Prayer and Sacrifice

One

By his prayer and sacrifice, Jesus opened the way to Heaven. By Baptism He makes us children of God. And God the Father wants to give all His children the joy of participating with Jesus in the work of redemption, He wants us all to play our part in helping others to receive the Mercy of God. 

Jesus said to Faustyna, “My daughter, I want to instruct you on how you are to rescue souls through sacrifice and prayer. You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone.” 1767

So on March 29, 1934, she offered her life as a sacrifice for souls. Jesus responded, “I am giving you a share in the redemption of mankind.” 310

August 11, 1934, Mary came to visit her. She was sad. Her eyes were cast down but she made it clear that she wanted to say something. And yet… it was if she did not…Faustyna begged Mary to tell her and Mary looked at her 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.” 316

The next day, August 12, 1934, Faustyna fell ill with Tuberculosis, (Diary 321). From that moment until the end of her life, four years later, on October 5, 1938, suffering was her constant companion but she wasted none of it. In her Diary she wrote, “Illness also is a great grace. I have been ill for four months, but I do not recall having wasted so much as a minute of it. All has been for God and souls.”

Two

Jesus told Faustina, “I need your suffering to rescue sinners.” (1612)

“That night,” she writes, “almost all night I had such violent pains that it seemed all my intestines were torn to pieces. I threw up the medicine I had taken. When I bowed my head down to the ground, I lost consciousness and I stayed like that for some time, with my head on the floor. When I came to, I became aware that my whole body was pressing on my head and face, and that I was covered with vomit. I thought it would be the end of me…O my Jesus, do with me as You please. Only give me the strength to suffer. Since Your strength supports me, I shall bear everything. O souls, how I love you!” 1613

I was at Faustyna’s convent in Poland, speaking to one of the sisters about this (this sister actually looked a lot like Faustyna), and I asked her, “How could Faustyna do this? How did she have so much courage?”

She cocked her head a little, looked at me, and said, “You can do anything for the one you love.”

I wanted to punch this good sister because with this reply she put the dagger in me. She cut to the heart of my issue. I do not love as I should. Faustyna loved Jesus and she loved souls. 

Three

Our Mission

In Colossians 1:24 St. Paul wrote, “It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that is lacking in the suffering of Christ for the sake of his body, the Church.”

What could be lacking in the suffering of Christ? Only our participation. Jesus is inviting us to participate with him to save souls by prayer and suffering. When you face anything you did not choose, do not like, and cannot change, accept it with trust and offer it with love to God to help him rescue souls. 

Four

Jesus also wants to use our prayer to save souls. 

We all have family and friends who show little or no interest in God and we have great concern for them. Faustyna was no different. Listen to her experience with her sister.

“My sister Wanda came to see me today.  When she told me of her plans, I was horror stricken.  How is such a thing possible?  Such a beautiful little soul before the Lord, and yet, great darkness had come over her, and she did not know how to help herself.  She had a dark view of everything.  The good God entrusted her to my care, and for two weeks I was able to work with her.  But how many sacrifices this soul cost me is known only to God.  For no other soul did I bring so many sacrifices and sufferings and prayers before the throne of God as I did for her soul. I felt that I had forced God to grant her grace.  When I reflect on all this, I see that it was truly a miracle.  Now I can see how much power intercessory prayer has before God.”

Jesus said to Faustyna, “When you say this prayer, with a contrite heart and with faith on behalf of some sinner, I will give him the grace of conversion. This is the prayer: ‘O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You.’” 18

Five

Day Nine of the Novena to Divine Mercy  

Today bring to Me souls who have become lukewarm, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy.  These souls wound My Heart most painfully.  My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls.  They were the reason I cried out: “Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.”  For them, the last hope of salvation is to flee to My mercy.   

Most Compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself.  I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart.  In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame.  O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love; and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power. 

Fire and ice cannot be joined; Either the fire dies, or the ice melts. But by Your mercy, O God, You can make up for all that is lacking. 

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls, who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus.  Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross; Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy….. 

Divine Mercy Chaplet

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; 
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, 
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; 
He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. 
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. 
Amen.”

Our Father

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.”

Hail Mary 

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus. 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

On the Our Father beads pray:

“Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”

On the Hail Mary beads, you will pray: 

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.” 

In conclusion, three times you will recite these words: 

“Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”