God's mercy

[Monica4316]

Maybe I should know this, but…

I’m kind of going through a rough time in my faith, and my constant hope is that God totally understands what I’m going through, that He isn’t angry but compassionate, and that even when I sin He is still compassionate. I have this hope that I can always count on Him, that if I trust in His mercy, He would not cast me away even if all I have is misery and sin.

am I right in having this hope? or am I deluding myself? Right now, I feel that I really need to go to Confession and that I have done so much against God… but my intention is to love Him… and it just really tears me up inside. When I think of Jesus, I imagine that He is very compassionate and still loves me despite all this, and would not reject me. But on the surface, I feel very far from God, and I feel so separated from Him by my sins that it’s painful to even think of Heaven or spiritual things. I can’t wait for Confession… but will He accept me back? Is He glad when we come back to Him?

I know this is really basic Catholic teaching and I should know this…
but I’m just wondering, - am I imagining all this? can it be that God is actually really angry with me, and that He doesn’t care if I trust in His mercy and wants justice instead? If I were to see Jesus right now, would He turn away from me because of my sins, or would He be willing to make me clean again, because I’m sorry for my sins and am trying to come back to Him? How does God feel about us when we feel like a complete failure, spiritually? Is He always gentle with us?

I just need Him so much right now but I’m going through this interior suffering and not finding help anywhere. Even when I trust Him, I still feel this way. Maybe only Confession will help. I’ve always believed that even if no one understands what we’re going through, Jesus does, and is there with us… is this true?

what do you think…

 

[JRKH]

You are right to hope. God will not close his heart to those who seek Him.

Peace
James

 

[Monica4316]

Thank you!
I know that you are right… I just spent some time reading Divine Mercy in My Soul and I think it’s the devil who’s trying to prevent me from trusting in God’s mercy.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

I know this is really basic Catholic teaching and I should know this…
but I’m just wondering, - am I imagining all this? can it be that God is actually really angry with me, and that He doesn’t care if I trust in His mercy and wants justice instead? If I were to see Jesus right now, would He turn away from me because of my sins, or would He be willing to make me clean again, because I’m sorry for my sins and am trying to come back to Him? How does God feel about us when we feel like a complete failure, spiritually? Is He always gentle with us?

I just need Him so much right now but I’m going through this interior suffering and not finding help anywhere. Even when I trust Him, I still feel this way. Maybe only Confession will help. I’ve always believed that even if no one understands what we’re going through, Jesus does, and is there with us… is this true?

what do you think…

I think that all of us would be wisest by far to rely on what St. Faustina thinks. She is the “Apostle of Divine Mercy.” She may well have known God’s Mercy better than anyone in the world. Her mystical experiences drew her straight into the vast ocean of God’s Mercy, into the depths. She said that only a very thin veil remained between her and seeing God’s Face, because she was overwhelmed so utterly and perfectly in His Mercy.

You know what she says about His Mercy. We should trust her more than our own judgment on this, for we have experienced far less and we know far less. We are limited and blind; she saw, by God’s grace.

Also, more important than St. Faustina’s judgment, we have the infallible testimony of the “Pillar and Foundation of Truth,” the Church of Christ which cannot err.

God is purifying you and you will see His Mercy too, and rejoice forever.

But right now there is indeed a war between your feelings and your will, and your will obeys much of the time because you are striving toward God, but your feelings rebel (though there is no sin in this), and through this tribulation God is leading you into deeper communion with Him. For you are being forced to trust Him in adversity, in trial. That is what deepens the faith and love of the soul like nothing else.

 

[Monica4316]

thanks brother!

that makes a lot of sense to me… I really really hope that it is true that God will forgive me. I will go to Confession on Divine Mercy Sunday… last night, was very difficult… something happened that hasn’t happened before. Throughout all this trial, I’ve always kept my faith. But last night, for several minutes, I felt completely sure that there is no God, that Jesus is not real, or that if He is real, He is not loving. I tried so hard to recover my faith but I couldn’t find it no matter how hard I tried! I felt this horrible emptiness inside… that is what it must be living without God I felt such a great sense of loss, and like I lost God forever and He is not giving me faith anymore. I was unable to believe!!

Then, something happened and all my faith came back. I was really seeking God and I’m so glad He answered… but it was very hard to recover from that feeling of the ABSENSE of God. Even when I don’t feel His presence, I always know that He is present… and for those few minutes, I felt that He was gone, that He had truly left me, and this was such a strong impression that I didn’t know how to deal with it.

Now, all my faith is back but I feel really separated from God by my sins, and I really want to go to Confession, I just hope He will accept me back I can’t describe how much I want to be with God!!! I’m SO afraid of losing Him. I know I’ve offended Him so much with my sins, but I also know He is merciful…

 

[JaredR]

I think we know from the saints and from Sacred Scripture that we ought to trust Divine Mercy, but when it comes down to actually applying that knowledge to our lives, we start to flounder and doubt Him. Fr. Robert Spitzer in his EWTN program Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life says he has learned to overcome this lack of trust by following his prayer of “Have mercy on me, a sinner” with “I accept Your mercy, Lord.”

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Dear Monica,

What happened to you that night was in your feelings, not your will. You felt as though you did not believe in God, and you felt as though you and He were separated. The sense of His absence also was a feeling, though obviously all of these were extremely powerful feelings. Such feelings are not an accurate measure of your faith, though.

Your will, as you have just said, was still seeking God, and therefore there was no sin in you simply because you endured these feelings. If you did not believe He existed and truly had no faith, you would not seek Him. Therefore you never lost your faith, even though you felt that you did not believe in Him. You simply lost the feeling of your faith.

Sometimes if you sit on your hand for a long time, it can go very numb and you lose feeling in your fingers. However, just because you can’t feel them doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Imagine you sit on your hand for a long time and then close your eyes and lift your hand. It’s as if your fingers weren’t there. However, if, leaving your eyes closed, you tried to put your numb hand against your face, the skin of your face would detect the presence of those “missing” fingers. It seems to me that that is basically what happened last night. You lost the sense of your faith and you felt the absence of God, as though He was not there, but the fact that you continued to seek Him in spite of not feeling Him proves that you still had faith in spite of what your feelings were telling you . Don’t worry; God is not losing His hold on you.

John 10:27-28

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

You are one of Jesus’ sheep, following after Him and not deliberately and willfully rejecting Him. No one can snatch God’s sheep from His hand and He has you firmly in His grip, no matter how painful and difficult the struggle is. He is making you rely on Him in faith and not feelings. I believe He will succeed completely and you will receive a much deeper and purer faith as a result.

Pray to your Guardian Angel frequently for help, that he might protect you from sin when your will is weak, and might assist you in becoming less reliant on feelings and more on faith.

 

[Monica4316]

Thank you Jared and Lief

I’m sorry I keep on posting about this!! I wish I could be like one of those people who never complains about anything! But most of the time I just want to ask for advice, not complain, cause often I don’t know what to think lol.

Maybe God is purifying me… but I feel like I’m going through something like “dark night of the senses”. It was much worse before, because previously I felt rejected by God. Now, I just feel very far from Him, and like I’ve wandered away from Him, but my will is with Him and I haven’t lost any faith… so it’s more of a feeling. It’s very strong though! I just miss Him so much. I was thinking back to the time when I was first getting to know Him… and you know how we go through that “honeymoon” time in the beginning? Lol. Back then, whenever I thought of Jesus, I’d always feel so much joy and love, and I wanted to be with Him constantly… it was wonderful discovering His love for the first time. Actually it was a lot like falling in love, only I’d say even greater than that! It all had a profound effect on my life too; gave me a desire to live entirely for God, to give up sin, etc… well now, whenever I think of His love, whenever I pray, or even look at pictures of Him, I just feel this tremendous sense of pain and loss… like imagine you lost your best friend, but it’s much worse than that of course. Somewhere deep inside I still believe He is with me (in addition: I know that the desire I have for God is a grace from Him! It can’t have come from me). And I have this hope that when I’ll go to Confession, and especially on Divine Mercy Sunday, I’d be able to repent fully of my sins and then feel close to Him again.

well His will be done! I’m sure God knows better than me what I need in my spiritual life… and if this is His will, then it is best for me right now. I just hope that it is His will and not just the result of my sins!!! but even if it is, maybe He is turning something bad to good?

I know that God is always good

I’d be SO happy to just know that Jesus is with me, - and if only I could see Him, and talk to Him, and be with Him always and not ever sin. But I guess that is more for Heaven. This life is for learning blind faith + obedience.

 

[Monica4316]

for some reason I’m reminded of this chapter from “little flowers of St Francis”… because it describes how sometimes God hides Himself from a soul to make the soul love Him more. It’s a beautiful chapter and obviously doesn’t correspond to my own spiritual life lol - but the part about God hiding Himself, I can relate to that!

HOW CHRIST APPEARED TO BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA

Among the learned and holy brethren and sons of St Francis, who, as Solomon says, form the glory of their Father, was the venerable and holy Brother John of Fermo, of the province of Ancona, who lived in our times. Having spent the greater part of his life in the holy house of Alvernia, he died there, and was known by the name of Brother John of Alvernia; he was man of great holiness and great sanctity. This Brother John, when he was a child, greatly loved the ways of penance, which preserve the purity both of the body and of the soul; and at a very tender age he began to wear a belt of iron, and to observe great fasting and abstinence; more especially he used these mortifications when he was residing with the Canons of San Pietro di Fermo, who lived in great luxury; he avoided all pleasures, and macerated his body with great severity. His companions, being against such penitential ways, tried by every means to turn him from them, taking from him his instruments of penance, and preventing him from fasting; wherefore the holy child, inspired by God, resolved to leave the world and its worshippers, and to put himself in the arms of his crucified Lord, taking the habit of the crucified St Francis; which he did. Being received into the Order so young, and confided to the care of the master of the novices, he grew so spiritual and so devout, that whenever he heard the said master speak of God, he felt his heart to burn within him, as if it had been on fire, so that it was impossible for him to remain quiet, and he ran to and fro in the garden, in the forest, and even in the church; for so sweet was the sensation he experienced, that it seemed to him as if his heart was melted like wax before the fire. As time went on, this holy youth advanced from virtue to virtue, and his soul was adorned and enriched with spiritural gifts; he was often rapt in ecstasy, so that his mind was raised at times to the splendours of the cherubim, at times to the ardour of the seraphim and the joys of the beatified. At one time this ecstasy of divine love, which seemed, as it were, to set his heart on fire, lasted for three years, and this took place on the holy mountain of Alvernia.

But as God takes especial care of his children, sending them at diverse times consolation or tribulation, adversity or prosperity, according to their need, in order to preserve in them the grace of humility, or to awaken in their hearts a greater thirst after spiritual things, so it pleased his divine bounty, when the three years were ended, to withdraw from Brother John this flame of celestial love, and take from him every spiritual consolation. Then was Brother John most disconsolate and sorrowful, and this great trial made him so miserable, that he wandered about the forest, crying out with sighs and tears for the beloved Spouse of his soul, for without his presence his soul could enjoy neither peace nor rest. Yet nowhere could he find his Beloved, or recover those sweet spiritual sensations to which the love of Christ had accustomed him. Now this trial lasted several days, during which time he persevered in prayer, weeping and sighing, and imploring the Lord to take pity on his soul, and restore to him his Beloved.

At last, his patience having been sufficiently tried, as he was wandering one day sorrowfully in the forest he sat down, overcome with fatigue; and as he was gazing up to heaven, with his eyes full of tears, Jesus Christ, the blessed one, appeared to him, standing in silence on the path by which he himself had come. Brother John knew him to be the Christ, and throwing himself at his feet he burst into a flood of tears, and thus addressed him: “Help me, O my Lord! for without thee, my sweet Saviour, I am all in sorrow and in darkness; without thee, gentle Lamb, I am in anguish and fear; without thee, Son of the most high God, I am in confusion and in shame; without thee, I am despoiled of every good, for thou art Jesus Christ, the true light of my soul; without thee, I am lost and damned, for thou art the life of souls, the life of life; without thee, I am sterile and unfruitful, for thou art the foundation of every grace; without thee, I can have no consolation, for thou, O Jesus, art our Redeemer, our love, our desire, the bread of comfort, the wine which rejoices the hearts of angels and of saints; enlighten me, O pitying Shepherd, for I am thy lamb, albeit most unworthy.” When the Lord delays to grant the desires of holy men, their love towards him greatly increaseth; for the which reason Christ, the blessed one, left Brother John, going from him without granting his request, and without speaking to him.

 

[Monica4316]

Then Brother John arose, and running after Him threw himself again at his feet, imploring him not to leave him, and crying out: “O Jesus Christ, most sweet Saviour, have mercy on me in my trouble; by the truth of thy salvation and the multitude of thy mercies, restore to me the joy of thy countenance, and cast upon me a look of pity; for the earth is full of thy mercy”; but the Lord Jesus went from him without saying a word, or leaving him any consolation. Then Brother John followed him with great fervour, and when he came up to him, Christ, the blessed one, turned round, and looking at him most sweetly, he opened his holy and merciful arms and embraced him; and when he opened his arms Brother John saw rays of light come from his holy bosom, which lighted up all the forest, as well as his own soul and body. Then Brother John knelt down at the feet of Christ, the blessed one, who, as he had given his foot to Mary Magdalene to kiss, so now gave he it to Brother John. Then Brother John, taking it with great reverence, bathed it with his tears like another Magdalene, saying most devoutly, “I pray thee, my Lord, look not at my sins, but, by thy holy Passion and by the precious Blood which thou hast shed, awaken my soul to the grace of thy love; for thou hast commanded us to love thee with all our heart and with all our strength; which commandment none can fulfill without thy help. Help me, then, beloved Son of God, that I may love thee with all my heart and all my strength.”

And as Brother John was thus praying at the feet of Christ his prayer was granted, and the flame of divine love which he had lost was restored to him, and he felt himself greatly comforted. Then knowing that the gift of divine grace had been restored to him, he began to return thanks to Christ, the blessed one, and devoutly to kiss his feet. Then standing up, and looking on the Saviour’s face, Jesus Christ gave him his holy hands to kiss; and having kissed them, Brother John approached the bosom of Christ, and embraced him. Christ, the blessed one, received him in his arms; and as Brother John embraced the Saviour, and was embraced by him, the air was filled with the sweetest perfumes, so sweet that no other perfume in the world could be compared with them. Thus was Brother John consoled, enlightened, and rapt in ecstasy, and this sweet perfume lasted in his soul for many months; and thenceforth from his lips, which had drunk at the fountain of divine wisdom on the sacred bosom of the Saviour, there fell most wonderful and celestial words, which changed the hearts of those who heard them, producing great fruit in souls; and for a long time, whenever Brother John followed the path in the forest where the blessed feet of Christ had passed, he saw the same wonderful light and breathed the same sweet odour. When Brother John came back to himself after this vision, though the corporal presence of Christ had disappeared, his mind was so enlightened and so imbued with divine wisdom, that although he was not a learned man or versed in human studies, he explained most wonderfully the most difficult questions on the Holy Trinity and the profound mysteries of Holy Writ; and when speaking before the Pope, the cardinals, the king, the barons, the masters, and doctors, they were surprised at his sublime discourse, and at the words of wisdom which he pronounced.

 

[presidentjlh]

I just finished praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and tears began streaming down my face, but not like the tears from earlier today, which were out of fear and anxiety, but out of an overwhelming sense of peace that I have so long desired, that as long as I fight hard to be a good Catholic, the Mercy of Christ will save me. I will continue to pray this devotion regularly, and I will start praying it for others. I want everyone to experience His Mercy.

I’m going to share this prayer with my family. I am going to try to tell people about this prayer. I put some classical religious music on when I was praying the Chaplet, and right near when I finished it, the song “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven came on, and it was…I can’t describe it…it was just…so emotional…I felt so much happiness and joy like I had not felt it a long time.

God bless all who led me to this devotion. As someone that struggles with anxiety, I feel so much more at peace…thank you…and may you be forever blessed. Thank you, Monica.

 

[Monica4316]

I just finished praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and tears began streaming down my face, but not like the tears from earlier today, which were out of fear and anxiety, but out of an overwhelming sense of peace that I have so long desired, that as long as I fight hard to be a good Catholic, the Mercy of Christ will save me. I will continue to pray this devotion regularly, and I will start praying it for others. I want everyone to experience His Mercy.

I’m going to share this prayer with my family. I am going to try to tell people about this prayer. I put some classical religious music on when I was praying the Chaplet, and right near when I finished it, the song “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven came on, and it was…I can’t describe it…it was just…so emotional…I felt so much happiness and joy like I had not felt it a long time.

God bless all who led me to this devotion. As someone that struggles with anxiety, I feel so much more at peace…thank you…and may you be forever blessed. Thank you, Monica.

wow that is amazing, praise God! I’m glad that God gave you peace through this prayer. It’s such a beautiful prayer

if you get a chance please pray for me that God would show His Mercy to me. Thank you :hug1:

 

[presidentjlh]

wow that is amazing, praise God! I’m glad that God gave you peace through this prayer. It’s such a beautiful prayer

if you get a chance please pray for me that God would show His Mercy to me. Thank you :hug1:

Oh I will! I definitely will! How could I not, you were the one that gave me information about this prayer!

 

[Monica4316]

thank you so much!! that is so interesting…how God works I’m so glad it helped you!! that is really incredible!!!

 

[Student09]

I, at least, find it helpful to remember that even though we human beings - because of our limited and fragmented intellects - speak and think of God’s justice and mercy as separate aspects, these are not actually separate in God. All of God’s attributes are one in God. My priest reminded me of this in a homily a couple weeks ago. Thus God’s mercy is perfectly just, and His justice is perfectly merciful.

From wonderful St. Therese:

“All of these perfections [of God] appear to be resplendent with love, even His Justice (and perhaps this even more so than the others) seems to me clothed in love. What a sweet joy it is to think that God is Just, ie. that He takes into account our weakness, that He is perfectly aware of our fragile nature. What should I fear then?”

Hope this helps.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Student09:

From wonderful St. Therese:

Quote:
“All of these perfections [of God] appear to be resplendent with love, even His Justice (and perhaps this even more so than the others) seems to me clothed in love. What a sweet joy it is to think that God is Just, ie. that He takes into account our weakness, that He is perfectly aware of our fragile nature. What should I fear then?”

That’s a strong comfort to me as well. And it’s something I frequently remind God of, when I’m praying for myself . I often tell Him, “I’m very, very, very weak, and I can’t do anything on my own. I badly need you to be my strength.” And when I’m praying evangelistically, “remember our weakness and blindness and have mercy on us, for the sake of your Son’s Passion, through the sufferings of your Mother at the foot of the Cross.” That’s how I often pray. For truly we are all engulfed in weakness.

 

[Monica4316]

I just realized something… I really feel that one of the things that is distancing me from God is feeling all my sins on my conscience. I think that Confession will greatly help I hope! I just want God to take these sins away.

 

[presidentjlh]

I told my mom of the Divine Mercy, and she is going to pray it and share it with my family. :yyeess:

More and more my anxieties and fears for others are being vanquished by Christ’s Love and Mercy. This is what Christ was leading me to! He is leading me to know that He loves and wants us all to be with Him!

I do not feel I am called to Holy Orders, but I do feel God calling me to help spread the Divine Mercy to the world. No wonder I have such an interest in being a politician and a leader in government. I am reassured of my goals in life. My dreams of being President are a calling, I feel, to strive to lead people as a leader of the secular government, and bring them back to Christ. Maybe I will become President, maybe I won’t. Either way, God wants me to be in government, for many people seem to listen to them more than the Church. He wants me to get people’s focus on Him, not on the state. I have always believed that the United States is an especially blessed nation. Many historians have said there has never been a greater collection of brilliant minds and wisdom than the Founding Fathers.

Ronald Reagan was dead on when he spoke of us as a “shining city upon a hill”. We are called to make the world better as a nation and as a people. The United States is not the end goal, but it is one of the many ways in which Christ is trying to save people, I believe.

I am only 18, but, as I go through life, I ask you all to pray that I may do well in my studies, so that when I enter public service, I may be able to do my job well. I also ask that you all pray that I may, through my faith and my love of using subtle hints, that I may lead more and more people to Christ. I may not be allowed by the government to outright promote religion, but there is nothing against subtly doing such, by discussing it without telling people to do such.