301 Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All the works of My hands are crowned with mercy.
302 (131) +O Eternal Love, I want all the souls You have created to come to know You. I
would like to be a priest, for then I would speak without cease about Your mercy to sinful
souls drowned in despair. I would like to be a missionary and carry the light of faith to
savage nations in order to make You known to souls, and to be completely consumed for
them and to die a martyr‟s death, just as You died for them and for me. O Jesus, I know
only too well that I can be a priest, a missionary, a preacher, and that I can die a martyr‟s
death by completely emptying myself and denying myself for love of You, O Jesus, and of
immortal souls.
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 within us for the
flames of suffering to feed upon, and the suffering will cease to be a suffering for us; it will
become a delight! By the grace of God, I have received such a disposition of heart that I
am never so happy as when I suffer for Jesus, whom I love with every beat of my heart.
Once, when I was suffering greatly, I left my work and escaped to Jesus and asked Him
to give me His strength. After a very short prayer, I returned to my work filled with
enthusiasm and joy. Then, one of the sisters [probably Sister Justine] said to me, “You
must have many consolations today, Sister; you look so radiant. Surely, God is giving
you no suffering, but only consolations.” “You are greatly mistaken, Sister,” I answered,
“for it is precisely when I suffer much that my joy is greater; and when I suffer less, my joy
also is less.” However, that soul was letting me recognize that she does not understand
what I was saying. I tried to explain to her that when we suffer much we have a great
chance to show God that we love Him; but when we suffer little we have less occasion to
show God our love; and when we do not suffer at all, our love is then neither great nor
pure. By the grace of God, we can attain a point where suffering will become a delight for
us, for love can work such things in pure souls.
100
304 (132) +O my Jesus, my only hope, thank You for the book which You have opened
before my soul‟s eyes. That book is Your Passion which You underwent for love of me. It
is from this book that I have learned how to love God and souls. In this book there are
found for us inexhaustible treasures. O Jesus, how few souls understand You in Your
martyrdom of love! Oh, how great is the fire of purest love which burns in Your Most
Sacred Heart! Happy the soul that has come to understand the love of the Heart of
Jesus!
305 It is my greatest desire that souls should recognize You as their eternal happiness, that
they should come to believe in Your goodness and glorify Your infinite mercy.
306 I asked the Lord to grant me the grace that my nature be immune and resist the
influences that sometimes try to draw me away from the spirit of our rule and from the
minor regulations. These minor transgressions are like little moths that try to destroy the
spiritual life within us, and they surely will destroy it if the soul is aware of these minor
transgressions and yet disregards them as small things. I can see nothing that is small in
the religious life. Little matter if I am sometimes the object of vexation and jeers, as long
as my spirit remains in harmony with the spirit of the rules, the vows, and the religious
statutes.
O my Jesus, delight of my heart, You know my desires. I should like to hide from
people‟s sight so as to be like one alive and yet not living. I want to live pure as a wild
flower; I want my love always to be turned to You, just as a flower that is always turning to
the sun. I want the fragrance and the freshness of the flower of my heart to be always
preserved for You alone. I want to live beneath Your divine gaze, for You alone are
enough for me. When I am with You, Jesus, I fear nothing, for nothing can do me harm.
307 (133) + 1934. Once during Lent, I saw a great light and a great darkness over house and
chapel. I saw the struggle of these two powers….
308 1934, Holy Thursday. Jesus said to me, I desire that you make an offering of yourself for sinners and especially for those souls who have lost hope in God‟s mercy.
God and Souls. An Act of Oblation.
309 Before heaven and earth, before all the choirs of Angels, before the Most Holy Virgin
Mary, before all the Powers of heaven, I declare to the One Triune God that today, in
union with Jesus Christ, Redeemer of souls, I make a voluntary offering of myself for the
conversion of sinners, especially for those souls who have lost hope in God‟s mercy. This
offering consists in my accepting, with total subjection to God‟s will, all the sufferings,
fears and terrors with which sinners are filled. In return, I give them all the consolations
which my soul receives from my communion with God. In a word, I offer everything for
them: Holy Masses, Holy Communions, penances, mortifications, prayers. I do not fear
the blows, blows of divine justice, because I am united with Jesus. O my God, in this way
I want to make amends to You for the souls that do not trust in Your goodness. I hope
against all hope in the ocean of Your mercy. My Lord and my God, my portion – my
portion forever, I do not base this act of oblation on my own strength, but on the strength
that flows from the merits of Jesus Christ. I will daily repeat this act of self-oblation by
pronouncing the following prayer which you Yourself have taught me, Jesus:
101 “O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You!”
S.M. Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament
Holy Thursday, during Holy Mass, March 19, 1934
310 (134) – I am giving you a share in the redemption of mankind. You are solace in My dying hour.
311 When I received permission from my confessor [Father Sopocko] to make this act of
oblation, I soon learned that it was pleasing to God, because I immediately began to
experience its effects. In a moment my soul became like a stone – dried up, filled with
torment, and disquiet. All sorts of blasphemies and curses kept pressing upon my
ears. Distrust and despair invaded my heart. This is the condition of the poor people,
which I have taken upon myself. At first, I was very much frightened by these horrible
things, but during the first [opportune] confession, I was set at peace.
312 +Once when I went outside the convent to go to confession [St. Michael‟s Church], I
chanced upon my confessor [Father Sopocko] saying Mass just then. After a while, I
saw the Child Jesus on the altar, joyfully and playfully holding out His hands to him.
But a moment later the priest took the beautiful Child into his hands, broke Him up and
ate Him alive. At the first instant I felt a dislike for the priest for having done this to
Jesus, but I was immediately enlightened in the matter and understood that this priest
was very pleasing to God.
313 +Once, when I was visiting the artist [Eugene Kazimirowski] who was painting the
image, and saw that it was not as beautiful as Jesus is, I felt very sad about it, but I hid
this deep in my heart. When we had left the artist‟s house, Mother Superior [Irene]
stayed in town to attend to some matters while I returned home alone. I went
immediately to the chapel and wept a good deal. I said to the Lord, “Who will paint
You as beautiful as You are?” Then I heard these words: Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace.
314 +When I went to the garden one afternoon, my Guardian Angel said to me, “Pray for
the dying.” And so I began at once to pray the rosary with the gardeners for the dying.
After the rosary, we said various prayers for the dying. After the prayers, the wards
began to chat gaily among themselves. (135) In spite of the noise they were making,
I heard these words in my soul: “Pray for me!” But as I could not understand these
words very well, I moved a few steps away from the wards, trying to think who it could
be who was asking me to pray. Then I heard the words: “I am Sister ………”78 This
sister was in Warsaw while I was, at the time, in Vilnius. “Pray for me until I tell you to
stop. I am dying.” Immediately, I began to pray fervently for her, [addressing myself]
to the expiring Heart of Jesus. She gave me no respite, and I kept praying from three
[o'clock] until five. At five, I heard the words: “Thank you!” and I understood that he
had died. But during Holy Mass, on the following day, I continued to pray fervently for
her soul. In the afternoon, a postcard came saying that Sister …. Had died at such
and such a time. I understood that it was at the same hour when she had said to me,
“Pray for me.”
102
315 +Mother of God, Your soul was plunged into a sea of bitterness; look upon Your child
and teach her to suffer and to love while suffering. Fortify my soul that pain will not
break it. Mother of grace, teach me to live by [the power of] God.
316 Once, the Mother of God came to visit me. She was sad. Her eyes were cast down.
She made it clear that She wanted to say something, and yet, on the other hand, it
was as if She did not want to speak to me about it. When I understood this, I began to
beg the Mother of God to tell me and to look at me. Just then Mary looked at me with
a warm smile and said, You are going to experience certain sufferings because of an illness and the doctors; you will also suffer much because of the image, but do not be afraid of anything. The next day I fell ill and suffered a great deal, just as the Mother
of God had told me. But my soul was ready for the sufferings. Suffering is a constant
companion of my life.
317 O my God, my only hope, I have placed all my trust in You, and I know I shall not be
disappointed.
318 (136) I often feel God‟s presence after Holy Communion in a special and tangible way.
I know God is in my heart. And the fact that I feel Him in my heart does not interfere
with my duties. Even when I am dealing with very important matters which require
attention, I do not lose the presence of God in my soul, and I am closely united with
Him. With Him I go to work, with Him I go for recreation, with Him I suffer, with Him I
rejoice; I live in Him and He in me. I am never alone, because He is my constant
companion. He is present to me at every moment. Our intimacy is very close,
through a union of blood and of life.
319 August 9, 1934. Night adoration on Thursdays.79 I made my hour of adoration from
eleven o‟clock till midnight. I offered it for the conversion of hardened sinners,
especially for those who have lost hope in God‟s mercy. I was reflecting on how much
God has suffered and on how great was the love He had shown for us, and on the fact
that we still do not believe that God loves us so much. O Jesus, who can understand
this? What suffering it is for our Savior! How can He convince us of His love if even
His death cannot convince us? I called upon the whole of heaven to join me in making
amends to the Lord for the ingratitude of certain souls.
320 Jesus made known to me how very pleasing to Him were prayers of atonement. He
said to me, The prayer of a humble and loving soul disarms the anger of My Father and draws down an ocean of blessings. After the adoration, half way to my
cell, I was surrounded by a pack of huge black dogs who were jumping and howling
and trying to tear me to pieces. I realized that they were not dogs, but demons. One
of them spoke up in a rage, “Because you have snatched so many souls away from us
this night, we will tear you to pieces.” In answered, “If that is the will of the most
merciful god, tear me to pieces, for I have justly deserved it, because I am the most
miserable of all sinners, and God is every holy, just, and infinitely merciful.” To these
words all the demons answered as one, “Let us flee, for she is not alone; the Almighty
is with her!” And they vanished like dust, like the noise of the road, while I continued
on my way to my cell undisturbed, finishing my Te Deum and pondering the infinite
and unfathomable mercy of God.
(137) August 12, 1934.
103
321 A sudden illness – a mortal suffering. It was not death, that is to say, a passing over
to real life, but a taste of the sufferings of death. Although it gives us eternal life,
death is dreadful. Suddenly, I felt sick, I gasped for breath, there was darkness before
my eyes, my limbs grew numb – and there was a terrible suffocation. Even a moment
of such suffocation is extremely long…… There also comes a strange fear, in spite of
trust. I wanted to receive the last sacraments, but it was extremely difficult to make a
confession even though I desired to do so. A person does not know what he is
saying; not finishing one thing, he begins another.
Oh, may God keep every soul from delaying confession until the last hour! In
understood the great power of the priest‟s words when they are poured out upon the
sick person‟s soul. When I asked my spiritual father whether I was ready to stand
before the Lord and whether I could be at peace, I received the reply “You can be
completely at peace, not only right now but after each weekly confession.” Great is
the divine grace that accompanies these words of the priest. The soul feels power
and courage for battle.
322 O my Congregation, my mother, how sweet it is to live in you, but it is even better to
die in you!
323 After I received the last sacraments, there was a definite improvement. I remained
alone. This lasted for half and hour and then came another attach; but this one was
not so strong, as the doctor intervened.
I united my sufferings with the sufferings of Jesus and offered them for myself and for
the conversion of souls who do not trust in the goodness of God. Suddenly, my cell
was filled with black figures full of anger and hatred for me. One of them said, “Be
damned, you and He who is within you, for you are beginning to torment us even in
hell.” As soon as I said, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,” the
figures vanished in a sudden whir.
324 The next day, I felt very weak, but experienced no further suffering. After Holy
Communion, I saw the Lord Jesus just as I had seen Him during one adoration. The
Lord's gaze pierced my soul through and through, and not even the least speck of
dust escaped His notice. And I said to Jesus, “Jesus, I thought You were going to
take me.” And Jesus answered, My will has not yet been fully accomplished in you; you will still remain on earth, but not for long. I am well pleased with your trust, but your love should be more ardent. (138) Pure love gives the soul strength at the very moment of dying. When I was dying on the cross, I was not thinking about Myself, but about poor sinners, and I prayed for them to My Father. I want your last moments to be completely similar to Mine on the cross. There is but one price at which souls are brought, and that is suffering united toMy suffering on the cross. Pure love understands these words; carnal love will never understand them.
325 1934. On the day of the Assumption of the Mother of God, I did not assist at Holy
Mass. The woman doctor 80 did not allow me; but I prayed fervently in my cell. After a
short time, I saw the Mother of God, unspeakably beautiful. She said to me, My daughter, what I demand from you is prayer, prayer, and once again prayer, for the
104 world and especially for your country. For nine days receive Holy Communion in atonement and unite yourself closely to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. During these nine days you will stand before God as an offering; always and everywhere, at all times and places, day or night, whenever you wake up, pray in the spirit. In spirit, one can always remain in prayer.
326 Once, Jesus said to me, My gaze from this image is like My gaze from the cross.
327 Once my confessor [Father Sopocko] asked me where the inscription should be
placed, because there was not enough space in the picture for everything. In
answered, “I will pray and give you an answer next week.” When I left the
confessional and was passing before the Blessed Sacrament, I received an inner
understanding about the inscription. Jesus reminded me of what He had told me the
first time; namely, that these three words must be clearly in evidence: “Jesus, I trust in
You.” [“Jezu, Ufam Tobie.”] I understood that Jesus wanted the whole formula to be
there, but He gave no direct orders to this effect as He did for these three words. I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: “Jesus, I trust in You.”
328 O purest Love, rule in all Your plenitude in my heart and help me to do Your holy with
most faithfully!
329 (139) Toward the end of a three-day retreat, I saw myself walking along a rough path.
I kept stumbling continually, and I saw following me the figure of a person who kept
supporting me. I was not happy with this and asked the person to leave me alone, as
I wanted to walk on my own. But the figure, whom I could not recognize, did not leave
me for a moment. I got impatient and turned around and pushed the person away
from me. At that moment I saw that it was Mother Superior [Irene], and at the same
moment I saw that it was not Mother Superior, but the Lord Jesus who looked deeply
into me and gave me to understand how painful it was to Him when I did not, even in
the smallest things, do my Superior‟s will, which is My will, [He said]. I asked pardon
of the Lord and took the warning very much to heart.
330 +Once, the confessor told me to pray for this intention, and I began a novena to the
Mother of God. This novena consisted in the prayer, “Hail, Holy Queen,” recited nine
times. Toward the end of the novena I saw the Mother of God with the Infant Jesus in
Her arms, and I also saw my confessor kneeling at Her feet and talking with her. I did
not understand what he was saying to Her, because I was busy talking with the Infant
Jesus, who came down from His Mother‟s arms and approached me. I could not stop
wondering at His beauty. I heard a few of the words that the Mother of God spoke to
him [i.e., my confessor] but not everything. The words were: I am not only the Queen of Heaven, but also the Mother of Mercy and your Mother. And at that moment She
stretched out her right hand, in which She was clasping her mantle, and She covered
the priest with it. At that moment, the vision vanished.
331 Oh, how great a grace it is to have a spiritual director! One makes more rapid
progress in virtue, sees the will of God more clearly, fulfills it more faithfully, and
follows a road that is sure and free of dangers. The director knows how to avoid the
105
rocks against which the soul could be shattered. The Lord gave me this grace rather
late, to be sure, but I rejoice in it greatly, seeing how God inclines his will to my
director‟s wishes. I will mention just one incident out of a thousand that have
happened to me. As I usually do, I asked the Lord Jesus one evening to give me the
points for next day‟s meditation. I received the answer: Meditate on the Prophet Jonah and his mission. I thanked the Lord, but began to think within myself of how
different that subject was (140) from the others. But with all my soul I strove to
meditate about it, and I recognized myself in the person of the prophet, in the sense
that often I, too, try to make excuses to the Lord, claiming that someone else would do
His holy will better [than I could], and not understanding that God can do all things and
that His omnipotence will be all the more manifest if the tool is poorer. God made this
clear to me in the following way. That afternoon, there was confession for the
community. When I presented to the director of my soul the fear that seized me
because of this mission for which God was using me, clumsy tool that I was, my
spiritual father answered that, willing or not, we must carry out the will of God, and he
gave me the Prophet Jonah as an example. After the confession, I wondered how the
confessor knew that God had told me to meditate about Jonah; surely I myself had not
told him. Then I heard these words: When the priest acts in My place, he does not act of himself, but I act through him. His wishes are Mine. I can see how Jesus
defends His representatives. He himself enters into their actions.
332 +Thursday. When I started the Holy Hour, I wanted to immerse myself in the agony of
Jesus in the Garden of Olives. Then I heard a voice in my soul: Meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation. And suddenly the Infant Jesus appeared before me,
radiant with beauty. He told me how much God is pleased with simplicity in a soul. Although My greatness is beyond understanding, I commune only with those who are little. I demand of you a childlike spirit.
333 I now see clearly how God acts through the confessor and how faithfully He keeps His
promises. Two weeks ago, my confessor told me to reflect upon this spiritual
childhood. It was somewhat difficult at first, but my confessor, disregarding my
difficulties, told me to continue to reflect upon spiritual childhood. “In practice, this
spiritual childhood,” [he said,] “should manifest itself in this way: a child does not worry
about the past or the future, but makes use of the present moment. I want to
emphasize that spiritual childlikeness in you, Sister, and I place great stress upon it.” I
can see how God bows down to my confessor‟s wishes; He does not show Himself to
me at this time as a Teacher in the fullness of His strength and human adulthood, but
as a little Child. The God who is beyond all understanding stoops to me under the
appearance of a little Child.
334 But the eye of my soul does not stop at this appearance. Although You take the form
of a little Child, I see in You the immortal, infinite Lord of lords, whom pure spirits
adore, (141) day and night, and for whom the hearts of the Seraphim burn with the fire
of purest love. O Christ, O Jesus, I want to surpass them in my love for You! I
apologize to you, O pure spirits, for my boldness in comparing myself to you, I, this
chasm of misery, this abyss of misery; and You, O God, who are the
incomprehensible abyss of mercy, swallow me up as the heat of the sun swallows up
a drop of dew! A loving look from You will fill up any abyss. I feel immensely happy at
the greatness of God. Seeing God‟s greatness is more than enough to make me
happy throughout all eternity!
106
335 Once, when I saw Jesus in the form of a small child, I asked, “Jesus, why do you now
take on the form of a child when You commune with me? In spite of this, I still see in
You the infinite God, my Lord and Creator.” Jesus replied that until I learned simplicity
and humility, He would commune with me as a little child.
336 1934. During Holy Mass, when the Lord Jesus was exposed in the Blessed
Sacrament, before Holy Communion, I saw two rays coming out from the Blessed
Host, just as they are painted in the image, once of them red and the other pale. And
they were reflected on each of the sisters and wards, but not on all in the same way.
On some of them the rays were barely visible. It was the last day of the children‟s
retreat.
337 November 22, 1934. +On one occasion, my spiritual director [Father Sopocko] told me
to look carefully into myself and to examine whether I had any attachment to some
particular object or creature, or even to myself, or whether I engaged in useless
chatter, “for all these things,” [he said,] “get in the way of the Lord Jesus, who wants
complete freedom in directing your soul. God is jealous of our hearts and wants us to
love Him alone.”
338 When I started to look deep within myself, I did not find any attachment to anything,
but as in all things that concern me, so also in this matter, I was afraid and distrustful
of myself. Tired out by this detailed self-examination, I went before the Blessed
Sacrament and asked Jesus with all my heart, “Jesus, my Spouse, Treasure of my
heart, (142) You know that I know You alone and that I have no other love but You;
but, Jesus, if I were about to become attached to anything that is not You, I beg and
entreat You, Jesus, by the power of Your mercy, let instant death descend upon me,
for I prefer to die a thousand times than to be unfaithful to You once in even the
smallest thing.”
339 At that moment, Jesus suddenly stood before me, coming I know not from where,
radiant with unbelievable beauty, clothed in a white garment, with uplifted arms, and
He spoke these words to me, My daughter, your heart is My repose; it is My delight. I find in it everything that is refused Me by so many souls. Tell this to My representative. And an instant later, I saw nothing, but a whole ocean of
consolations entered my soul.
340 I know now that nothing can put a stop to my love for You, Jesus, neither suffering,
nor adversity, nor fire nor the sword, nor death itself. I feel stronger than all these
things. 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.
341 November 5, 1934. One morning, when it was my duty to open the gate to let out our
people who deliver baked goods, I entered the little chapel to visit Jesus for a minute
and to renew the intentions of the day. Today, Jesus, I offer You all my sufferings,
mortifications and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father, so that he may
approve the Feast of mercy. But, Jesus, I have one more word to say to You; I am
very surprised that You bid me to talk about this Feast of mercy, for they tell me that
there is already such a feast 81 and so why should I talk about it? And Jesus said to
me, And who knows anything about this feast? No one! Even those who
107 should be proclaiming My mercy and teaching people about it often do not know about it themselves. That is why I want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it.
342 (143) Suffering is the greatest treasure on earth; it purifies the soul. In suffering we
learn who is our true friend.
343 True love is measured by the thermometer of suffering. Jesus, I thank You for the
little daily crosses, for opposition to my endeavors, for the hardships of communal life,
for the misinterpretation of my intentions, for humiliations at the hands of others, for
the harsh way in which we are treated, for false suspicions, for poor health and loss of
strength, for self-denial, for dying to myself, for lack of recognition in everything, for the
upsetting of all my plans.
Thank You, Jesus, for interior sufferings, for dryness of spirit, for terrors, fears and
incertitudes, for the darkness and the deep interior night, for temptations and various
ordeals, for torments too difficult to describe, especially for those which no one will
understand, for the hour of death with its fierce struggle and all its bitterness.
I thank You, Jesus, You who first drank the cup of bitterness before You gave it to me,
in a much milder form. I put my lips to this cup of Your holy will. Let all be done
according to Your good pleasure; let that which Your wisdom ordained before the
ages be done to me. I want to drink the cup to its last drop, and not seek to know the
reason why. In bitterness is my joy, in hopelessness is my trust. In You, O Lord, all is
good, all is a gift of Your paternal Heart. I do not prefer consolations over bitterness or
bitterness over consolations, but thank You, O Jesus, for everything! It is my delight
to fix my gaze upon You, O incomprehensible God! My spirit abides in these
mysterious dwelling places, and there I am at home. I know very well the dwelling
place of my Spouse. If feel there is not a single drop of blood in me that does not burn
with love for You.
O Uncreated Beauty, whoever comes to know You once cannot love anything else. I
can feel the bottomless abyss of my soul, and nothing will fill it but God Himself. I feel
that I am drowned in Him like a single grain of sand in a bottomless ocean.
(144) December 20,
1934.
344 One evening as I entered my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus exposed in the monstrance
under the open sky, as it seemed. At the feet of Jesus I saw my confessor, and
behind him a great number of the highest ranking ecclesiastics, clothed in vestments
the like of which I had never seen except in this vision; and behind them, groups of
religious from various orders; and further still I saw enormous crowds of people, which
extended far beyond my vision. I saw the two rays coming out from the host, as in the
image, closely united but not intermingled; and they passed through the hands of my
confessor, and then through the hands of the clergy and from their hands to the
people, and then they returned to the host…. And at that moment I saw myself once
again in the cell which I had just entered.
108
345 December 22, 1934. When it was possible for me to go to confession during the
week, I happened to get there when my confessor was saying Holy Mass. During the
third part of the Mass, I saw the Infant Jesus, a little smaller than usual and with this
difference, that He was wearing a violet tunic. He usually has a white one.
346 December 24, 1934. The Vigil of Christmas. During the morning Mass, I felt the
closeness of God. Though I was hardly aware of it, my spirit was drowned in god.
Suddenly, I heard these words: You are My delightful dwelling place; My Spirit rests in you. After these words, I felt the Lord looking into the depths of my heart;
and seeing my misery, I humbled myself in spirit and admired the immense mercy of
God, that the Most High Lord would approach such misery.
During Holy Communion, joy filled my soul. I felt that I am closely united to the
Godhead. His omnipotence enveloped my whole being. Throughout the whole day I
felt the closeness of God in a special manner; and although my duties prevented me
throughout the whole day from going to chapel even for a moment, there was not a
moment when I was not united with God. I felt Him within (145) me more distinctly
than ever. Unceasingly greeting the Mother of god and entering into Her spirit, I
begged Her to teach me true love of God. And then I heard these words: I will share with you the secret of My happiness this night during Holy Mass.
We had supper before six o‟clock. Despite all the joy and the external noise
accompanying the sharing of the wafer and the mutual exchange of good wishes, I did
not for a moment lose the awareness of God‟s presence. After supper, we hurried
away to finish our work, and at nine I was able to go to the chapel for adoration. I was
allowed to stay up and wait for the Midnight Mass. I was delighted to have free time
from nine until midnight. From nine to ten o'clock I offered my adoration for my
parents and my whole family. From ten to eleven, I offered it for the intention of my
spiritual director, in the first place thanking God for granting me this great visible help
here on earth, just as He had promised me, and I also asked God to grant him the
necessary light so that he could get to know my soul and guide me according to God‟s
good pleasure. And from eleven to twelve I prayed for the Holy Church and the
clergy, for sinners, for the missions, and for our houses. I offered the indulgences for
the souls in purgatory.
Twelve O‟clock, December 25, 1934
347 Midnight Mass. As Holy Mass began, I immediately felt a great interior recollection;
joy filled my soul. During the offertory, I saw Jesus on the altar, incomparably
beautiful. The whole time the Infant kept looking at everyone, stretching out his little
hands. During the elevation, the Child was not looking towards the chapel but up to
heaven. After the elevation, He looked at us again, but just for a short while, because
He was broken up and eaten by the priest in the usual manner. His pinafore was now
white. The next day I saw the same thing, and on the third day as well. It is difficult
for me to express the joy of my soul. (145) The vision was repeated at the three
Masses in the same was as in the first ones.
1934.
109
348 The first Thursday after Christmas, I completely forgot it was Thursday and so did not
make my adoration. At nine o'clock I went directly to the dormitory with the other
sisters. But strangely enough, I could not fall asleep. It seemed to me that I had not
yet done something that I was supposed to do. Mentally, I reviewed all my duties, and
could not recollect anything. This lasted until ten o‟clock. At ten, I saw the Sorrowful
Face of Jesus. Then Jesus spoke these words to me: I have been waiting to share My suffering with you, for who can understand My suffering better than My spouse? I asked pardon of Jesus for my coldness. Ashamed and not daring to look
at the Lord Jesus, but with a contrite heart, I asked Him to give me one thorn from His
crown. He answered that He would grant me this favor, but not until tomorrow, and
immediately the vision disappeared.
349 In the morning, during meditation, I felt a painful thorn in the left side of my head. The
suffering continued all day. I meditated continually about how Jesus had been able to
endure the pain of so many thorns which made up His crown. I joined my suffering to
the sufferings of Jesus and offered it for sinners. At four o'clock when I came for
adoration, I saw one of our wards offending God greatly by sins of impure thoughts. I
also saw a certain person who was the cause of her sin. My soul was pierced with
fear, and I asked god, for the sake of Jesus‟ pain, to snatch her from this terrible
misery.
350 Jesus answered that He would grant her that favor, not for her sake, but for the sake
of my request. Now I understood how much we ought to pray for sinners, and
especially for our wards.
Our life is truly apostolic; I cannot imagine a religious living in one of our houses; that
is, in our Community, and not having an apostolic spirit. Zeal for the salvation of souls
should burn in our hearts.
