More from St. Faustina on becoming holy

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In this Year of Divine Mercy it can be a blessing to read of God’s Mercy at work in her soul. Since I didn’t get any more replies on my last two threads on the Dairy of St. Faustina, I thought I’d start another thread!

An excerpt from paragraph 291:

…O my Jesus, how very easy it is to become holy; all that is needed is a little good will. If Jesus sees this little bit of good will in the soul, He hurries to give Himself to the soul and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings nor falls – absolutely nothing. Jesus is anxious to help that soul and if it is faithful to this grace from God, it can very soon attain the highest holiness possible for a creature here on earth. God is very generous and does not deny His grace to anyone. Indeed He gives more than what we ask of Him. Faithfulness to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit – that is the shortest route.

If you are thinking (as I did when I first read the quote above) that it may be easy for St. Faustina but it doesn’t seem that easy for me…listen to what the saint adds just a few paragraphs later in paragraph 303:

Great love can change small things into great ones and it is only love which lends value to our actions. And the purer our love becomes, the less there will be for the flames of suffering to feed upon, and the suffering will cease to be suffering for us; it will become a delight…

Surely God’s Mercy worked great things in the soul of St. Faustina. I believe He gave her all these words that she might share them and encourage us to seek His Mercy, that He might work great things in our souls too!

 

[boomerang]

I once told my priest during confession that I wanted to become more holy. I’ve had nothing but suffering ever since. I’m not sure I’m cut out to be holy. Be careful what you ask for!

 

[jaimeleglise]

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. God bless you.

 

[MariaChristi]

I once told my priest during confession that I wanted to become more holy. I’ve had nothing but suffering ever since. I’m not sure I’m cut out to be holy. Be careful what you ask for!

Dear boomerang,

Thanks for your reply. If we pray the “Our Father” as Jesus taught us, we are asking for all we need to be holy. Jesus taught us this prayer because He knows all we need.

How did you hear St. Faustina’s words about suffering in paragraph 303 which I quoted? Her words reminded me of St. Therese of Lisieux, who said that love is the willingness to suffer.

We are all called to holiness. Some of us may have a “steeper learning curve” than others. Nevertheless, I believe St. Faustina can help us to keep praying to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love, to be faithful to His inspirations. God gives grace but we must freely accept the grace to do His Will. Only by His grace can we unite our wills to His. Jesus tells us in John’s Gospel (chapter 15) Without Me, you can do nothing. Ah, but with Him, nothing is impossible.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful. Kindle in us the Fire of Your Love.
Mary, our Mother and Queen of all saints, pray for us.
St. Faustina, and all the saints in heaven, pray for us.
Jesus, we trust in You.

 

[MariaChristi]

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. God bless you.

Dear jaimeleglise,

Thanks for your reply. Please let us pray for one another and for all those in most need of God’s Mercy. God has loved the world so much, yet He seems to receive so little from most of His children on earth today. But then again, we don’t hear about all those hidden and beautiful souls who suffer in union with Him. We hear more about evils in the world then about the Good God working in secret – in souls like St. Faustina.

Eternal Father, I offer You, the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly Beloved Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

 

[ineeda]

I attempt to say the Divine Mercy, everyday, It is such a beautiful prayer, and my favorite!!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Billycourty]

I just want to say MariaChristi that I enjoy your posts and I am very grateful for your loving and generous attitude (also brave!) in sharing your faith.

I am a lurker really as I am still learning about being Catholic and not ready to jump into most discussions, but I wanted to let you know that you are appreciated.

regards
Jay

 

[MariaChristi]

I attempt to say the Divine Mercy, everyday, It is such a beautiful prayer, and my favorite!!

Thanks for sharing.

Dear indeed,

I try to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet after I pray the Rosary, each day. I try to pray both early in the day because that is the best time for me, but if I can only pray the Rosary in the morning then I try to pray the Mercy Chaplet before I go to sleep.

Sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night, and can’t sleep, I will pray the chaplet then as well. It is a powerful and beautiful prayer. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Teabag]

I am sure that trying to be Holy in the ‘outside’ ‘Modern’ world is very very difficult. I am sure it is more difficult that if one is in a monastery etc. I may be wrong but to me it seems a lot more effort has to be rendered due to the lives we live these days. It can be extremely difficult.

 

[MariaChristi]

I just want to say MariaChristi that I enjoy your posts and I am very grateful for your loving and generous attitude (also brave!) in sharing your faith.

I am a lurker really as I am still learning about being Catholic and not ready to jump into most discussions, but I wanted to let you know that you are appreciated.

regards
Jay

Dear Jay,

Thank you so much for your very kind reply. It is God’s grace that enables me to write anything worth reading, and I am grateful He allows me to share with others His Great Love and Mercy. May His Grace continue to guide you into the fullness of Truth He has given to the Catholic Church.

The more I listen prayerfully to the Scriptures the more grateful I am for my Baptism into Christ in the Catholic Faith. The word “disciple” means “learner” and so each day, I open the ears of my heart to hear what God reveals. You are wise not to jump into discussions until you are ready.

The saints can teach us much by their example and by the words God gave them to share. St. Faustina is only one of many from whom I have learned and always in their lives there is the mark of humility, a willingness to be “little” before God and trusting His Grace to make them brave in their witness to His Love and Mercy.

Mary is the Mother and Model for the Church. No human person loves God as she does! May she intercede for you and for all of us on our journey to holiness.

 

[MariaChristi]

I am sure that trying to be Holy in the ‘outside’ ‘Modern’ world is very very difficult. I am sure it is more difficult that if one is in a monastery etc. I may be wrong but to me it seems a lot more effort has to be rendered due to the lives we live these days. It can be extremely difficult.

Dear Teabag,

Thanks for your reply. As St. Faustina describes her difficulties in the convent, I seems to me, she had her “fair share” of the trials which God permits in every life in order for our faith in Him to grow. (cf James 1: 2-4). In monasteries and convents where there may be more silence and opportunities for prayer, there can be just as many evil spirits prowling around seeking whom they may devour. (cf 1 Peter 5).

When the apostles James and Peter wrote their letters to the early Church there were no monasteries or convents. The ordinary Christians learned to be holy and to grow in holiness as Mary and Joseph did. They listened to God’s Word revealed to them in the Scriptures. The Church continues to look to God’s Word in both Old and New Testaments as the first source of Revelation, along with Tradition and The Magisterium of the Church.

Jesus told His first disciples He would send the Holy Spirit to bring us into the complete Truth. (cf John 16). They could not hear everything at once. After Pentecost the Holy Spirt has continued to teach the Church the fullness of the Way, the Truth and the Life in Jesus. We learn also from the example and the words He has given to His saints. St. Faustina has much to say to all those who are seeking to grow in the holiness that was given to us in our Baptism.

It is true that the present culture in which we are living is a difficult one for any Catholic Christian, but from the beginning until the end of time followers of Christ will always suffer as He did. Some more, some less according to His Will. Each of us is a unique and unrepeatable person created in God’s Image and Likeness. He knows each of us and provides for us, all that we need to become holy as He is Holy. Again His Word tells us:

Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, “Be holy because I [am] holy.” (1 Peter 1: 14 - 16)

Let us all be encouraged by “little” St. Faustina in whom God’s Mercy worked great things.
May we be truly His obedient children, that His Mercy may work great things in us as well.

 

[Nelka]

I once told my priest during confession that I wanted to become more holy. I’ve had nothing but suffering ever since. I’m not sure I’m cut out to be holy. Be careful what you ask for!

I asked for suffering once and I got it straight away. It felt like a boulder on my back but was probably just a grain of sand.

 

[Nelka]

Many would be willing to have afflictions provided that they not be inconvenienced by them."

St. Francis de Sales

Referring to me?

 

[MariaChristi]

Many would be willing to have afflictions provided that they not be inconvenienced by them."

St. Francis de Sales
Referring to me?

Dear Nelka,

St. Francis de Sales said “Many” and not “A few” so I suspect his words refer to most of us in the human family. Nevertheless, St. Faustina encourages us by telling us of Jesus’ love for us:

…O my Jesus, how very easy it is to become holy; all that is needed is a little good will. If Jesus sees this little bit of good will in the soul, He hurries to give Himself to the soul and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings nor falls – absolutely nothing. Jesus is anxious to help that soul and if it is faithful to this grace from God, it can very soon attain the highest holiness possible for a creature here on earth. God is very generous and does not deny His grace to anyone. Indeed He gives more than what we ask of Him. Faithfulness to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit – that is the shortest route. (Diary of St. Faustina - paragraph 291)

Perhaps we are too concerned with ourselves and miss the opportunities to love Jesus in return by offering our afflictions and inconveniences in union with all He suffered for us! We may be afraid to do what the Holy Spirit inspires because we do not trust Jesus enough. St. Faustina tells us “all that is needed is a little good will”. She also wrote:

Great love can change small things into great ones and it is only love which lends value to our actions. And the purer our love becomes, the less there will be for the flames of suffering to feed upon, and the suffering will cease to be suffering for us; it will become a delight…(Diary - paragraph 303)

We are all called to holiness by our God Who is Love. By His Grace, like St. Faustina, let us grow in His Love.