This is the list of Mary's principal virtues based on the evidence of passages referring to the Mother of God in the Gospels: Most Pure, Most Prudent, Most Humble, Most Faithful, Most Devout, Most Obedient, Most Poor, Most Patient, Most Merciful, and Most Sorrowful. Our Lord wants us to live a life characterized by all of these virtues, as did Saint Faustina. "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Mt 5:16). By manifesting these virtues, we open ourselves more fully to receive, and then radiate, His great mercy. The rays of mercy will radiate out to us, through us, and out to a hurting world.

The Catechism teaches that human virtues "…are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason and faith. They make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life" (Catechism of Catholic Church, #1804).

After reading the writings of Saint Faustina, one realizes what a heroically virtuous life she lived, and that living the message of Divine Mercy calls us to that same heroic and virtuous life. However, what prevents our spiritual progress in most cases comes from within; pride being the vice that hinders most people.

The proud have no need of trust in God, or of humility, since they consider their accomplishments to be of their own doing. Pride retards the spiritual growth that allows us to enter into the inner promised land of peace and joy when God reigns in our hearts. In this short chapter, the virtues of trust, mercy, humility, forgiveness, and obedience are discussed, as well as patient suffering. All are important and characteristic of the life of Saint Faustina It is impossible to separate virtues, as all are interrelated. All are connected by means of the virtue of love.

When one thinks of charity, one thinks of giving, and this is true because charity is the giving of self to others, for their good, especially for the their spiritual fulfillment, no matter what happens to oneself. "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love" (1Cor 13:13 ). The supreme example of love is Jesus giving us Himself as our very life in the Holy Eucharist thanks to His giving it up for us through His sacrifice on the Cross.

PRAYER: Lord, as we read on virtues needed to advance Your kingdom, we ask that You open our eyes and hearts and give us the graces necessary to strengthen the virtues most lacking in us.

Trust

Trust is the virtue that is the foundation and essence of those desiring to live the Message of Divine Mercy. We are to be vessels of mercy and how much this vessel can hold and radiate out to others depends on trust. There is much more to trust than believing God is trustworthy; we must act on that belief and turn control of our lives over to Him. Trust requires a conversion of the heart and soul and gives us the wisdom to understand the need to ask for His mercy, be merciful to others and let Him be in charge. True peace will then reign in our hearts. Trust requires humility. The proud person, lacking humility, feels accomplishments are of his own accord and sees no need to trust in God. But trusting in oneself and not the Lord will only lead to failure in our service of the kingdom of God . "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain" (Ps 127:1). The Lord made it clear to Saint Faustina that the more we trust in Him and strive to live His will and not ours, the more graces we will receive. He told her, "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, 1074). On another occasion He told her, " Let souls who are striving for perfection particularly adore My mercy, because the abundance of graces which I grant them flows from My mercy. I desire that these souls distinguish themselves by boundless trust in My mercy. I Myself will attend to the sanctification of such souls. I will provide them with everything they will need to attain sanctity. 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. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts " (Diary, 1578).

The Lord asked Saint Faustina to pray for souls. "Fight for the salvation of souls, exhorting them to trust in My mercy, as that is your task in this life and in the life to come" (Diary, 1452). "Today, the Lord came to me and said, 'My daughter, help me to save souls. You will go to a dying sinner, and you will continue to recite the chaplet, and in this way you will obtain for him trust in My mercy, for he is already in despair' " (Diary, 1797).

The Lord wants us to trust in His mercy, and when we sin and falter, we must humble ourselves and ask for His mercy. Intertwined with lack of trust in God, who is love and Mercy itself, many of us carry guilt, anger, shame, and lack of forgiveness in our souls. We ponder, "How could God ever forgive me?" In a powerful testimony of His mercy, Saint Faustina wrote, "On the evening of the last day before my departure for Vilnius , an elderly sister revealed the condition of her soul to me. She said that she had already been suffering interiorly for several years, that it seemed to her that all her confessions had been bad, and that she had doubts as to whether the Lord Jesus had forgiven her. I asked her if she had ever told her confessor about this. She answered that she had spoken many times about this to her confessors and…'the confessors are always telling me to be at peace, but I still suffer very much, and nothing brings me relief, and it constantly seems to me that God has not forgiven me.' I answered, 'You should obey your confessor, Sister, and be fully at peace, because this is certainly a temptation.' "

"But she entreated me with tears in her eyes to ask Jesus if He had forgiven her and whether her confessions had been good or not. I answered forcefully, 'Ask him yourself, Sister, if you don't believe your confessors!' But she clutched my hand and did not want to let go until I gave her an answer, and she kept asking me to pray for her and let her know what Jesus would tell me about her. Crying bitterly, she would not let me go and said to me, 'I know that the Lord Jesus speaks to you, Sister.' Since she was clutching my hand and I could not wrench myself away, I promised her I would pray for her. In the evening, during Benediction, I heard these words in my soul: "Tell her that her disbelief wounds My heart more than the sins she committed." When I told her this, she began to cry like a child, and great joy entered her soul. I understood that God wanted to console this soul through me.

Even though it cost me a great deal, I fulfilled God's wish " (Diary, 628). Reflect on His words; "Tell her that her disbelief wounds My heart more than the sins she committed." When we confess our sins and show remorse, there is no reason to carry guilt and shame, because He is the Great Physician and can heal our wounds and scarred hearts.

Faustina wrote, "Today, the Lord said to me, 'I have opened My heart as a living fountain of mercy. Let all souls draw life from it. Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust. Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good. Whoever places his trust in My mercy will be filled with My divine peace at the hour of death " (Diary, 1520). "Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need " (Heb 4:16 ).

Trust in God is easy when things are going well. However, in times of trial and suffering, doubt appears and we wonder "Where is God?" or "Does He really exist?" If we pray, discern, and believe we are doing His will, then we must ask for fortitude and strength and a deeper faith. Many of us are so used to being in control and in charge, only to later realize that it was God who opened the doors. In times of struggle and frustration, we should have the attitude of Peter, who said, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them" (Lk 5:5-7). This attitude obviously requires great faith. However, in times of trial our faith is tested and that is when we must trust in Him. As spiritual warriors, we must "walk by faith, not by sight " (2 Cor 5:7).

PRAYER: O Lord, touch our souls and let Your Divine Light put our hearts on fire. Help us realize that only by trusting You and putting our lives in Your hands can we understand true peace, the peace that only You can give.

Mercy

When trying to grasp the magnitude of God's mercy, the following diary entry seems appropriate, "My daughter, do you think that you have written enough about My mercy? What you have written is but a drop compared to the ocean. I am Love and Mercy itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted – it increases. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I Myself take care of it" (Diary, 1273). Mercy is love that seeks to forgive, console, assist, and care for others in time of need. Mercy is an act of love done without regard to the consequences to oneself without expecting affirmation, or anything else in return; it is done for love itself. The ultimate act of love was Our Lord giving of Himself on Holy Thursday when He instituted the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist, an ongoing act of giving occurring daily on altars throughout the world.

Our Lord wants us to know of his unfathomable mercy, and be merciful to others, as He is mercy to us. Jesus told Saint Faustina to "Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All the works of My hands are crowned with mercy" (Diary, 301). When we reflect on His unfathomable mercy, we imagine the love and pity our Lord had for the repentant sinner Mary Magdalene. St. Augustine called their meeting "the encounter between misery and mercy." Jesus read her heart and knew how remorseful she was, much more so than the self-righteous Pharisees who thought they had ownership of the kingdom because of their social status. "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from Me " (Isa 29:13). Like Mary Magdalene, when we sin He wants us to humble ourselves and come back to Him with humility, asking for forgiveness.

He told Saint Faustina, "The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be shattered at the base of My footstool" (Diary, 723). "For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away His face from you, if you return to Him" (2 Chr 30:9).

Many of us fall into a spiraling downhill cycle of sin and guilt, believing we could never be forgiven or even approach God because of our pathetic wretchedness and sinfulness. But Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes, saying, "I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Lk 5:32 ). He told Faustina that He is ready to grant graces to souls but few are willing to accept them. "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 it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from My heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy" (Diary, 367). And like the parable of the prodigal son, the Lord will always take us back with open arms, for "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy" (Titus 3:4-5).

We are to be merciful to others just as we are to ask for His mercy. "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6:36 ). Saint Faustina wrote "…there are three ways of performing an act of mercy: the merciful word, by forgiving and by comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray- that too is mercy; and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be judged from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict (Diary, 1158).

Being merciful to others can be accomplished in a number of ways. At any point in time, we may not be able to say a merciful word or perform a deed of mercy, but prayer is within the grasp of every soul. And when we do deeds of mercy, we should strive to see Jesus in our fellow man. Faustina recognized her shortcomings and prayed that she would be a reflection of His great mercy.

"Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors' souls and come to their rescue. Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors' needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings. Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all. Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks. Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor. Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me" (Diary, 163).

Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks. Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor. Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me" (Diary, 163).

As we heal from the battles of life and continue our spiritual journey, we are also to let others know of His mercy. We are to be the light of the world, spreading the Good News of His great mercy. "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Mt 5:16 ). We must show love and mercy to all, not just those in our social class or to whom we will benefit. "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me" (Mt 25:40).

We should strive to comfort the hurting through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, reminding those in need that only He can bring true and lasting peace. "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, for you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light " (Mt 11:29 -30).

PRAYER: O Lord, give us the courage to ask for Your mercy and strength to be merciful to others. Help us become a beacon with bright light, guiding others in an unsettled and troubled world back to You, who is Love and Mercy itself.

The Spiritual Works of Mercy include

Admonish sinners, Instruct the uninformed, Comfort the sorrowful, Be patient with those in error , Forgive offenses, Pray for the living and the dead

The Corporal Works of Mercy include:

Feed the hungry, Give drink to the thirsty ,Clothe the naked , Shelter the homeless,Comfort the imprisoned ,Visit the sick, Bury the dead.

Suffering

Often when facing suffering or a trial of some sort, our reaction is "What did I do to deserve this?" or, "If God is so merciful, how could He let this happen?" Of course, there are many types of suffering...poor health, addictions, death of a loved one, abusive relationships; in reality, the list is endless. Regardless of the cause or problem, pain is pain and we need to ask, "what is God trying to teach me through this cross?" In all walks of life, we face adversity. Our Lord told Saint Faustina, "My daughter, suffering will be a sign to you that I am with you" (Diary, 669). And on another occasion, He said, "My daughter, do not be afraid of sufferings; I am with you" (Diary, 151). Jesus wants us to follow Him in His footsteps. "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me" (Lk 9:23 ) .

Any discussion on suffering, love, and mercy must include His Passion. Our Lord requested that we meditate on His Passion. "There is more merit to one hour of meditation on My sorrowful Passion than there is to a whole year of flagellation that draws blood; the contemplation of My painful wounds is of great profit to you, and it brings me great joy" (Diary, 369). "Remember My Passion, and if you do not believe My words, at least believe My wounds" (Diary, 381).

"Today, during the Passion Service, I saw Jesus being tortured and crowned with thorns and holding a reed in His hand. Jesus was silent as the soldiers were bustling about, vying with each other in torturing Him. Jesus said nothing, but just looked at me, and in that gaze I felt His pain, so terrible that we have not the faintest idea of how much He suffered for us before He was crucified. My soul was filled with pain and longing; in my soul, I felt great hatred for sin, and even the smallest infidelity on my part seemed to me like a huge mountain for which I must expiate by mortification and penance. When I see Jesus tormented, my heart is torn to pieces, and I think: what will become of sinners if they do not take advantage of the Passion of Jesus? In His Passion, I see a whole sea of mercy" (Diary, 948).

Our own trials of life give us an opportunity and often force us to question our relationship with God. Regarding trials, Faustina wrote, "strangely, God sometimes allows them, but always in order to manifest or develop virtue in our soul. That is the reason for trials" (Diary, 166). Suffering has a purpose, for Paul wrote, "For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen" (2 Cor 4:17 -18). In 1 Peter 4:12-13, it is also written, ''Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed"

If we allow it, suffering will open the door for spiritual growth and a realization of one's total dependence on God. For example, a person with an addiction probably will deny a problem until he hits his bottom. Healing will occur through the acceptance of the problem and the realization of the need for God. When we give our sufferings and crosses back to Him, we live the words St. Paul wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:19 -20). For " if we have died with Him, we will also live with Him" (2 Tim 2:11 ).

While Scripture is filled with accounts of healings, our particular healing will occur only if it is compatible with God's will. For those for whom suffering is part of His plan, we should reflect on Jesus' words to Saint Faustina, "Help Me, My daughter, to save souls. Join your sufferings to My Passion and offer them to the Heavenly Father for sinners" (Diary, 1032).

And on another occasion He said, "My daughter, meditate frequently on the sufferings which I have undergone for your sake, and then nothing of what you suffer for Me will seem great to you. You please me most when you meditate on My Sorrowful Passion. Join your little sufferings to My Sorrowful Passion, so that they may have infinite value before My Majesty" (Diary, 1512).

Our attitude of suffering should be that of Christ's. He told Faustina that, "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 bought, and that is suffering united to My suffering on the cross. Pure love understands these words; carnal love will never understand them" (Diary, 324). "I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (Col 1:24).

While our spirit may be strong, the flesh is weak and at times we grow weary and get discouraged. We may ask, "What good is this?" "When will it end?" or, "Why me?" but we must keep our focus on Jesus and run the good race. In a vision contrasting worldly people versus those who carry their cross well on earth, Sister Faustina wrote, "One day, I saw two roads. One was broad, covered with sand and flowers, full of joy, music and all sorts of pleasures. People walked along it, dancing and enjoying themselves. They reached the end without realizing it. At the end of the road, there was a horrible precipice; that is, the abyss of hell. The souls fell blindly into it; as they walked, so they fell. And their number was so great it was impossible to count them. And I saw the other road, or rather, a path, for it was narrow and strewn with thorns and rocks and the people who walked along it had tears in their eyes, and all kinds of sufferings befell them. Some fell down upon the rocks, but stood up immediately and went on. At the end of the road there was a magnificent garden filled with all sorts of happiness, and all these souls entered there. At the very first instant, they forgot all their sufferings" (Diary, 153).

When we grow weary from the battles of daily life, let us reflect on His Passion and the reward to come to those who are faithful. "There is a series of graces which God pours into the soul after these trials by fire. The soul enjoys intimate union with God. It has many visions, both corporal and intellectual. It hears many supernatural words, and sometimes distinct orders. But despite these graces, it is not self-sufficient. In fact it is even less so as a result of God's graces, because it is now open to many dangers and can easily fall prey to illusions

It ought to ask God for a spiritual director; but not only must it pray for one, it must also make every effort to find a leader who is an expert in these things, just as a military leader must know the ways along which he will lead [his followers] into battle. A soul that is united with God must be prepared for great and hard-fought battles" (Diary, 121).

Let us ponder the Lord's pierced heart and call upon His mercy on behalf of sinners saying, "O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You" ( Diary , 187).

Humility

Humility is the virtue recognizing dependence on God, and one most pleasing to God. It is one of the ten evangelical virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the Feast of The Immaculate Conception, Saint Faustina saw the Blessed Mother who said to her, "‘I desire, My dearly beloved daughter, that you practice the three virtues that are dearest to me – and most pleasing to God. The first is humility, humility, and once again humility; the second virtue, purity; the third virtue, love of God. As My daughter, you must especially radiate with these virtues.' When the conversation ended, She pressed me to Her Heart and disappeared" (Diary, 1415). In contrast to a humble person, a proud person believes accomplishments are a result of his own efforts and fails to see them as a gift from God. Saint Faustina wrote "humility, humility, and ever humility, as we can do nothing of ourselves; all is purely and simply God's grace" (Diary, 55).

he Blessed Mother gave a beautiful example of humility at the Incarnation when she replied, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Lk 1:38 ). While Mary wondered how all this could be as she had no husband, she recognized God's will. She did not answer with false humility saying, "I could never do that as I am not worthy," but instead, with true humility, gave a "Yes!" for she realized that it was God's plan, and that with God all things are possible.

The humble person also avoids being judgmental, as he knows he is a sinner and everything good comes from God. Saint Faustina wrote, "I must never judge anyone, but look at others with leniency and at myself with severity. I must refer everything to God " (Diary, 253). Scripture says, "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?" (Mt 7:1-3).

How easy it is for us to always criticize and condemn others and how easily we overlook our own glaring faults. Ironically, God often uses the weakest to carry His message, as the repentant sinner recognizes his shortcomings and is more on fire for the Lord. "During a meditation on humility, an old doubt returned: that a soul as miserable as mine could not carry out the task which the Lord was demanding [of me]. Just as I was analyzing this doubt, the priest who was conducting the retreat interrupted his train of thought and spoke about the very thing I was having doubts about; namely, that God usually chooses the weakest and simplest souls as tools for His greatest works; that we can see that this is an undeniable truth when we look at the men He chose to be His apostles; or again, when we look at the history of the Church and see what great works were done by souls that were the least capable of accomplishing them; for it is just in this way that God's works are revealed for what they are, the works of God. When my doubt had completely disappeared, the priest resumed his conference on humility" (Diary, 464). Paul wrote, "Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord' " (1 Cor 1:26-31).

The humble person is in the world but not part of it; he has detachment from worldly things and recognizes that the lasting pearl is the kingdom of God . Our Lord spoke on this to Faustina and said, "Today, penetrate into the spirit of My poverty and arrange everything in such a way that the most destitute will have no reason to envy you. I find pleasure not in large buildings and magnificent structures, but in a pure and humble heart" ( Diary , 532). "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (Jas 4:6).

We are called to do all things with a humble and contrite heart. St. John the Baptist said, "He must increase but I must decrease" (Jn 3:30 ). As we become more aware of our failings and shortcomings, we need only pray, "Lord I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed" (Mt 8:8).

Purity

Purity is one of the virtues most pleasing to Our Lady. During Mass on the Feast of The Immaculate Conception in 1937, Saint Faustina saw Our Lady in unbelievable beauty. Smiling towards her, Our Lady said, "‘My daughter, at God's command I am to be, in a special and exclusive way your Mother; but I desire that you, too, in a special way, be My child. I desire, My dearly beloved daughter, that you practice the three virtues that are dearest to Me – and most pleasing to God. The first is humility, humility, and once again humility; the second virtue, purity; the third virtue, love of God. As My daughter, you must especially radiate with these virtues.' When the conversation ended, She pressed me to her heart and disappeared. When I regained the use of my senses, my heart became so wonderfully attracted to these virtues; and I practice them faithfully" ( Diary , 1414-1415).

At this point in the Diary manuscript, an important clarification is needed of Our Lady's words to Saint Faustina. Where the text reads "the second virtue, purity," there is a degree of ambiguity. What does she mean by purity? Is Our Lady referring to chastity? This is unlikely, because after 1929 Saint Faustina already possessed the gift of innocence (see Diary , 40) which made her perpetually chaste. There is much more clarity if, in the context of the sentence, the phrase "of intention." is added. Such an addition is confirmed by a parallel text, where Jesus demands of her, "My daughter, let three virtues adorn you in a particular way: humility, purity of intention and love" ( Diary , 1779).

Saint Faustina's visions of Our Lady deepened her understanding of purity of intention. They were the means of impressing upon her that she should conduct her life in such as way that it would be the perfect accomplishment of God's will, in imitation of her heavenly Mother's example, with the help of her heavenly Mother's intercession. "My daughter" Mary said to her, "I strongly recommend that you faithfully fulfill all God's wishes, for that is most pleasing in His holy eyes. I very much desire that you distinguish yourself in this faithfulness in accomplishing God's will. Put the will of God before all sacrifices and holocausts [whole-burnt offerings]." We are aware of how fruitful the teaching of these visions was by the following comment Faustina made: "While the heavenly Mother was talking to me, a deep understanding of this will of God was entering my soul" (cf. Diary , 1244).

The directives that Mary gave to Saint Faustina for the conduct of her life, encouraged her to strive for that which is most important for the spiritual life: the perfect accomplishment of all of God's will. These instructions on Our Lady's part show that she was not attracting Faustina to herself, but rather leading her into intimacy with the Most Holy Trinity.

Saint Faustina would arrive at this intimacy by exercising the fundamental virtues of humility, purity of intention, and the love of God and neighbor. She would receive the incentive and power to pursue these virtues by meditating on the Passion of Christ – the ultimate example of complete faithfulness in accomplishing God's will. "Be courageous," Mary encouraged her; "Do not fear apparent obstacles, but fix your gaze upon the Passion of My Son, and in this way you will be victorious" ( Diary , 449). Mary's instructions to Saint Faustina are surely meant for all followers of Christ.

The message given to Saint Faustina calls for us to trust in God in all situations, ask for His mercy, and be merciful to others. As God forgives our sins, we are to forgive others of transgressions. "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses" (Mk 11:25 ).

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is at the heart of the message of Divine Mercy. We pray with confidence to God the Father, asking for His forgiveness and mercy, as we realize our sinfulness. And we pray, "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Mt 6:12 ). This outpouring of God's mercy can not be received as long as we have not forgiven those who have offended us. How can we love the God we cannot see, if we do not love the brother or sister we can see? If we lack forgiveness, we close our hearts to God's mercy. In refusing to forgive our brothers and sisters, our hearts are closed and their hardness makes them impervious to the Father's merciful love; but in confessing our sins, our hearts are opened to his grace (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Churc h, #2840).

Forgiveness is so difficult after someone has hurt us! Yet, "For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible" (Mt 19:26 ). The pain we carry can be as severe and as deep as a wound festering with infection for years. How could one forgive another who has murdered one's family, stolen property, or treated others as animals? Yet, even if the aggressor is not sorry, the one injured who harbors anger is the one bound in chains. It is only by letting go of the anger and asking God for the grace of forgiveness that the chains are broken, and we are set free.

God Our Father, as in the story of the prodigal son (Lk 15:11 -32), is looking and waiting for us, accepting our pleas of repentance and sorrow. We are to be merciful to others as He is merciful to us. Jesus told Saint Faustina on one occasion during Eucharistic adoration, "These rays of mercy will pass through you, just as they have passed through this Host, and they will go out through all the world" ( Diary , 441).

She wrote on June 20, 1937 , "We resemble God most when we forgive our neighbors" ( Diary , 1148). Forgiveness means more than avoiding interaction with those who have hurt us. Scripture is clear that as our Heavenly Father loves us, we are to love others. "You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord" (Lev 19:18 ). We should have the attitude of Christ, who while suffering on the cross for us, said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" (Lk 23:34 ).

Forgiveness is easier if we can avoid being judgmental. We should not be like the Pharisees, who saw all the serious faults in others but not in themselves. If we could only be as exacting on ourselves as we are on others! Aren't we all so quick to criticize, condemn and judge? How easily we overlook our own faults by justifying and rationalizing our conduct and defects. "Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?" (Mt 7:3).

Many carry anger and guilt for years, only to see unresolved issues manifested as aberrant behavior in the form of negativism, outbursts of violence, and addictive behaviors. Many turn to alcohol, drugs, or the pleasures of the flesh for relief of pain. Yet only Jesus can bring everlasting peace. If we are to be icons of mercy, we must be as serene as a calm lake, reflecting His rays of love and mercy. Forgiveness of those who have hurt us will help calm our troubled waters. Think of how many times we as Christians recite the Lord's Prayer! We say over and over, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," and yet we struggle with forgiving others. In actuality, many carry anger and hatred for years, never resolving the situation internally. We seldom forgive and rarely forget, and yet we pray for God to forgive us as we forgive others.

PRAYER: O Lord, give us the grace to forgive so we can have peace in our hearts. Free us from the shackles that bind us, and help us become people who radiate Your mercy to others.

Obedience

Obedience for laity is different and perhaps more difficult than for religious, as we do not take vows of obedience to a superior. We are called to be obedient to Holy Mother Church and to do the will of God, which can at times be difficult to discern. We should be like Jesus who took all things to prayer. We need to strive for purity of intention in decisions, and through prayer God's will becomes apparent if we can listen to the gentle whispers of the Spirit.

Frequently we find ourselves involved in various committees and community boards and pulled in many directions. Through prayer we can better discern God's will and reflect on our motives: is it my pride that I do all these things, or is it God's will? Saint Faustina was always obedient, even if it involved humiliation. The Lord also emphasized that obedience means more to Him than sacrifice or burnt offerings. He told her, "My daughter, you please Me more by ... obedience and love of Me than by fasting and mortifying yourself of your own will. A soul that loves Me very much must, ought to live by My will. I know your heart, and I know that it will not be satisfied by anything but My love alone" (Diary, 1023). On one occasion, Faustina was told by her confessor of the need to be obedient. Later she wrote, " I became absorbed in prayer and said my penance. Then I suddenly saw the Lord, who said to me, 'My daughter, know that you give greater glory by a single act of obedience than by long prayers and mortifications.' Oh, how good it is to live under obedience, to live conscious of the fact that everything I do is pleasing to God!" (Diary, 894).

Obedience means not seeing our will as paramount, but recognizing and doing the will of God. When the Sadducees and priests told John and Peter not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus, they knew what they had to do. But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard " (Acts 4:19 -20). The ultimate example of obedience comes from the Lord, "And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Phil 2:8). Reflect on the bitter and painful Passion and the obedience of Christ to the will of the Father. Imagine His deep sorrow when He prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want " (Mt 26:39).

Even as a child, Jesus was obedient to Joseph and Mary. "And He went down with them and came to Nazareth , and was obedient to them" (Lk 2:51 ). Scripture is filled with beautiful passages on the necessity of obedience to parents. In Sirach 3:1-9 it is written, "Listen to Me your Father, O children; and act accordingly, that you may be kept in safety. For the Lord honored the Father above the children, and He confirmed the right of the mother over her sons. Whoever honors his Father atones for sins and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure. Whoever honors his father will be gladdened by his own children, and when he prays he will be heard. Whoever glorifies his father will have long life, and whoever obeys the Lord will refresh his mother; he will serve his parents as his masters .

Honor your father by word and deed, that a blessing from him may come upon you. For a father's blessing strengthens the houses of the children, but a mother's curse uproots their foundations" (Sir 3:1-9). And in Ephesians 6:14 , "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and your mother, (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Obedience to Holy Mother Church is necessary, even if we disagree with a particular church teaching. In that situation, we should pray for the grace of understanding and acceptance. "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7). We should ask our Lord to take the scales off our eyes so we can believe, for "In the path of righteousness there is life, in walking its path there is no death" (Prov 12:28 ).

Obedience is more pleasing to God than sacrifice, and we need to pray earnestly for wisdom and strength to live in His will and not our own will. Just as our Lord came to do the will of the Father, we must be obedient and try to do only the Lord's will. Jesus told Saint Faustina, "Yes, when you are obedient I take away your weakness and replace it with My strength. I am very surprised that souls do not want to make that exchange with Me" (Diary, 381).

In summary, discernment through prayer as to God's will is essential if we are to be obedient. He values obedience more than sacrifice or offering. May we learn through prayer and the gentle whispers of the Holy Spirit what His will is for us in our lives.

Come, Holy Spirit. Let me listen instead of doing all the talking. Replace my anxiety with a calm confidence and my fear with a deeper faith. Give me the grace to follow your prompting and to do Your will and not mine. Give me your gifts of knowledge, counsel and wisdom and Take away my fear, anxiety, shame and self-doubt. Let me live in You and You in me. Amen.