Sept. 21, 2024

DIVINE MERCY REFLECTION: A Retreat With Jesus

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Have you ever made a retreat?  Some are privileged to take time away from the busyness of life so as to spend an extended time listening to our Lord and being in His merciful presence.  Others find it hard to find even a day to enter such a retreat.  Regardless of whether you have or have not had this opportunity, know that you need time alone with Jesus.  It is not possible to speak to Him only during your busy day and maintain a proper relationship with Him.  The depth of the relationship desired by Jesus requires time set aside solely for Him.  Seek these opportunities and do not neglect them.  It is through moments of extended prayer and reflection that life is clarified and the Will of God is made manifest (See Diary #1326-1327).

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Sept. 20, 2024

DIVINE MERCY REFLECTION: God As Your Helmsman In The Storm

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Imagine being a small child on a small boat in the middle of the sea.  A storm sets in and you cannot see land in any direction.  You are tossed and turned in the waves as they cover the bow with each crash and you wonder how you will survive.  Now imagine that your dad is also on the boat with you.  He tells you to sit and hold on and that all will be well.  He is confident and in charge and shows no fear.  The confidence that your father exudes calms you and you trust that he will keep you safe.  This is an image of our lives.  When we face a crisis we must realize that we are but a child in the midst of the stormy sea in need of our Merciful Lord.  It would be foolish for a child to try to take charge of the boat.  It would also be foolish for us to try to direct our own lives.  We need the steady confidence of Jesus to put our hearts at rest.  The Lord must be your Helmsman whenever the waves begin to rise.  Do not doubt His ability to handle everything in life (See Diary #1322).

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Sept. 19, 2024

DIVINE MERCY REFLECTION: The Rule Of Love Or Justice

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We cannot escape the Hand of God.  He is the one who sustains the Universe and keeps all things in being.  Without His constant care we would cease to exist.  But we remain under His providential Hand in one of two ways.  Either we are guided by the “rule of love” or by the “rule of justice.”  The rule of justice is God’s way of guiding our lives when we turn away from Him.  We cannot escape His justice here or at the time of death.  When we sin, especially in a serious way, we become slaves to our sin on account of the justice of God.  He leaves us to experience the imprisonment of sin on account of His great Mercy.  It is Mercy in that the ill effects of His justice are imposed so as to call us to repentance.  But those who live under the rule of love are blessed to live on a whole new level.  These holy souls bask in the Mercy of God and are freed from the effects of sin.  They experience the numerous fruits of the Spirit and act in accord with the holy Will of God (See Diary #1315).

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