Mission - Christ's, St. Paul's, St. Faustina's, and ours!

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, Morning Prayer, I was blessed in hearing this Reading:

I have appeared to you for this reason: to appoint you as my servant and as witness of this vision in which you have seen me, and of others in which I shall appear to you. I shall deliver you from the people and from the pagans, to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to God, and receive, through faith in me, forgiveness of their sins and a share in the inheritance of the sanctified. (Acts 26:16-18)

Christ appeared after His Resurrection to many and He continues to appear to some saints in His Resurrected Body, yet He also comes to us in His Word. We can see Him by faith and we can hear His Truth as we listen to the Scriptures and to the testimonies of His saints. Today is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul and it can be an opportunty for all of us to renew our own “ongoing conversion” to which we are all called by our Baptism and Confirmation.

We, like St. Paul and St. Faustina, have been called and appointed as servants (some of us like St. Paul and St. Louis de Montfort use the word “slave” rather than servant) and as witnesses. We too are sent to certain people (who may try to do us harm) yet we are sent by God’s Word and by His Spirit, prayerfully to speak the Truth in Love, that others may have their eyes opened as St. Paul, St. Faustina and we have had our eyes opened to turn from darkness to light. Members of the Body of Christ need to continue “ongoing conversion” into Christ while still on earth, from the dominion of satan to God, and receive through faith in Jesus, forgiveness of sins and a share in the inheritance of the sanctified.

In her Diary - Divine Mercy in my Soul, St. Faustina wrote:

O God, how I desire that souls come to know You and to see that you created them because of Your unfathomable love. O my Creator and Lord I feel that I am going to remove the veil of heaven so that earth will not doubt Your goodness.

Make of me, Jesus a pure and agreeable offering before the Face of Your Father. Jesus, transform me, miserable sinner as I am, into Your own self (for You can do all things), and give me to Your Eternal Father. I want to become a sacrificial host before You, but an ordinary wafer to people. I want the fragrance of my sacrifice to to be known to You alone. O Eternal God, an unquenchable fire of supplication burns within me. I know and understand that this is my task, here and in eternity. You Yourself have told me to speak about this great mercy and about Your goodness. (paragraph 483)