain. Okay, so that covers two of our three things for living the Little Way that we learned on Day 11: Keep trying and keep trusting. This rejection of his love, Therese learned, is one of the deepest pains of his Heart. After all, to think such a thing (not to mention collecting relics of yourself) is certainly pride, right? Quite the contrary', in fact. Whenever we look at it, help us to remember your love and mercy, and fill our hearts with trust. 81-82.) Help me to believe that with God nothing will be impossible. I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. Its that moment at Mass when, through him, with him, and in him, the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ is offered up to the Father as a perfect sacrifice of love. 184 See, for instance, die Second Vatican Councils Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes (December 7, 1965) and Declaration on Religious Liberty, Dignitatis Humanae (.De cember 7,1965). Because Mary is the New Eve.26 As we learned on Day 1, die old Eve brought about the wound of original sin, a wound that causes us to have a distorted image of God, a wound that causes us to doubt Gods goodness, a wound that causes us to tend to hide from God. (Washington, DC: ICS Publications, 1996), p. 174. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very 184 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE much. But we have to be willing to accept the cross of an ordinary life and cat the bread of daily darkness. 98 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE God wants us to love him as he loves us. Let me explain. But her pierced Heart is different from that of her Sons. "8 The first paragraph, in which Therese describes the goal of her Offering, contains one of the best definitions of what it means to be a saint: (1)0 My God! Well, everything. Remem ber that? For instance, as a child, when ever shed make some mistake or do something wrong, even without meaning to, shed be filled with anxiety34 and ask for pardons which never end.35 Her mother relates, We tell her shes forgiven but in vain. I clearly see my sins. But do we? As we learned on Day 13, in many ways were living in a time of unprecedented dark ness and evil. 33 Days to Merciful Love: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Divine Mercy Consecration http . Moreover, such holiness is not a human work but, rather, Gods work, a work of Divine Mercy rushing down to the lowest place. Prepare my heart to receive waves of infinite tenderness from the Heart ofJesus. I choose to see through the lens of mercy. Of course, regarding that latter heaven, Im talking about the Mass, which is where we can love God the Father through, with, and in the Sons own perfect love (and even see that love in Sacrament). Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. It was instituted by [St.] John Paul II. Three in a row! Of course, we can walk the path of merit by focusing on what we deserve. In other words, we can be anxious about our merits like the poor victim of justice, Sr. Marie of Jesus, who said from her deathbed, I dont have enough merits, I must acquire more of them. Or we can travel the path of mercy by giving our attention to Jesus, who longs for souls into whom he can pour his Merciful Love. Well learn more about that tomorrow. And thats the beauty of Thereses path. This book, like 33 Days to Morning Glory, is a 33-day do-it-yourself retreat in preparation for consecration thats based on heart-pondering prayer. A must-read for all those who desire to bear witness to the mercy of God . But how can we have a true friendship with Jesus if its just a one-way street? As she herself put it, Why would this treasure not be yours?174 Finally, we relate to Thereses double darkness. on the Internet. Okay, so what do you need to do? Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, STL National Shrine of The Divine Mercy Stockbridge, Massachusetts December 8, 2015 Solemnity' of die Immaculate Conception Beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy Acknowledgements Permission to cite from the following is gratefully acknowledged: From Story ofa Soul, translated by John Clarke, O.C.D. Remain in me as in a tabernacle and never separate Yourself from Your little victim. (See endnote 159 for instructions on how to pray it.) To put it differently, Therese teaches us that when we clearly see the reality of Gods passionate love for us, it makes us realize we cant compete! Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. Open navigation menu While our prayer program ofdaily pondering the text has helped us digest some of the information, we can still go deeper. 177 See Ahern, p. 84. The soul will receive from God exactly what she desires.110 Before the year was out, Sr. Febronie caught die flu and died. Its the idea that God lowers himself more togive himselfto little souls than to thegreat souls. 5 Emphasis added. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:1-5).5 You will not die. The serpent boldly contradicts Gods Word. Before we get to that, heres something that may be even more shocking: As St. Therese was dying, because she believed what she taught, because she believed that she would be a great saint, she herself collected the clippings of her nails and invited her sister Pauline (Mother Agnes) to take them, presumably to 58 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE be used as relics!67 Also, she encouraged the other sisters to keep the rose petals that had touched her crucifix, saying, They will help you perform favors later on; dont lose one of them.68 What? In other words, he waited until her foundation on Divine Mercy was rock solid. In other words, it takes place dirough the darkness of liturgical worship, a worship that points to and makes manifest die divine worship of heaven through the poverty of signs and symbols wrought by human hands. In a certain sense, God needs this womans help. To offer ourselves to Mercifiil Love is to let our hearts be more deeply moved by the suffering of others. For St. Therese, its all about trust. 186 Ibid. Spiral-bound, 130 pages. Were just outside the walls of Jerusalem at Calvary, and Jesus is dying on the Cross. DOWNLOAD NOW Details Book. 223 Ibid.' Mk 3:21 -35) that day by day there was fulfilled in her the blessing uttered by Elizabeth at the Visitation: Blessed is she who believed.20 Alright, but what was it that Mary believed specifically as she lived under the same roof with Jesus and during his public life? (After all, how could someone be fully human without desiring to be loved?) Its about accepting diat we are to put up with ourselves with all the darkness of our weakness, brokenness, and sin widiout getting discouraged. Theyre not essential to the consecration. Fr. The Spiritual Communion of Merciful Love is a special communion with a particular emphasis. Instead, everything was dryness and desolation. So, my spiritual life became something of a roller coaster high with hope one minute and down with discouragement the next. In the same introduction to her auto biography from which we just read, St. Therese describes the way of mercy in relation to other paths: he Wtt oi T I understood, too, that Our Lords love is revealed as perfectly in the most simple soul who resists His grace in nothing as in the most excellent soul; in fact, since the nature of love is to humble oneself, if all souls resembled those of the holy Doctors who illumined the Church with the clarity of their teachings, it seems God would not descend so low when coming to their hearts. Otherwise, we cannot hope for mercy (see Mt 5:7, 18:21-35).112 The second potential objection to making the Offering to Merciful Love has to do with those who have begun to feel that theyre in a bit too deep with this Offering stuff. This moment in feels great, especially if weve held empty lungs for 10 to 20 seconds. Therese was completely sane, and her words are actually consistent with the doctrine of her Little Way. And his greatness is revealed in the fact that what most attracts him are the little souls: the humble, the weak, and the broken. We entered the nine-domed Temple of Kali, where the figures of the Divine Mother and Shiva rest on a burnished silver lotus, its thousand petals meticulously chiseled. Also, in his book The Name of God Is Mercy: A Conversation with An drea Tornielli, trans. Why not? Of course, such passages do not mean we know the day or the hour of the Lords coming, but they do give a greater sense of urgency to the present time of mercy. DAY 8 None More Lowly 1 just said that perhaps no one among sinful humanity is more lowly and little than Therese of Lisieux. Its the word from Scripture: Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (Jn 15:13). Now, while its beautiful to have a compassionate heart, it does hurt. Copyright 1975, 1976, 1996 by Washington Province of Discalced Carmelites ICS Publications 2131 Lincoln Road, N.E. In other words, the love that flows from the Lords pierced Heart is an infinite ocean of mercy. Why? Using the same 33-day preparation format, 33 Days to Merciful Love journeys with one of the most beloved saints of modern times, St. Thrse of Lisieux, and concludes with a (126 pages.) Second, she realized that sinners often close their hearts to the Lords loving mercy, and their rejection of it causes Jesus great suffering. Think of it! Indeed, those are words that, APPENDIX ONE: Living the Offering 157 as the Catechism says, cannot remain only in the past, words that participate in the divine eternity, words that transcend all times while being made present in them all, words that abide.204 In fact, those words I thirst are directed to each one of us. What does she show us about believing in God? 37-42. My power is made perfect in weakness. At the same time, it consoles her. Among other things, die book asserts that every Carmelite should offer herself as a victim soul to Gods justice, and several nuns from the Lisieux convent did just that.84 Alright, so what did that offering mean? 1. - Additional DVD from Episode 2 of the acclaimed Catholic documentary, Divine Mercy in the second greatest story ever told based on the book, 33 Days 125 Cited by Patrick Ahern, in Maurice and Therese: The Story of a Love (New York: Doubleday, 1998), p. 139. My [(fill in the blank: virtues, talents, many gifts, etc.)] Were too focused on the beloved who suffers. It was through the practice of these nothings (Story ofa Soul, pp. (2) Keep trying to grow in holiness and do little things with great love. Well look at what that is tomorrow. Yes, Jesus wants us to receive the grace that makes us holy, and when we do, it consoles him, as he told St. Faustina: I desire to bestow My graces upon souls, but they do not want to accept them. So whether you want to deepen your love of Divine Mercy or have a devotion to St. Thrse, 33 Days to Merciful Love is the book for you. Whats the medication? I hardly heard from Mark after college. "download pdf 33 Days to Merciful Love: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Divine Mercy Consecration by Michael E. Gaitley on Kindle Full Edition. Remember Sr. Febronie? Okay, now get ready actually, you XJalready are ready. Its a way thats very straight because its entirely ver tical, very short because it avoids die spirals of the staircase,55 and totally new or at least it feels that way because it redis covers the heart of the Gospel, namely, Gods mercy for the litde and die lowly. But in the midst of her hidden and ordinary life, she had an extraordinary faith, hope, and love. And while Therese begins her Offering to Merciful Love by expressing her desire to become a saint, she wants to become one specifically to console the Heart ofJesus, who longs to make us holy through his Mercifiil Love. 192 Regarding the Image of Divine Mercy, Jesus tells St. Faustina, Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush, lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace (Diary, 313). Well, in that case, wed just be disagreeing widi Therese and siding with Sr. Febronie. as our hearts awaken in compassion to the reality of Christs Mystical Body (die Church) suffering in both its Head and members. Now, Fr. For instance, do you see the essence of the Offering reflected in the last main paragraph? Sadly, the Offering to Merciful Love is one of the best-kept secrets in the Catholic Church. His greatness is shown in how he has scattered the proud in their conceit and has lifted up the lowly (Lk 1:51), in how he resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (Jas 4:6). Now, yes, we w'ould still be obligated to follow our conscience under such circumstances. The Divine Mercy Image goes perfectly with the Family Offering to Merciful Love. It destroys all the arguments of the thieves of hope and set me full sail upon the waves of confidence and love.80 But before I share it, I should first give a bit of background. All of us will go through times when our faith is severely tested. Optional Opening Prayers You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. With You, Jesus, Igo through life, amid stormsand rainbows, with a cry ofjoy, singing the song of Your mercy. 45 Regarding Therese being a victim of bullying, an outcast, and loner who couldnt join in the games of the others or comb her ow n hair, see Story ofa Soul, pp. There, Marys Immaculate Heart was pierced with a sword as she beheld the agony of her Son. 31 Cited by Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Divini Amoris Scientia, October 19, 1997,10. For instance, she cooked meals, changed diapers, and washed laundry. Finally, through the grace of such heart healing, youll become an even more effective channel of Gods mercy' to others. 84 With Empty Hands, p. 71. You can take care of yourself. Very well, it was so as not to hear this tiiat I never wanted to grow up, feeling diat 1 was incapable of earning my living, the eternal life ofheaven! 1,472 300 . According to St. Therese, such a remarkable gift of sanctity' is relatively easy to obtain, even for very imperfect souls. Oh, how great is our Lord and God and how incomprehen sible His holiness! To help heal our trust issues with God, on the initial day of this retreat, lets turn our attention to one of the great aposdes of mercy for our time, a kindred soul to St. Therese: St. Maria Faustina Kowalska. In other words, they may be saying, Look, I like the Divine Mercy message and devotion and everything, and I thought Td do a nice little consecration. What youve just experienced (inhaling) illustrates what happens when we say fiat." Mother Agnes recalled the occasion during an interview: When she asked me this, her face was all lit up, as ifshe were on fire with love. Its Gods being moved to compassion at seeing our suffering (heart) and then taking action to help alleviate it (arms). When we say, Let it be done to me, were allowing Gods Merciful Love to come pouring down into our weak, sinful souls. T)reathing Meditation. Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. I say that because the essence of Marian consecration is to allow Mary to bring us to the pierced side of Jesus, which is the Fountain of Mercy. For, when we say it, we allow Gods Merciful Love to flow into our hearts, and it feels great. Read Online 33 Days to Merciful Love: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Divine Mercy Consecration Kindle Unlimited by Michael E. Gaitley (Author) PDF is. Also, die image itself becomes a concrete realization of the invitation. 95 Ibid., 1074. 159 The following passage from the Diary of St. Faustina provides the origin of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and reveals its power: In the evening, when I was in my [room], I saw an Angel, the executor of divine wrath. They are, to tell the truth, the spiritual riches that render one unjust, when one rests in them with complacence and WEEK TWO: The Little Way when one believes they are something great Ah! What do you choose? . DAY 27 Therese's Darkness (Part One) Yesterday, we focused on the worlds darkness and the ways that we can help save the world through Divine Mercy. But where? Thats why even today, after all he has done for us, people still avoid Jesus. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (Albert Victor Christian Edward; 8 January 1864 - 14 January 1892) was the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) and grandson of the reigning British monarch, Queen Victoria.From the time of his birth, he was second in the line of succession to the British throne, but did not become . Is something lacking in Christs suffering? And so, not wanting to be late for class, I took the book. (2) Keep trying: Keep trying to grow in holiness and do little things with great love. It is with joy I shall contemplate You on the Last Day carrying the scepter of Your Cross. Similarly, after we inhale Gods Merciful Love, because it was so good and refreshing, well need to praise and thank him for the gift of his mercy. Its the way the Lord knows how he can come and get little souls at the end of their lives. However, I can suggest a way of renewing it with every breath. Its the Good News that God doesnt love us because were so good but because hes so good, that he loves us not because we deserve it but because we desperately need it. 123 Cited in The Power of Confidence, p. 302. 39 fulfilled. And what was Marys immediate response? The Church is a mother: she has to go out to heal those who are hurting, with mercy. Theres a time here on earth when we can love God perfectly with his own divine love: Its when we participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In fact, he even commands us to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5:48). Its because weakness and wretchedness are precisely what attracts his Merciful Love. But if all that isnt enough to convince us to choose to make the Offering to Merciful Love, then maybe this will: If we make and live the Offering, we need not fear purgatory. Michael Gaitley shows us the power of just such an offering to Merciful Love in the lives of the greatest saints of our time, methodically prepares us to follow their lead, and reveals what it can mean to us and the men and women of our time if and when we do. 56 Catechism, 1846. It is with joy I shall contemplate You on the Last Day carrying the scepter of Your Cross. 33 Days to Merciful Love Retreat Companion is a six-week retreat and falls within Stage Three* of the Hearts Afire Program. How can we console Jesus! Krailsheimer [London: Penguin Classics, 1966], 136). 76 Niels Christian Hvidt, Christian Prophecy: The Post-Biblical Tradition (Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), p. vii. But no human being makes more of a difference than Mary when it comes to helping people obtain the grace and mercy flowing from the Heart of Jesus. DAY 25 The Daily Darkness Yesterday, we looked at our daily bread of the Mass, our way of entering heaven while still on earth, though in a veiled way. It was there on Calvary, there at the foot of the Cross, that we find in Mary the glorious perfection of faith. The Lord Jesus himself 200 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE tells us this in Sacred Scripture, Whatsoever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me (Mt 20:25). However, as we learned on Day 7, the Lord relies on us to help bring his salvation to others, even to those at the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Well talk about Marys song of faith and praise tomorrow. Finally, I believe, my God, that you can and will make me into a saint, even if I w'ont see it, even if I have to struggle all my life against vice and sin, even if I have to wait until the very end. 196 Diary, 244. What? 188 Story ofa Sottl, p. 180. We have new and used copies available, in 0 edition - starting at . Still, from the time of her youth, she had bold desires: She wanted to become a saint, and not just any saint, but great saint. Thats why Jesus asked St. Faustina to paint an image of Divine Mercy with the signature, Jesus, I trust in you.78 Its because in this present WEEK TWO: The Little Way 63 time of mercy, Jesus wants to work the great miracle of forming the littlest of souls into the greatest of saints. Rather, its based on the judgment of Almighty God, who alone is truly great. And therefore although the angels feed on Christ spiritually, yet it does not belong to them to eat this sacrament spiritually. Then, well use the last day to prepare ourselves to make the Offering to Merciful Love as a Divine Mercy consecration. Its realizing, widiout despairing, that WEEK TWO: The Little Way 57 they may be with us till our dying day. I mean, it seems that Jesus is the one who needs to console me, not the other way around. Right again. Confidendy, I stated my conclusion, And so 40 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE the best way to remove that thorn and console him is to fra# him. Michael, youre absolutely right. Great! I said to myself, Its all about trusting Jesus in order to console him. At that point, 1 thought I was all set. Isnt the Mass the most powerful prayer? Thats what were going to ponder this week, using Sacred Scripture and its giants of trust. 33 From a testimony given at the beatification process of Zelie Martin and cited in The Context ofHoliness: Psychological and Spiritual Reflections on the Life of St. Therese of Lisieux by Marc Foley, OCD (Washington, D.C.: ICS Publications, 2008), p. 100. That is, the Holy Face is not a smiling, happy face. I often attend upon the dying and through entreaties obtain for diem trust in Gods mercy', and I implore God for an abundance of divine grace, which is always victorious. The all powerful God man, the one who walks on water, casts out demons, and heals the deaf and the blind that great man, in a certain sense, is powerless when we dont give him our faith! (Unless otherwise indicated, as in this case, all emphasis in citations is original.) It is this: As an age, with a river of heinous sin overflowing the banks of humanity, we have quite simply exhausted our reparative capacity to sate the demands of Divine Justice. 89 Story ofa Soul, p. 180. Again, its the Good News of Gods mercy for sinners. For now, we can reflect on the refreshing perspective from which the saint of Lisieux approached the idea of offering herself as a spiritual victim: How GOOD is the Lord, his MERCT endures forever! Gaitley's 33 Days to Morning Glory. 33 Days to Merciful Love: Retreat Companion by Michael E. Gailey, Miscellaneous Items, Statues, and Fonts, Olive Wood items from the Holy Land (Jerusalem, Is, RCIA - The Right of Christian Initiation of Adults. I could say to Him like His aposdes: Master, I fished all night and caught nothing. More merciful to me than He was to His disciples, Jesus took the net Him self, cast it, and drew it in filled with fish (Story ofa Soul, pp. So really, the lack is on the side of sinful humanity but we can help make up for that. He wants us to be on fire with his love, and anything less WEEK FOUR: Into the Darkness 97 is not enough for him. For instance, apart from what we cov ered on Day 7, why does St. Therese, the greatest saint of modern times, see herself as being such a little soul? Youre not attractive! Shes telling you not to be afraid. 55 In Stock. Later, in his book The Name of God is Mercy, the Pope further elab orates on these comments on the plane: Yes, I believe that this is a time for mercy. We dont have to be perfect to go to him. divine Justice!88 So, whats going on here? 404-8). Clearly theres a catch when it comes to making an offering to Divine Justice: lots of suffering! Alright, so how do we properly form our conscience? And this firm belief stemmed from her insight into Gods amazing mercy. The Chaplet is a kind of extension of the prayer of the Mass. Christ, precisely as the crucified one, is the Word that does not pass away, and He is the one who stands at the door and knocks at the heart of every man, without restricting his freedom, but instead seeking to draw from this very freedom love, which is not only an act of solidarity with the suffering Son of man, but also a kind of mercy shown by each one of us to the Son of the eternal Father. Finally, in Genesis 22, God put Abrahams faith to the ultimate test when he commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The catch is that our hearts will begin to become more as they should be: deeply moved by the suffering of others. Author : Michael E. Gaitley. "10' Alright, so does the Offering to Merciful Love make this life into purgatory? I thirst. Those words express it best.201 Indeed, Jesus feels not just a desire but a burning thirst for love from those for whom he gave up his life. Also, it means not giving in to discouragement or, God forbid, despair. Moreover, by striving to quench his thirst for love, by loving him in return, we have mercy on him. And so, this vulnerability of God in Christ is part of the poverty of the incarnation (see 2 Cor 8:9) and is a particularly profound aspect of the self-emptying of Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at (Phil 2:6-7). Help me to believe in God and his love for me, even when the darkness surrounds me. And while the Mass truly does make present the sublime worship of heaven, our eyes remain blind to the myriad of angels praising the Lord, the countless throng of saints gathered around the altar, and die overwhelming glory of Our Savior giving himself over to our loving and merciful Father. Second in the series is 33 Days to Merciful Love, because Mary always leads us to Jesus, the Divine Mercy. 141 APPENDIX ONE: Living the Offering. 153 APPENDIX TWO: Family Offering and Divine Mercy Image Enthronement 169 Endnotes 177 Resource Pages .. 203 In Gratitude First off, Id like to thank Fr. AFTER CONSECRATION: The Lens of Mercy 149 Marian missionaries - ----- ------ Divine of --------------------------- mercy 3. 21 Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, November 21, 1964, 58. DAY 14 No More 'Thieves of Hope' Yesterday, we learned that St. Therese of Lisieux is a prophet. That is faith. I want only to sing of Your mercies. Next, imagine that this ocean is held back from emptying out onto the earth by a giant floodgate. Finally, the obituary also includes the following statement from Sr. Marie, which she uttered in the midst of her mortal agony: I am bearing the harshness of divine Justice divine Justice! In other words, Therese warns to become a saint not to please herself but, rather, to please Jesus. 137 See Use Power of Confidence, p. 241, and Gaucher, p. 172. (We covered it in the reading for Day 9.) Therese herself explains Gods goodness in waiting: 108 33 DAVS TO MERCIFUL LOVE Never have I felt before this how sweet and mer ciful the Lord really is, for He did not send me this trial until the moment I was capable of bearing it. Indeed, there is nodiing that is sweeter, nor more terrible." Second, its clear from the obituary that Sr. Marie had fallen under the influence of Jansenism, as we can tell from some of her anxious last words: I dont have enough merits, I must acquire more of them.87 (Those words would have made an impression on the saint of the Little Way, who did not want to lay up merits for heaven but wanted to work for love alone.) Let me explain. However, at this point, perhaps some of us are experiencing at least something of St. Faustina Kowalskas own sentiments: It seems to me as though Jesus could not be happy without me, nor could I, without Him. 103 Cited in The Power of Confidence, p. 344. 158 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE As we learned in point one, the eternal God, in his divinity, doesnt need us. 99 Cited by Genevieve of the Holy Face (Celine Martin) in My Sister St. Therese, trans. How so? 161 Story ofa Soul, p. 214. I mean, look at who you are. I desire to accomplish Your will perfectly and to reach the degree of glory You have prepared for me in Your Kingdom. I suggest that we can do so by living our lives with the one purpose of consoling Jesus through our attitude of trust, which means praising and thanking God in all things and in all circumstances. In fact, others used to say to her, You cry so much during your childhood, you'll no longer have tears to shed later on!42 (Her oversensitivity' wouldnt be healed until she received the grace of her Christmas conversion at the age of 14.43) Because of Thereses deep emotional fragility' which led to a debilitating psychological breakdown at age 1044 her sis ters sheltered her and doted on her so much that she became a socially awkward outcast and loner when she finally started going to school. But what is trust? And, again, the death Therese implicitly says in the flight of her soul to God as makes this point a bit more Diary: of love allows one to bypass purgatory as text of the Offering when she describes the being without any delay. Saint Faustina explicit in the following passage from her Gods mercy sometimes touches the sinner at the last moment in a wondrous and mysterious way. Well, that story of the pitiful little bird with the heart of an eagle was actually Thereses attempt to explain her Little Way to her sister Marie. Now, before we begin the retreat itself, I thought I'd include an introduction to Marian consecration. 214 Sharing Gods mercy with others is a key to living the Family Offering to Mercifiil Love. During her life, she wasnt famous or well known. Now, Merciful Love is that particular kind of love that seeks out brokenness, suffering, sin, and weakness. The sickness that would take the young nuns life left her too weak to even write. Good for St. Therese. And while Francis physically went to the ends of the earth 106 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE through apostolic labors, Therese spiritually traveled the world through prayer. In other words, I had to go speak with my friend Er. If that sounds like crazy talk, dont blame me blame the devil! Most Blessed Trinity, I desire to Love You and make You Loved, to work for the glory of Holy Church by saving souls on earth and liberating those suffering in purgatory. In the next paragraph, Therese states yet another desire and another bold petition: (4) I want to console You for the ingratitude of the wicked, and I beg of You to take away my freedom to displease You. Get an Image ofDivine Mercy. Here is a king whose reign will last forever! And once there, she lovingly encourages us not to eat forbidden fruit but to drink from the blessed fountain of eternal life, die Fountain of Mercy. But its faith, its trust, that unleashes the power of his mercy. 44 Story of a Soul, pp. Of course, we know the rest of the story. Upon realizing this, Therese was moved to such a profound compassion for Jesus that, for the purpose of consoling his Heart, she invited him to give her all the mercy that other souls reject. She wanted to tell her Father immediately, and you would have pitied her to see her anxiety. In other words, like most of us, she not only knew herself to be weak and imperfect (more on that in the next point), but she knew what it was like to live in an age of secularism and doubt. Consoling the Heart of Jesus Prayer Companion Y26-CHJ Y26-PCCHJ Contains the essence of Consoling spirituality and all the main prayers from the popular retreat. Mother Agnes replied, Oh, no, never; she constantly repeated it, and her whole life revolved around it. 276-77. I mean, were all sinners (see Rom 3:23, 1 Jn 1:8-10), and we all desperately need Gods mercy. Exciting 10-part series with DVD and workbook hosted and written by Fr. May the blood and water that flows forth from your Heart always be upon us! Its to hope against hope in our daily lives, when all is darkness and were tempted to disbe lieve in Gods loving presence in our lives, tempted to doubt that all things work together for good to those wrho love God (Rom 8:28). Now, this doesnt mean we have to go on endless mission trips and pilgrimages. To obtain a certificate (MLC) or prayercard (33PC) that include the image on the cover ofthis book and the Prayer of Consecration to Merciful Love, call 800-462-7426 or visit ShopMercy.org. A vivid and clearly felt presence of God continues in my soul. 37 And now, reflect on St. John Paul Ils reaction to and commentary on those words in view of Marys ultimate trial of faith: [S]tanding at the foot of the Cross, Mary is the witness, humanly speaking, of the complete negation of these words. Apparendy so.) Far from resembling beautiful souls who practiced every kind of mortification from their childhood, I had no attraction for this. After all, only the merciful will be shown mercy (see Mt 5:7, 18:2135). 144 The whole citation is as follows: You see what you are of yourself, but do not be frightened at this. 172 Cited in van Dijk. But more than a spiritual genius which she certainly is St. Therese is a prophet. So, I know what Mark meant. WEEK TWO: The Little Way 59 Thats certainly reasonable, but Therese would have none of it. Shes telling you not to be afraid. Do we understand, then, why Jesus loves it when we go to him as we are, sinfulness and all? Wash ington, DC 20002 U.S.A. wTVTv.icspublications.org INTRODUCTION Meet Three Friends Id like to begin by introducing three friends. We spend the first twelve days emptying ourselves of the spirit of the world. Yes. Those who have done so are amazed at how powerfully Jesus takes them up on their offer. When she thought of his all-powerful love, she had no doubts about anything (By Those Who Knew Her, p. 46). But wheres the third thing? Specifically, her prayer of offering herself to Merciful Love caused Gods mercy to overflow from her little soul and out to the whole world. In other words, it doesn't focus on lots of vocal prayers each day of the retreat but, rather, on short spiritual readings that you can easily ponder in your heart throughout the day. Specifically, she recognized that Jesus Heart is full of mercy and that he longs to pour out his Merciful Love, especially on sinners. (2) It doesnt clearly highlight all of the teachings weve covered during this retreat. The pleasing and consoling language has to do with a desire simply to love God for who he is (perfect love). As we learned earlier, Thereses way is not that of merit but of mercy and of love. In other words, its not in spite of humility but, rather, because of humility that she believed she could become one of the greatest of saints. C 142 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE he Freedom oe Coxsc/ence. .MK Okay, so I havent yet figured out how to renew the Offering to Merciful Love with every beat of the heart. Jesus also wants us to speak this word, fiat, after we present ourselves to him. For, from the ecce moment, we eventually move to the fiat moment. And so God uses another woman, a New Eve, to help heal the wound that the old Eve caused a New Eve, a woman, who was announced from die beginning, a woman who would be at enmity with Satan, a woman whose offspring would crush die serpents head (see Gen 3:15). To be litde is also to not attribute to oneself the virtues that one practices, believing oneself capable of anything, but to recognize that God places this treasure AFTER CONSECRATION: The Lens of Mercy 145 of virtue in the hands of His little child, to be used when necessary; but it remains always Gods treasure. 33-Days-to-Morning-Glory-Companion-Bookpdf - Free download as PDF File pdf Text File txt or read online for free. About the Program. St. Therese asked the Lord to pour into her little soul all the rejected mercy that 20 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE others dont want and he gave it to her. Ah! Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. Chris that hed have to do it. 101 Diary, 20. Over the years, Ive come across various devotional prayers labeled A Consecration to Divine Mercy, and theyve been great. God kept me from committing mortal sin, but thats not why I feel such confidence in going to him. How can we have a deep, personal relationship widi him if were the only ones suffering? It takes effort. Well, there is, indeed, a catch, but its not a scary one. As she herself expressed it to the Lord: For me to love You as You love me, I would have to borrow Your own love.147 And she knew hed give it. So, the elevator is the mercy ofJesus. Specifically, it happens during what I call the supercharged moment of the Mass. This week, we'll explore the role that darkness plays in living it out. I mean, I couldnt have put the objection better myself. In fact, this freedom of choice is part of the beautiful diversity of the Christian life, and its something that St. Therese very much appreciated. Anyone can become a little soul at heart, just as even the materially rich can be poor in spirit. 32 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE The great key, the great secret, has to do with Marys faith, because faith gets to her deepest reality'. I love you! We thought that was the end, when, suddenly, she raised her eyes, eyes that were full of life and shining with an indescribable happiness surpassing all her hopes. [That] sublime gaze lasted for the space of a Credo. Then she closed her eyes and the whiteness of her face, which had become more accentuated during the ecstasy, returned to normal. . Well, what I mean by solemnly inviting Jesus, the Divine Mercy, into our homes is somewhat similar. Consoling the Heart of Jesus, and the new book 33 Days to Merciful Love. In other words, as we learn from Sacred Scripture, in times of great evil, God gives even greater grace'. Its a choice that forms our conscience. Instead of this I allowed myself to be wrapped in cotton wool and fattened up like a little bird that needs no penance. Like Therese, Faustina also chose to see everything through the lens of mercy.190 In fact, the two saints are amazingly similar in their message and, in my opinion, are the best guides for helping people to see everything through a lens of mercy. First, theyre wrong. Its no human work. Oh, what pain they cause Me when they do not want to accept them!95 lam looking for souls who would like to receive My grace.96 So, do you want to console Jesus by receiving his grace? 33 Days to Merciful Love Group Retreat goes even deeper than the book alone and explores new material on the heart of St. Thrse of Lisieux's Little Way, uncovering the power of trust in the face of . His point was basically that that book helped to make Marian consecration accessible to many more people. Well long for him so ardently at that moment that our souls will, so to speak, pop out of our bodies and fly directly and immediately, without having to go through purgatory, into the embrace of his love.127 Thats the martyrdom of love, a martyrdom that, according to St. John of the Cross, is very gentle and very sweet, sweeter and more gentle than [our] whole spiritual life on earth.128 But until that blessed moment, Therese will continue to offer herself to Merciful Love: (11) 1 want, O my Beloved, at each bear of my heart to renew this offering to You an infinite number of times, until the shadows having disappeared I may be able to tell You of my Love in an Eternal Face to Face!119 90 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE Now, while I dont yet have a method for renewing the Offering to Merciful Love at each beat of my heart, I can recommend an easy method for renewing it at each breath. Purgatory Heres one other catch that comes with making the Offering to Merciful Love: It gradually increases our longing for God. The C second friend is Mark Moran, an old buddy from college. And by now, how could we forget the blessing? Read 4 reviews from the worlds largest community for readers. 66 Pope Francis, homily at the parish of St. Anna in the Vatican, Fifth Sunday of Lent, March 17,2013. Maybe we want people to have to pay more for their sins. 78 Diary, 47. Now, that may sound silly, at least until we realize that the idea for it comes from an important Divine Mercy saint and Doctor of die Church, St. Therese of Lisieux. Let it be a sign for you. And as I mentioned earlier, he wants us to be on fire with love. 2. . Moreover, it puts the focus where it belongs, namely, on trusting God. The wound, then, is clearly about God. 112 Ive written a whole book explaining how we can show mercy and so hope to receive it. Its to trust that he will make us into great saints, even if we dont see it happening, even if we struggle with the same sins day after day, even if we have to wait for the grace of great holiness until the very end of our lives. Download 33 Days to Merciful Love: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Divine Mercy Consecration Full_Pages by Michael E. Gaitley DOWNLOAD Read Online. My love discovers die charms Of your Face adorned with tears. Okay, having explained the meaning of ecce, fiat, and magnificat and how each of these three words applies to the APPENDIX ONE: Living the Offering 165 three moments of our breathing (eccr/empty, fiat/m, magni ficat/out), I think it might be helpfill to put it all together with a meditation. How could Isaac have children if he were killed as a child? Brian J. Gail Catholic Speaker and Bestselling Author A Do~|t-Yourself Retreat Fr. 1 mean, here it seems as if nobody believes in God, and living by faith is hard. But now we know that Therese also suffered the temptation to wonder whether 110 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE there even is a God and a heaven. The titles of die retreat conferences were Hell, Judgement, Mortal Sin, The Necessity of Making a Good Confession, and Sacrilegious Communion {The Context of Holiness, p. 104). 219 Ibid., 1017. They simply need to try sincerely to turn away from sin, invite the Lord into their home, and receive and share his Merciful Love. Notice here that God gives such souls forgiveness of sin and pun ishment. That means no purgatory! The fifth day (day 33 of the preparation) is reserved for reviewing the prayer of consecration that will be recited the following day, the Marian Feast, the "34th" day. Instead of becoming discour aged, I said to myself: God cannot inspire unrealizable desires. 129 Story of a Soul, pp. And, finally, be happy that despite your little fervor and lack of fidelity, the Lord know's [your] weakness and will eventually come down for you and raise you to the heights of his love. add to list add to registry. All that rejected mercy will soon be yours. In other words, people have already said through their words or actions that they dont want them. 98-99). The P first friend is Fr. Whats its concrete expression in your daily living? I was stumped. After all, if we live this breathing exercise as a prayer, then we can constantly be making a spiritual com munion, renewing the Offering to Merciful Love, and living praise and thanks. If we live this attitude of presenting our wretchedness to the Lord (ecce), receiving his mercy (fiat), and then praising and thanking him for his saving mercy (magnificat/ we can be assured that we wont seriously be wounding the Lord by our lack of trust for trust is not only praise and thanks, its also to receive Gods mercy- Remember how Fr. )187 These words speak for themselves. 71 Story ofa Soul, p. 256. Now youll need the right prayer. 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE Most important for me, de Montfort basically claimed that such a consecration is the quickest and easiest way to become a saint. It is in the depths of my own being that 1 commune with mv God (Diary, 1302). ' 133 Ibid., p. 149. The word magnanimity comes from the Latin words magnus, meaning great, and animus, meaning soul. So, its a kind of great-souled-ness that moves a person to aim high in the spiritual life. Inspired by Saints Therese and Faustina, its to borrow the infinite merits of Christ on the Cross and to offer them as a perfect sacrifice of mercy for the whole world. 118 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE Recognize To live the Little Way, we need to recognize the darkness of our littleness and our brokenness. Help us to trust in Gods mercy, especially during times of darkness, with your own steadfast faith at Calvary. Today, well read the remaining paragraphs, which begin with the topic of suffering: (5) I thank You, O my God! And the best way to console him is to remove die thorn that hurts his Heart most, the thorn that is lack of trust I in his Merciful Love]." You will ask your questions in words, and get answers in words.. Workbook pages your students will complete: Divine Mercy (page 8) The Church: A Sign of Salvation (page 9) Signs and Symbols Scavenge Living side by side with her Son under the same roof, and faithfully persevering in her union with her Son, she advanced in her pilgrimage offaith" And so it was during Christs public life too (cf. Did Sr. Maries obituary have an influence 70 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE on Therese? Will Your Justice alone find souls willing to immolate themselves as victims? In the end, then, we can compete. Endnotes 199 182 Again, for group recitation, I recommend the Prayer of Consecration to Merciful Love. God gives us the dignity of having mercy on Jesus by letting him have mercy on us!2W Now, on to the answer to the second question. Specifically, it becomes a plea for mercy.158 As we hold up Christs perfect sacrifice of love to the Father, we cry out for mercy for ourselves and for the whole world. Conrad de Meester explains Thereses teaching on this point: Therese knew how God's life could lie hidden below the sur face of a human psyche and temperament, and that some souls were much closer to God than might be apparent if they were judged merely by their struggles and inhibitions. And what happens next? However, for someone who lives by himself, I would encourage him to make the individual Offering to Merciful Love of St. Therese of Lisieux, which this book describes. 145 Gaucher, p. 147. O Fount of Life, un fathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty' Yourself out upon us. But how, specifically, can we make it? That is, we call down (fiat) the Lords blood and water (mercy) into our emptiness. Its difficult because the wound in each one of us, caused by original sin, makes us tend to doubt Gods goodness and love. So, with that in mind, 1 knew exactly what he was getting at regarding the Offering to Merciful Love. And from her pierced Heart, we obtain the grace to have hearts that open up to receive the love and mercy pouring forth from the Sacred Heart of Jesus (see Lk 2:35). Help me better to know the great and unsurpassable goodness of God. There are certainly many people who are unwilling to be humbled and recognize their nothingness. But today, I believe the bigger problem is that so many people simply dont see it. Its because, again, weve arrived at the perfection of faith. Their extraordinary faith and hope is to believe in Gods promise of mercy and to hope that he will bring them to the heights of holiness, even if neither they nor anyone else sees it in this life. 191 Regarding the graces associated with the Image of Divine Mercy, see the following words of Jesus to St. Faustina, recorded in her Diary. So, we do have a lot of freedom regarding the way we choose to follow Christ and which truths of the Gospel will loom largest in our heart and conscience. So, die key element of what die Church calls perfect contrition is that its motivated by love for God and a desire not to offend him or let him down. Wonderful. The Pope says that [t]hese loud cries [for mercy] should be the mark of the Church of our times (15). See also The Context ofHoliness, pp. The catch for him, as a victim to Divine Justice, is the terrible pain of his Passion, culminating in his three-hour long agony on the Cross. Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. However, the idea of consoling Jesus (the Head of his body)194 sometimes causes difficulties for people. This is appropriate because Jesus asked that the Divine Mercy Image be solemnly blessed on Divine Mercy' Sunday and vener ated publically.224 Endnotes 1 Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux, trans. Moved by this merciful perspective, Therese comes up with a spiritual victimhood thats based on mercy not justice, on love and not fear, on tenderness and not severity. If so, then youre a little one. In times of darkness, when youre tempted to think that God and heaven do not exist remember that smile. Thank God that she discovered a way of spiritual victimhood that not only allows even little souls to be generous but also sets them on fire with love. Yet Abraham was ready to go through with it. 12 Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Mater [Mother of the Redeemer), March 25,1987, 12. (Actually, family members can also make that individual 33-day preparation and conse cration in conjunction with the Family Offering and Enthronement.) The retreat book, 33 Days to Morning Glory, is . Once were humbled, God lifts us up. A: Pray for us. I felt I had found what I was looking for. Yes, Faustina lived this way as well, and Id like to now conclude this section with a passage from her Diary that summarizes this attitude of perfect love: I know that I am under Your special gaze, O Lord. (Please use the above codes when ordering.) The Heart of Christ, pierced with a lance and overflowing with blood and water thatxs the source of grace. The event of the Cross and Resur rection abides and draws everything toward life. They close their hearts to Christs saving WEEK ONE: What Is Trust? Mary was full of praise because of the great things God had done for her. Well, when I saw that claim on the back of the book, I was sold. Instead, she was an eagle! I mean, with the Offering, you have the culmination of the central teaching of the greatest and most popular saint of modern times a Doctor of the Church, no less. Congratulations! Finally, I offer You, O Blessed Trinity! If we choose to be merciful to others, then God will be merciful with us. For evidence of this, we need only look as far as the text of her Offering to Merciful Love: I desire, in a word, to be a saint, but I feel my help lessness and I beg You, O my God! One day, Fr. Washington, DC 20002 U.S.A. wwTv.icspublications.org From With Empty Hands by Conrad de Meestcr, O.C.D. On that latter point, Karol Wojtyla (the future St. John Paul II) went so far as to say, After many experiences and a lot of drinking, I am convinced diat the objective starting point oflove is the realization that I am needed by another. Now; if that sounds like Im saying we need to roll up our sleeves and begin studying the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church I am. She knows that he himself will be her Sanctity and that God the Father will look upon her only in the Face of Jesus and in His heart burning with Love. Shes confident that Gods love will take possession of her and remain in her that she might be clothed in Gods own Justice and filled with an overflow of the infinite tenderness of his love. I will make no attempt to describe this greatness, because before long we shall all see Him as He is. But then, Elizabeth gives the whole WEEK ONE: What Is Trust? Well, we need one. In other words, our acceptance of Christs gift of mercy and salvation is also a gift that we give to him. In fact, as well now learn, this overflowing love has the potential to engulf the entire world. With or without Mass, after you recite your prayer of conse cration, I suggest that you sign it, date it, and keep it in a safe place. Alright, so were weak, little, pitiful lovers. This retreat is based on the popular book by Fr. 120 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE DAY 31 The Offering Three words summarize what we learned about the Offering to Mercifiil Love: (1) Console, (2) The Catch, and (3) Purgatory. Agree to stumble at every step therefore, even to fall, to carry your cross weakly, to love your helpless ness. Shes actually quite big! And then theyd go on to describe how heroic she was in her sacrifices, sufferings, virtues, and desires. In other words, it cant be mercy doled out from a high pedestal. Thankfully, Therese was very much WEEK THREE: The Offering to Merciful Love 71 attracted to another kind of offering: the Offering to Merciful Love. This Participant Packet is designed for those who would like to join a 33 Days to Morning Glory Small Group Retreat. We can be set on fire. But thats actually where things start to get interesting. Thats all well and good, but I dont always feel full of praise and thanks, especially when its hard to be grateful because of lifes hurts. Isnt that the truth? I know that Jesus cannot desire useless sufferings for us, and that He would not inspire the longings I feel unless He wanted to grant them.102 Does this sound like someone who regrets having offered herself to Merciful Love? In other words, she presented herself to the Lord just as she was. Let it be a sign for you. When I say mortified, this is not to give the impression that I performed acts of penance. And yet, through the Mass, we truly and fully participate in that mystery. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Trust in God, who is Love and Mercy itself. 170 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE Because Jesus was so moved by St. Thereses ardent love for him, he gave her a beautiful insight into the mystery of his Heart. I say that because, as we just learned, Mary leads us to Divine Mercy. Saint Therese describes this choice in the following para graph, which, in my opinion, is die best description of what it means to be a litde soul: To remain litde is to recognize our nothingness, to expect everything from God (as a litde child expects everything from its father; it is to be not too distressed by its faults). Now, recall that Mary, after she believed in the word spoken to her by the angel, went to visit her cousin, St. Elizabeth. In this way you will console My Heart. Finally, I offer You, O Blessed Trinity! On the same page, Foley goes into further detail about Zelies excessive fear and what it was like for her, growing up in a home that was dominated by a certain atmosphere of austerity, constraint and scrupulosity. 34 Full quote: She becomes emotional very easily. Of course, the joy hasnt always bubbled over, and sometimes Ive w avered from the Little Way and lost my peace, but for the most part, its been a deep and growing peace and joy for 15 years. Alas, I never made any. About the time the temptations to leave the seminary were the worst, I started reading Story of a Soul., the spiritual autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux. On this same topic, St. Faustina wrote the following about herself: There is no soul more wretched than 1 am, as I truly know myself, and I am astounded that divine Majesty stoops so low (440). This is one of the main efforts under the keep trying category for living the Litde Way. What should I fear then?116 Good question. I mean, it doesnt take that many people to save the world. Its to praise and thank God in all circumstances, because while we may not always understand his ways, we know and believe the love God has for us (1 Jn 4:16). Therese ofLisieux, trans. Its a choice to be little. 276-277. So, up to the time of her trial of faith, which she describes above, the darkness of Thereses Little Way was really about recognizing her helplessness and feeling incapable of the works of holiness. Mary gently lowers you to the foot of 166 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE the Cross, where the blood and water again begin to flow down from the Lords pierced side and into your emptiness, into the poverty of your ecce. Michael Gaitley MIC this 33 Days to Morning Glory Group Retreat goes more deeply into understanding and living Marian consecration than the book alone. One expert on Carmelite spirituality contrasted these two paths (that of merit and that of mercy) as follows: [God] brings about [our sanctification] by the diffusion of grace which He gives according to our merits, or simply to satisfy the need ofhis mercy.91 I dont know about you, but I choose the latter path! (3) I offer You, too, all the merits of the saints (in heaven and on earth), their acts of Love, and those of the holy angels. Abram believed Gods Word, and off he went. So, let me repeat: To live the Little Way, we must be merciful to others. To me He has granted His infinite Mercy, and through it I contemplate and adore the other divine perfections! Book Notes: 33 Days to Merciful Love. You, at least, come to Me 74 33 DAVS TO MERCIFUL LOVE as often as possible and take these graces they do not want to accept. And also, In one instant the Lord gave me a knowledge of the sins committed throughout the whole world during these days. So, we have a choice: severe justice or tender mercy. josef young age young living, why is big brother live feed showing cats, bill of particulars virginia, belkin f5u257 usb to serial adapter driver windows 10, queen mattress canada, ramzi alamuddin net worth, possible woman foundation international scholarship, best art sixth form colleges in london, hardest lock to pick lockpickinglawyer, adobo nation hosts, new orleans psychiatry residency, lifelabs wait times st catharines, renaissance tower florence, al, croyde cracknell school, airline merger rumors 2022,

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