Do You Trust Me (Week 4)

"Silence is a sword in the spiritual struggle...The silent soul is capable of attaining the greatest union with God.  It almost always lives under the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. God works in a silent soul without hindrance." 

(Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul 477).

How often have you had to say to someone, "If you would just stop talking for a minute, you would hear what I'm saying?"  I wonder how often God has said that to me. Adulthood demands that we spend our time productively and take pride in our multitasking ability. Sitting in silence can seem like a poor use of time. Silence, however, slices through the world's noise, creating a space for God to enter.

 Spiritual growth is not a journey we undertake alone. It is a response to contemplate and imitate God, who is the source of all growth. Silence, as a compelling, active encounter, can surpass any of our daily plans. Although God can multitask to a level we could never comprehend, He desires and concentrates on a single task for each of us. He desires us to become saints.

 Let's make this week truly productive by actively placing ourselves in God's presence. Breathe in His Spirit. Get to know the one true God. Hear His voice, listen to His thoughts, and rest in His love. 

-Susan 

 

Do You Trust Me? (Week 3)

 

"Oh, if souls would only be willing to listen, at least a little, to the voice of conscience and the voice--that's the inspiration of the Holy Spirit!  I say "at least a little" because once we open ourselves to the influence of the Holy Spirit, He himself will fulfill what is lacking in us." (Diary Divine Mercy in My Soul 162).

 Each day, I pray that the Holy Spirit inspires me and that I am faithful to His inspirations.  I need to pray for His strength and courage because, if I am honest, ignoring the inspirations of the Holy Spirit can be easier than acting on them. Often, my first reaction is that I'm not qualified to say or do that.  No one is going to listen to me. And while my small inner thoughts can justify remaining quiet, I'm unsure if the sigh that escapes my lips is mine or the Holy Spirit's.

 Trusting God is central to the message of Divine Mercy. It almost sounds absurd that, at times, I do not trust God and His plans. Paradoxically, I can easily acknowledge my weaknesses and inabilities and yet, in the next thought, convince myself that my thoughts are better. I can easily forget that my best friend, the Holy Spirit, has everyone's best interest in His heart.  The Holy Spirit inspires each of us so that we can inspire one another. The plan is actually quite incredible when everyone follows it.

 This week, let's be brave enough to ask the Holy Spirit to inspire us to do some small job for God. If the job makes us uncomfortable, let's remember to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with whatever is lacking. 

  -Susan

Do You trust Me? Week 2

  This week, let's reflect on this powerful quote from the Diary of St. Faustina (Divine Mercy in My Soul): 'Nothing can compare with love. I see that the smallest things done by a soul that loves God sincerely have an enormous value in His Holy eyes' (340). This reminds us that even the smallest acts of love hold great significance to God.

  God's story with humankind is a beautiful love story. He repeatedly demonstrates His immense love for us, not just through grand miracles but also in the small, intimate moments He shares with each of us. These moments may be overlooked, but to God, they are precious and cherished.

  God created us out of love and wants us to love as He loves. This week, let's strive to love God in those quiet moments that only He will notice. Let's direct our attention to strangers and pray for them. They may never realize it, and they may never thank us for it, but let's do it because it brings joy to God. Remember, the world can be gradually transformed through one prayer, one smile, or one kind word.

  While we may not always be able to accomplish grand deeds, we can all do something small. Wouldn't it be wonderful to know that, at the end of the day, God is smiling at us and whispering, 'I love you too!' just before we drift off to sleep?

-Susan

  

Do You Trust Me?

 

  As we journey through this Lenten season, let's draw inspiration from the Diary of St. Faustina (Divine Mercy in My Soul)  Her intimate conversations unveil the depth of God's love and mercy for every soul. St. Faustina's revelations from Jesus remind us that many souls take His love for granted, causing Him pain. But Lent allows us to change and renew our relationship with God.

 I want to consider the first quote: "God usually chooses the weakest and simplest souls as tools for His great work" (464).

 God chose St. Faustina, the apostles, and He is choosing you. Listen carefully to the whispers He has planted in your heart.  His plan is perfect. What is God calling you to do? Do you know? Are you avoiding it?  Or have you never asked?  Like many of us, St. Faustina thought she was too simple of a soul to do great works. But we can always trust in God's Plan.  Let us begin Lent by asking God to increase our trust in Him. God is well aware of what we can do and is very aware of what He can do through us.  Placing our trust in God is a perfect place to begin.

-Susan

  

Keeping Balanced

 

   Today, I will share an embarrassing story that I'm sure many of you can relate to.  I want to start by saying, "I know I should not have done that."  Here goes.  My daughter and I were shopping at a large department store. We were going to check out the sales on the lower level.  The minute we got on the escalator, something caught my eye. I turned to my daughter while pointing and said, "Look, we have to go back up."  My daughter quickly turned around and easily went up the down escalator.  Unfortunately, I did not.  My shoe hit the edge of the moving stair, and my balance was completely thrown off. I tried to regain my balance, but I couldn't recover. I fell to my knees, praying that no one had seen that.

 My daughter quickly stepped back on the escalator to check on me. Once I confirmed that I was more humiliated than hurt, she said, "I don't mean to laugh, Mom, but you looked hilarious!" I cringed with embarrassment.

 Did I know better?  I sure did.  So, what possessed me to do it anyways?  It was something I had done plenty of times in the past, I didn't think it was a big deal. But the throbbing bump on my knee told a different story. This incident was a wake-up call, a reminder that even seemingly harmless actions can have consequences.

 Ash Wednesday is just a few days away.  Lent is the perfect time to look at what habits are throwing us off balance.  Bad habits usually start small and harmless, and we easily shrug them off as not a big deal. But little by little, a bad habit can tip the scale in the opposite direction, and suddenly, we have trouble juggling everything. Sometimes, it's our prayer life that ends up falling off. This Lent, let's use this time for self-reflection and address these habits before they disrupt our spiritual life.

 Before Ash Wednesday, take a look at your prayer life.  Have you let any new habits steal your time with God?  It can be embarrassing to admit what excuses we give for not praying. Lent is the perfect time to reach out and grab a hold of God's hand before you lose your balance and fall.

-Susan