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Normally, an arrow wounds and kills.  Arrows have been used throughout history for war and for hunting.  But a spiritual arrow of Mercy is much different.  Recall the words of Simeon the Prophet spoken to our Blessed Mother, “And you yourself a sword will pierce” (Luke 2:35).  And at the Crucifixion, recall that, “One soldier thrust his lance into [Jesus’] side, and immediately blood and water flowed out” (John 19:34).  A sword and a lance pierced the Hearts of our Blessed Mother and Jesus.  So also must our hearts be pierced.  But the sword, lance or arrow that we must receive will not wound in a negative way if accepted in love.  Rather, it will call forth mercy and compassion from our hearts.  Sorrow and pain are transformed within this “wound of love” and that wound pours forth God’s Mercy from our lives (See Diary #1082).

Reflect, today, upon two things.  First ponder the spiritual wounds in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  Enter into the mystery of their pierced Hearts.  Try to understand that grace comes forth as a result of these piercings in that they produce compassion and Mercy for those in need.  Second, ponder your own heart.  Reflect upon any wound you carry and allow yourself to understand that this wound can be transformed.  It has potential to share in the Mercy flowing from the Hearts of Jesus and our Blessed Mother.  Allow yourself to share in their holy sorrow over sin and foster compassion for the sinner.  In this act, you will become wounded by a spiritual arrow of love.

Lord, help me to comprehend the great mystery of the suffering endured by Your most Sacred Heart.  Allow me to see that You freely accepted that wound so as to pour forth Mercy.  And help me to also accept the arrows of others so that Your Mercy can pour forth in return.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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Children often find great comfort in snuggling close to a loving and tender parent.  There is great satisfaction in being held tight in these arms of love.  Fear and worry are dispelled in these moments and peace and solace are restored when distress has been present.  So it must be with our Lord.  We must seek the spiritual comfort that comes from bringing our weary selves to the source of all comfort.  Drawing close to the Heart of our Lord brings peace in the midst of any turmoil.  Stress, frustration, hurt and confusion are dismissed and replaced with a sense of confidence and safety.  The Heart of the Lord reverberates in such a way that it invites us to take refuge in its rhythm.  His compassion and Mercy are distributed with every beat as His Precious Blood covers us as a blanket of grace.  Run to this source of comfort and allow the merciful Heart of your God to be your place of rest (See Diary #1074).

In your prayer, are you able to take comfort and solace in the Merciful Heart of our Lord?  Reflect upon the intimacy that you are invited to share.  It is an intimacy beyond any human comfort and distributes a grace that floods your soul with Mercy and peace.  Ponder the image of a small child taking comfort in the arms of a loving parent.  This is but a glimpse of the care that our Lord desires to show to you.

Heavenly Father, draw me close to You and to the Heart of Your Son.  May I turn to You in all things and in every moment of distress in my life.  I entrust myself to You and cling to Your Heart which is filled with compassion and love.   May Your Heart be a resting place for my weary soul.  I love You my God and I take refuge in You and You alone.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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A real danger to the spiritual life could be termed “spiritual hoarding.”  This would be the person who attempts to make themselves the end of God’s Mercy rather than become an instrument of God’s Mercy.  By attempting to be an end of God’s Mercy, a person becomes spiritually greedy, seeking spiritual things for their own purpose.  This is a form of pride.  Praying becomes an act by which one seeks to “look” holy.  Good works are performed so as to be seen.  And one may seek to accumulate many spiritual books so as to give the appearance of being wise and learned.  But an essential focus of the Mercy of God is not “spiritual hoarding;” rather, it’s “spiritual generosity.”  If we want true Mercy to pour forth into our lives, we must give it away.  We must see everything that God gives us as a gift given for the purpose of distribution to others.  Therefore, when God gives you a certain grace, the first thing that should come to mind is how you can use this gift for the upbuilding of another.  By giving the Mercy of God away, we become increasingly rich and find that this act of spiritual generosity continually increases God’s Mercy in our own lives (See Diary #1069).

Do you seek holiness?  If so, why?  What is your motivation?  Is it so that you look good?  Or is it so that you become good, distributing the goodness of God to those in need?  Reflect upon the end result of the Mercy of God in your life.  Seek ways to make sure that the end of all God gives to you is the generous distribution of His Mercy to others.  In this, you too will be richly blessed.

Lord of endless Mercy, help me to see that Your grace increases the more that grace is given away.  Help me to always be a holy instrument of Your Mercy and, in this act of generosity, receive the abundance of Your generous Heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.

 

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The peace of the Lord is like a fortress in which we must take refuge from all the outer attacks from the evil one.  Outside of this fortress we are exposed to all of these malicious attacks.  The darts of anger, oppression, deceit and envy can do us great damage without the sacred protection of the Peace of God.  But within the walls of this fortress, the Lord protects us from all that seeks to do us harm.  Seek refuge in the Lord’s Mercy and allow it to form a barrier of peace, protecting you from the evils of the world.  Do not allow these attacks to penetrate this barrier; rather, remain content with the Lord and allow Him to work on you within the safety of His place of refuge (See Diary #1067).

What is it that seeks to destroy your peace?  What shakes you and disturbs you from within?  Know that the Lord wants to protect you and to give you refuge.  Seek His peace.  Seek Him and He will give you His peace.  Peace is a gift that is beyond description and human comprehension.  It’s a place of safety that will shield your soul from the daily vices and attacks of the evil one.  Do you know the Lord’s peace?  Are your eyes firmly fixed on this gift of His Mercy?  Seek Jesus with all your heart and you will, indeed, know His peace.  And in the shelter of that peace, the Lord will do great things to you, if you let Him.

Lord, I entrust to You the protection of my soul.  I give to You all of my inner longings, hopes, desires and weaknesses.  Please come and form a barrier of protection around me so that I may meet You in this sanctuary within.  I thank You for the love of Your Mercy that envelops me and produces sweetness and strength.  I love You, my Lord, and entrust myself to Your perfect care.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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The calyx of a flower is the outer leaf surrounding the forming petals, keeping them safe as they develop.  It forms a sort of “nursery” for the tender petals to grow.  As they grow within this hidden place, the calyx keeps them safe.  And once they become developed, the calyx opens and reveals the beauty within.  So it is with your soul.  The “calyx of your soul” is a gift from God protecting your inner virtues as the dew of His Mercy gently seeps in so as to nourish the budding virtues within.  And when fully matured, the radiance of these virtues shines forth so that the fragrance of grace becomes visible to all who gaze upon this work of God (See Diary #1064).

Look into your own soul this day.  What do you see?  Do you see sin and corruption?  If so, repent of this and allow the Mercy of God to heal it through your confession.  From there, allow Mercy to also nourish your inner soul so as to create a hidden inner sanctuary of His splendor.  God desires to make your soul beautiful and as He forms you from within, He will allow those virtues to shine forth at the proper time.  Wait on Him, let the dew of His gentle care sink in, creating His masterpiece.  Reflect upon this sanctuary within you, this day.  Rejoice in the protective covering of your soul as God does His miraculous work and be comforted by what you see forming.  Surrender all to grace and allow the Creator of all to transform you into His radiant and fragrant gift to the world.

Lord, I thank You for the safety of this inner sanctuary in my soul.  I thank You for gently entering in so as to nourish me as You form Your new creation within.  May the dew of Your Mercy bring healing and forgiveness to the corruption of my sin, and may it strengthen me so that You can form the virtues that You desire to create.  I thank You for Your perfect wisdom and power and give myself to Your gentle care.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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Imagine being given the task of counting every grain of sand in the world.  It would obviously be an impossible task.  In fact, all the people in the world could not accomplish such a task together.  Some things are simply beyond us.  Another task that would even be more difficult to accomplish is to fully fathom the Mercy of God.  This is impossible.  The Mercy of God is completely beyond us.  Its depths and breadth are infinite.  You could spend your whole life contemplating and experiencing the Mercy of God and you would only begin to penetrate the surface.  In fact, if every person ever created spent eternity contemplating the Mercy of God, our combined effort would not even suffice to comprehend it.  Understanding that the Mercy of God is infinite will enable us to turn to Him no matter our struggle and no matter our sin, trusting in Him with all the powers of our soul (See Diary #1059).

Have you tried to comprehend the Mercy of God?  Do you even understand that you can never fully understand this infinite Gift?  If you are to trust in our Lord, you must begin this impossible mission of Divine contemplation.  It’s what you will do eternally in Heaven.  And your Heaven must begin now.  Doing so will deepen your ability to trust, and your trust will enable you to surrender.  Do not wait, begin this glorious task today.

Lord of Mercy, I thank You for the infinite nature of Your love and for calling me to begin my journey into this unfathomable mystery.  Give me the grace to open my eyes so that I may begin to plunge into Your Mercy and in so doing, deepen my trust in You this day.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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Anniversaries are blessed opportunities for reflection and gratitude.  Some anniversaries are joyous, such as the anniversary of spouses celebrating a long and holy marriage.  Other anniversaries are difficult, such as the anniversary of the death of a loved one.  Yet even in the difficulty of reliving the loss, it is a yearly reminder of your love for that person.  There are many annual celebrations within the Church that point us to a remembrance of a particular aspect of Christ’s life.  But there is one “anniversary” which is celebrated daily.  It’s the daily commemoration of the death of our Lord at three o’clock in the afternoon.  This hour is a sacred hour and is an important time to stop and reflect upon all that Jesus did for us.  It’s a time of gratitude as well as a time to mourn His sufferings with a holy sorrow.  This hour is especially honored on Good Friday, but it’s important to commemorate it every day (See Diary #1055).

Do you remember the three o’clock hour?  It’s easy to forget this most sacred moment of the day.  Our lives can become busy and hectic and we can fail to pause and recall our Lord’s agony of love.  But try to see it as your daily anniversary with the Lord.  It is this hour that our prayers are most effective.  There are special graces of Mercy bestowed upon those who pause and pray at this hour.  Commit yourself to this holy devotion and our Lord will bless you abundantly.

My Jesus, You hung on the Cross from noon until three in the afternoon.  And at that holy hour You uttered Your final word, breathed Your last and died.  May I always remember to honor this hour.  May it be my daily reminder of Your perfect love.  Help me to grow in devotion to Your sacred Passion, dear Lord, and through this practice, pour forth the Mercy of Your wounded Heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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Imagine what it would be like if you could somehow be mystically transported to the night of Holy Thursday.  And imagine if you could somehow see and experience everything that Jesus went through.  Imagine the Agony in the Garden, the ridicule and harsh treatment, the mockery, the night alone in prison, the trial, the scourging, the carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion.  This would be too much to bear.  To face Jesus and all His interior and exterior sufferings would be overwhelming.  But, if you could do it, and face every experience that He had, it would change your life.  The sufferings of Christ should not be ignored.  They should not be turned away from and they should not be shunned.  His Passion must be faced, understood, loved and lived by each one of us.  When we do this we will be changed forever (See Diary #1054).

Try to spend time today letting yourself be drawn in, deeply, to the mysterious and profound sufferings of Jesus.  Let the Lord reveal to you a taste of what He endured.  Facing His sufferings is not only facing a great evil; rather, it’s facing love in its purest form.  To face the Cross and all that it encompassed is to face the greatest act of love ever known, revealed through the greatest scandal ever experienced.  God is astonishing to us, in a holy way, when we discover His love in His suffering.  Ponder it today, let it sit in your heart, seek to understand the mystery and allow God to transform you through it.

Lord, please give me the grace to turn toward You on the throne of Your Cross and to gaze upon You now and for all eternity.  Help me to discover Love in its most pure form as I fix my eyes on You and all that You endured.  My Suffering Lord Jesus, I love You and I trust in You.

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Are love and suffering opposed?  In other words, if you feel much suffering can you also have great love?  One question to consider is this: What is the source of your suffering?  Is it your sin?  Is it compassion for another?  Is it a physical or psychological wound?  The truth is that every suffering is able to be united with love in your heart.  This is true even of the suffering you endure as a result of your sin.  Sin is clearly not from God, but when you experience interior suffering as a result of your sin, it’s a sign that your conscience is at work and that is good.  The goal is to take every form of suffering you endure, be it from sin or any other source, and let it become an impetus for mercy.  First, you must allow the Mercy of God to soothe the pain you feel, and then you must let that love coming from the Lord’s Mercy transform your suffering into your own mercy.  Suffering and Mercy must meet within your heart and from there, extend out to others (See Diary #1050).

What do you see in your heart?  Specifically identify any suffering you endure.  No matter what the cause, look at it and experience it.  As you do this, allow the grace flowing from the Heart of Christ to enter in.  And as you allow it to enter in, let Him transform your hurt into a heart full of mercy and compassion for all, starting with yourself.  The Mercy of God is abundant and can overshadow everything we experience in life, even our pain.  Let your pain meet Divine Mercy in your heart and you will be forever changed.

Lord, I invite You into my heart.  Come and dwell there and transform everything within me through an abundant outpouring of Your Divine Mercy.  May I love You, dear Lord, above all things and allow Your presence in my life to change me for Your glory.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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The Church is glorious for many reasons.  One glorious aspect of the Church is the unity found within it.  It’s true that there is, at times, much internal disunity, hurt and disorder of every kind.  But these are not qualities of the Church.  These are the effects of the sins of Her members.  The Church Herself is the Spotless Bride of Christ.  And the more we enter into union with Christ Jesus, the more fully we are a member of this glorious Church.  By uniting ourselves to Christ we unite ourselves to the Holy Father.  And by uniting ourselves to the Holy Father, we unite ourselves to St. Peter, all the Apostles and all the saints who are living and in Heaven.  We become mystically united with Christians throughout the world and our prayer and adoration of God becomes one song of praise rising to the glory of Heaven.  And as we unite ourselves, through our unity with Christ, we receive the overabundance of Mercy from God making us one (See Diary #1044).

Do you see yourself as a member of the one Body of Christ?  Do you understand that you are called to share in the unity that comes from your union with Him?  Loving Jesus with your whole mind, heart, soul and strength brings about a profound love for others.  If it does not, then it is not authentic love of God.  Reflect upon the effect that your love of God has on your relationship with others.  Let your love of God affect you in such a way that you discover an outpouring of love for all people, especially those within the Church.  And let that love reveal the deep bond of unity that is established as a result.  Unity is glorious.  It is a central blessing flowing from the Church and a sign of the Mercy of God.

Lord, help me to always live in union with You and with others.  May my love for You overflow into my love for others, especially those who are members of Your Church.  I love You, dear Lord, and I trust in You.

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