Yes I Trust You! Divine Mercy Sunday

 

  My daughter, do whatever is within your power to spread devotion to My mercy.  I will make up for what you lack.  Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it with peace.

Tell (all people), My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself.  When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.  (Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul 1074).

  I love this passage from the diary! The invitation is so intimate. Jesus promises to fill us with peace if we snuggle up to His merciful heart. His love is not distant or generic, but intensely personal. Like John the Apostle, who leaned on Jesus during the Last Supper, Jesus extends the same invitation to us. You can only snuggle up to someone you truly know, trust, and love; this is the depth of intimacy Jesus desires with us. As we remain close to His heart,  our lives will be filled with peace.

 It's almost unfathomable that Jesus has to plead with us to trust Him. If we can't trust Jesus, who can we trust? The more we trust Jesus, the more grace He bestows upon us.  It's a situation where everyone wins. Jesus declared, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10). Jesus desires our happiness! And not just ours, but also that we share this Good News with everyone.  Our God is Love and Mercy! Never fear being too close to God; trust that no one will love you more.  The blood and water which pour from His pierced heart are meant to purify, heal, and save us! The 'Good' of Friday may be beyond our comprehension in this life. Yet, it will be joyously celebrated and understood as we journey with Jesus in Eternity.

 Today is Divine Mercy Sunday!  Let's exult in our merciful Lord and demonstrate to everyone what God's mercy truly looks like! It's a day of jubilation, a day to share the joy of God's mercy with the world!

-Susan

 

Do You Trust Me/ (Week 6)

  For them (souls and poor sinners), I dwell in the Tabernacle as King of Mercy. I desire to bestow My graces upon souls but they do not want to accept them….My heart drinks only of the ingratitude and forgetfulness of souls living in the world.  They have time for everything, but they have no time to come to me for grace.  Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul (367)  

  

   Imagine if a favorite actor, sports star, or singer asked you to come to their house. Would you do it? Would you rearrange your schedule for them? Would you share your experience with others? Do you ever dream of being like them?

 Just as people eagerly welcomed Jesus on Palm Sunday, do we give Him the same attention the rest of the week?  After Sunday Mass, how much time do we spend with Jesus? He desires to be your closest friend. Does that thought excite you?  Do you rearrange your schedule to be with Him? 

 Jesus, the King of Heaven and Earth, is so good and loving that He patiently waits for us. He invites us to spend time with Him, but we often have too many other things going on.   What excuses have you given Him for not coming?  If you feel embarrassed about this, know that you're not alone.  Let's make a promise to make this week different. Let this week be the beginning of something new.

-Susan

   

Do You Trust Me? (Week 5)

  (Jesus told St. Faustina) "My heart overflows with great mercy for souls and especially for poor sinners.  If only they could understand that I am the best of Fathers to them and that the blood and water flowed from My heart as from a font overflowing with mercy."  Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul (367)              

 

 (This quote refers to the graces in the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. Today, we will examine the first part of the quote and revisit it next week.)

 

  Ashamed and standing just outside the church doors with your head cast down, your heart whispers, "Father, forgive me, for I have sinned."  You hear the door open, and as you slowly look up, you notice Jesus standing at the entrance.  He takes your hand and gently guides you inside.  "Lord, my sins are so many." You then let out a very long sigh.

 Jesus continues to hold your hand and says. "They don't have to be a part of you anymore. Give them to Me."

 "I'm ashamed to say them out loud."

 Jesus places a hand on your chin and slowly raises your head so that your eyes meet His.  "Do you trust that all things are possible for Me?  Do you trust that I can heal with one word, with one touch?  There is no end to My Mercy.  I can wash away the ugliest of sins.  So tell Me what needs to be healed in your heart, and I will show you the fountain of mercy flowing from Mine."

 Slowly, you speak words unveiling dark secrets. You kneel before the Lord, exposed and vulnerable, afraid to meet His gaze again. But again, Jesus lifts your head and says, "Child, I absolve you of all your sins."  Then He wraps His arms around you and presses you close to His heart.  Mery and love flow through you. You feel beautiful, cleansed, and renewed. Instinctively, you realize this is how you were meant to be: a child whose heart contains God's love and mercy.

-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?

 

  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

  

I Care

 

  I wanted to catch up on some much-needed landscaping work this weekend.  Nothing crazy, just trimming trees, pulling weeds, and laying down mulch. Halfway through the project, I realized I would need more mulch.  My son and I jumped into the car to buy some more.  We hit up the landscaping store and then another retail store.  After the second store, I entered the car and glanced down at my knees.  "Oh my gosh," I exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me my knees were all stained from laying down the mulch?"

  My son said, "Don't worry about it, Mom.  No one's going to notice or care."

  "You don't think anyone in the last two stores wondered why my knees were stained?  I could have easily washed it off."  A few minutes later, I started another conversation with my son.  "So, how many of your friends go to church?"

  My son gave me a face,  "None of them.  Nobody cares about church."

  "Seriously, that's so sad."  Later in the day, I couldn't help but recall these two conversations. I kept hearing the words "Nobody cares" in my thoughts.

  I want to announce to everyone that I care and invite anyone who has been away from the Mass to come back. I care about your relationship with Jesus. It must be so challenging to live life without Him. There is nothing complicated about coming back.  God welcomes you with open arms. As just as a bit of soap and water washed my stains, God can also cleanse you.  He's just waiting to shower you with His graces. So come on back home. God has a beautiful fountain of Mercy that He can't wait to share with you!

-Susan

Why Must This Be?

 

   I had an interesting conversation with a gentleman today.  He was telling me about a past experience with one of his children; at the time, the doctors thought the child had a very serious condition with a poor prognosis.  He told me he went home and cried for hours.  He said he had asked God why this was happening to him.  He didn’t smoke or drink, and he was always kind to people.  Why was this happening to him?

  I think that is a very natural response to a stressful life event.  Shouldn’t bad things only happen to bad people?  The answer, of course, is no.  Unfortunately, agonizing events can happen to anyone for so many different reasons. And even though we know God is all-loving, most of us, at one time or another, have blamed God when things went wrong. 

  Pain, like anger, can be overwhelming and difficult to experience alone. But that may be the point we often overlook. We are not alone. God is very present in our most difficult moments. Not because He is testing or punishing us but rather because He loves us so dearly and wants to help us. The difficult decision we need to make is: Can we trust God instead of blaming Him?

  Perhaps if we turned to God each day with the small annoyances of the day, we could develop a holy habit of relying upon God. Then, when we find ourselves faced with really difficult situations, we will give Him our pain and trust God to navigate the storm for us.  We may find ourselves on an unknown shore, but we will never be alone.

  Fortunately, the gentleman I spoke with today received a blessing instead of a tragedy. Let us pray this week for those who, through no fault of their own, have found themselves on an unexpected shore.  Let us pray they trust God who is all-loving, all-caring, and always at our side.

-Susan

God's Divine Mercy

 

  Sometimes, I struggle to define God's Mercy. It is more incredible than mere words could describe. God loves me more than I could understand and definitely more than I deserve. My sins are many, and His love is endless. My self-interest constantly distracts me, and He patiently waits for my focus to return. I walk away and then cry out for help, and instantly, His arms are holding me close. When my pain overwhelms me, He picks me up and allows me to rest my head against His Most Sacred Heart. I constantly demand more, and He reveals His pierced heart and says, "Child, I have given you all you need. I even gave up my life so that death would have no power over you."

 My sweet Jesus, celebrating your Divine Mercy today is my great delight. So many times, I have begged for Your Mercy for myself and my loved ones! I am so blessed and grateful that you listen to my cries as if I were the only person in the world. You exchange my anxieties with peace and my fears with your love. My soul exclaims, "I am eternally grateful," and I hear You whisper, "I will be yours for eternity." 

 Jesus, I trust in you and in Your Plans. Please have mercy on me and on the whole world.  

-Susan

The Good Shepherd

 I was lost in my own thoughts and my own problems. I wandered a little too far away.  I turned around, and I didn't know where I was. My anxiety tried to dictate my thoughts. I was scared. It took only three little words to turn everything around.  I whispered, "Jesus, I trust in you." Within seconds, my heart opened my eyes and ears.

  "There you are. I was worried about you.  Are you ready to come back home?" Jesus bent down and picked me up. He brushed away my anxious thoughts and just held me in His arms.

  I took slow, deliberate breaths in and out, trying to inhale His love. Peace pushed away my heavy thoughts as I rested my head on His heart.  I was all HIs.  He left the ninety-nine others to find me.

 "I love you, Jesus.  Thank you for caring so much about me. I thought I was lost."

  "My little one, you have no idea how much I love you. Trust me, I will always be here for you."

-Susan

Divine Mercy Sunday!

 

  What a glorious day! Today is Divine Mercy Sunday! The joy of Easter touches us today in a unique celebration of the mercy of God.   Jesus has been so generous to us! First, He gives us the Divine gift of Himself in the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Next, Jesus demonstrates the depth of His love on Good Friday by offering His life so we may be saved. Lastly, He conquers death and sin through His resurrection and opens the gates to the Kingdom for all to enter.  

  There is no love greater than this.   God wants us in Eternity with Him- all of us. And to dispel doubt, He places a magnificent fountain for us to bathe in before we enter the Kingdom. It is the fountain of His Mercy. 

  The appearance of our souls before the fountain should not prevent us from entering. Jesus only desires that we place all our trust in Him, and He will bathe us in His loving mercy. Do not let fear keep you from the Kingdom. You are loved. You are wanted. Your past was yesterday. Today is Divine Mercy Sunday; your future is with Christ the King. Today is a day of celebration! Please join us!

-Susan

It's a True Crime

 After returning home from a family wedding across the state, I was shocked to find half my outdoor Rosary was missing. The Rosary was made out of two-inch blue stones and laid right in front of my statue of Mary. Who would take half of a Rosary? Also, the three rocks with the words printed on them were missing.  The three rocks were "Trust," "God," and "Love." Are you kidding me?  Trust God's love is the Divine Mercy message.  Was this the work of Satan? I was fuming. Theresa suggested we check the house security cameras, which began our full-blown investigation. 

 It wasn't long before we discovered who did it. The crime occurred in the middle of the day while we were away. The criminal looked right at the camera as he took one stone and another. He shoved them in his mouth, ran away, and then returned for more. It was one of the neighborhood squirrels!

 Why would he do this? If I knew he was out evangelizing the squirrel community, I could jump on board with him, but I feared this may not be the case. Theresa googled the habits of squirrels and found that they usually buried their treasure and then marked the area. "I bet you it's under a leaf," Theresa deducted. 

 "Theresa, we have hundreds of leaves in our yard. There is no way we will find them," I replied. Theresa paid no attention to my pessimistic attitude. Within a few minutes, she found one of the buried rock beads. Unfortunately, we did not discover anymore. 

 As I collected the remaining rocks in front of Mary, I wondered if it made her sad. I thought about this the rest of the day. Is it possible that squirrels aren't the only creatures that gather Rosary beads and then hide them? Is it possible people do that as well? Perhaps not in the ground, but forgotten somewhere in a drawer. That, too, is a crime. 

 Then I had an idea. Maybe we could start a neighborhood watch. We could pull out our rosaries daily, pray with Mary, and encourage our neighbors to do so. That way, we could be assured that no more rosaries would get buried again! Satan may have gotten to this squirrel, but let's help Mary step on that snake's head and allow God to have the last word.

-Susan

 

Divine Mercy Sunday!

  I wanted to share a few passages from the Diary of St. Faustina.   When St Faustina asked Jesus the meaning of the two rays in the picture, Jesus told St Faustina, " The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water, which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood, which is the life of souls." (299)

  The Lord said to St. Faustina, "How very much I desire the salvation of souls!….write that I want to pour out My divine life into human souls and sanctify them, if only they were willing to accept My grace. If only they would trust in My mercy. The very inner depths of My being are filled to overflowing with mercy, and it is being poured out upon all I have created. My delight is to act in a human soul and to fill it with My mercy and to justify it. My kingdom on earth is My life in the human soul. … I  Myself am the spiritual guide of souls—and I guide them indirectly through the priest, and lead each one to sanctity by a road known to Me alone. "(1784)

  I am amazed at how much God loves us! In the Divine Mercy Image and the "Diary," Jesus reminds us of what he has already revealed in the gospels. The Blood of Christ is what gives life to our souls. In the bread of life discourse, Jesus says, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. "(John 6:53)

 How blessed are we to be called to the Supper of the Lamb! How blessed are we in the Sacraments and the Mass! God didn't leave our salvation to chance. He bestows countless graces on us! He constantly calls us to draw near to Him.

 After the Resurrection, Jesus found the disciples locked in the upper room living in fear. Jesus came into their midst, offered them His peace and forgiveness, and reminded them of their mission. Jesus does the same for us today. Locked up in our own inner room, afraid to live out our faith, Jesus comes to us. He mercifully forgives all our past mistakes and strengthens us to live out our missions. We must be merciful as the Father is merciful. We must love one another. Trust God. The future He is planning for us is brighter than we could ever imagine!

-Susan

  

Divine Mercy Sunday is Only Days Away!

  We all need Jesus' love and mercy. This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday, and Jesus desires to shower us with special graces. Please help me to spread this good news! Watch the TikTok below and share it with as many people as you can!

-Susan

@dwellingwiththespirit Join us in celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday on April 24th! #catholic #divinemercy #mercy #faith #catholictiktok ♬ Mercy - Live - Matt Redman

Trust Me

 

 I watched my daughter and granddaughter play the "trust game" earlier this week. "Go ahead and just fall back," my daughter said. "I'll catch you." My granddaughter didn't even hesitate as she just fell backward. My daughter caught her as promised, and they laughed before doing it again. 

 Later that evening, while praying, I suddenly remembered their trust game. Trust suddenly became a focus of my prayers. Trust definitely isn't a game; it is the key to changing your life. St. Faustina was instructed to have the sentence "Jesus, I trust in you" underneath the Divine Mercy Image of Jesus. Two of the central themes of Divine Mercy are to act mercifully to others and to trust in God's merciful love. Jesus told St. Faustina, "The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is--trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive." (Diary of Divine Mercy).

 I've decided to devote the next week to honestly reflecting on how much I trust God. I would like to invite you to do the same. This week ask yourself, "What problem or fear am I praying about? Do I really trust God with this situation? Do I really trust His Plan, or am I expecting Him to consult me for suggestions?" Perhaps the reason Jesus said we need to become like children to enter the kingdom is because children don't have as many trust issues. So often, adults tend to worry, analyze, and try to control. Do yourself a favor and allow yourself to fall into God's arms. As adults, we tend to concentrate on falling instead of focusing on the hands that will save us. This week listen for God's voice as you pray. Listen as He says, "Go ahead and let go, I'm going to catch you."

-Susan

Divine Mercy Sunday--Too Good To Miss

 

  Everybody loves to get a good deal.  Every year we are bombarded with commercials and emails about the savings that will occur on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Many people even take the day off work so they can get as many good deals as possible.  But today, I would like to talk about a day that goes above and beyond any deal we could ever imagine-Divine Mercy Sunday.  The “savings” on this day will be talked about for all eternity.  

 Jesus said, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.” Jesus sacrificed His life so that our sins would not prevent us from entering heaven and having life everlasting.  When the heart of Jesus was pierced with a sword, the very depths of His love was poured out over all mankind.  Jesus poured out His loving mercy so that we could all be healed. Healed from sin.  Healed from desperation and  hopelessness.   Healed from life’s sorrows.  Saved for all eternity.  
 Why is this the best deal ever?  We need only to confess our sins, receive the Eucharist at Mass, and declare our trust in Jesus.  In turn, Jesus wipes away all our sins and any associated punishment, generously pours His loving graces over our lives, and purifies our souls for life everlasting.  Divine Mercy Sunday is God’s way of opening up wide the door to heaven so everyone can enter. Don’t let this door of opportunity pass you by.  Run right through that door and into the loving and merciful arms of the Father.  Then hold on tight for the saving of your life. 

-Susan

Tell Everyone to Get Ready!

 

Please share this good news with everyone!

-Susan

 

@dwellingwiththespirit

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♬ original sound - dwellingwiththespirit

 

The River of Grace

  After driving aimlessly for an hour, Tori saw a sign-St. Joseph's Retreat Center.  "Retreat is exactly what I need," she thought to herself.  "I need a retreat from all my problems."  She pulled into the small parking lot and put the car in park.  She smiled at the large statue of St. Joseph holding the child Jesus surrounded by a wall maintained garden of flowers.  Tori suddenly felt the urge to draw closer to the statue.  Without thinking she got out of the car and began walking down the short path towards an empty bench in front of the statue.  She just sat there and allowed her tears to slowly roll down her face.  "I've really messed things up this time.  I don't know what to do," she thought to herself.  She looked at how lovingly St. Joseph looked at the little Jesus in his arms, and longed to be able to embrace Jesus as well.
  Tori was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the priest walking up the path until he cheerfully announced, "Good morning! How are you today?  It sure is pretty out today!"
  Tori did her best to fake a smile.  "Yes, the weather is perfect today." she said without much enthusiasm.
  "You look like you have a lot more than the weather on your mind."
  "Yes, I suppose I do," Tori replied.  "I actually don't know how I even got here.  I just got in my car and started driving, and this is where I ended up.  Is it okay that I am sitting here?"
  "Of course it is.  It's a great place to think.  I come here often myself.  Anything I can help you with?"
  "Not unless you're good at erasing mistakes," admitted Tori.
  "Well...I may be able to help you out.  Have you visited the River of Grace?  It flows right through the Church. It's known for its healing power."
  "River of Grace?  No, I've basically just been sitting outside here."
  "It's really something.  I would love to share it with you."
  "It runs right through the Church?"
  "Yep."
  Tori shrugged her shoulders and then raised her eyebrows, "Ok, that sounds pretty interesting."  Tori followed the priest into the Church.
  "Now it starts right here at the Baptismal font.  Just put your hand in there for a minute.  I want you to close your eyes, bless yourself with the sign of the Cross and then let the Spirit show you the River of Grace."
  Tori followed the priests instruction.  She closed her eyes as her hand went into the water and then blessed herself in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Suddenly Tori's eyes became wide open and she saw the River Of Grace flowing from the Baptismal font.  It was absolutely amazing!  It was so beautiful! Without thinking she removed her shoes and starting wading in the water. The gentle, warm current nudged her forward little by little.  With each step she felt completely immersed in love.  The pain of her mistakes ebbed out of her heart and disappeared into the water.  She felt a peaceful wave flow right through her.  She felt as if she had been reborn! Inspired by the River of Grace, she looked up towards the heavens and cried, "Father, forgive me, I am so sorry."
  And then she heard the Father's voice, "I absolve you of all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
  " I'm ready to begin again."  Tori was silent for a minute. "Father, thank you for inviting me in.  I didn't even realize how much I was missing by staying outside."
  Father Jim smiled.  "Jesus patiently waits for each of us to come inside so that He can heal us through the sacraments with His Divine Love and Mercy.  I'm so happy you said 'Yes' to the invitation."

-Susan
  

Say "YES" to Divine Mercy!

 Today is Divine Mercy Sunday.  I love this celebration of God’s love. God wants to forgive all our sins and pour His Mercy into our lives. He doesn’t want us to go it alone.  He wants to help us. Jesus shares His Divine Presence with us in the Eucharist. He conquered sin and death with His Passion and Resurrection.  And today He asks us to turn away from our sins, trust Him completely, and share His Mercy with others. If we do this, we will spend eternity with Him in Paradise. How could we possibly say no?
  Recently we have learned that we can’t place our trust in the economy, in our own health, or even our day to day lifestyle.  There are no guarantees with any of these choices.   Jesus, however, offers us an eternity of love and happiness.  We merely have to trust His Word, gaze upon His Cross, and follow His merciful ways.  No matter what is happening in the world, Jesus will never fail us. He is the remedy our hearts long for.  Our “yes “ to Jesus is the stimulus the world really needs. Today, open your hearts and say , “Yes!”

-Susan

Divine Mercy Sunday

-Susan

Open to Possibilities

  Riggs quickly walked up the path to his front door.  He was filled with anticipation.  He couldn't wait to get home tonight.  He put his key in the door and turned the knob.  A smile came across his face as he opened the door.  His eyes landed on a familiar face.  There was Jesus standing before him in the Divine Mercy Image that hung on the wall.  Riggs took his usual seat across from the Image.  He just sat there and asked Jesus to let His love and mercy flow through him.  No fancy words.  No long prayers.  Riggs closed his eyes, opened his heart and mind to the Lord, and allowed the silent voice of God to transform him.  It was the perfect way to begin his evening.

-Susan