Are There Multiple Meanings to “Starting Afresh” in Christ?
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When I visited the convent of St. Faustina in Poland as part of a pilgrimage group years ago, one thing struck me.
Our guide, who was one of the saint's religious community, the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, looked exactly like the photos of St. Faustina Kowalska - the youthful look, a serious countenance, with the crisp black veil squared off at the top. I felt that the saint herself was visiting us.
That day, it was as if Jesus was giving us a glimpse of St. Faustina. And St. Faustina herself has given us a glimpse of Jesus through her Diary. Anyone who has read St. Faustina's book knows how familiar Jesus spoke to her, as a friend and even a confidant.
That is why the book that was released earlier this year, Jesus Speaks to Faustina and You is such a great tool. It reviews 365 themes - one for each day of the year - that will deepen your relationship with Jesus, and keep you on your toes as to what is important in your Christian walk.
Written by Susan Tassone, best-selling author and speaker, and probably the English-speaking world's expert on purgatory, this book is an easy way to break apart the important themes of the Diary without having to read the original book's nearly seven hundred pages.
"When I began reading St. Faustina's Diary," writes the author in the book,
"I was really surprised to learn that Jesus wasn't just speaking to St. Faustina. He was speaking directly to each of us. The more I entered into the Diary, the more I realized that Jesus was giving us a personal guide for life."
In Susan's book there is a theme, reflection and a prayer for every day of the year. Each day's reflection can be read in a few minutes. Themes include mercy, trust, suffering, simplicity, fear, and faithfulness.
In each day's reflection, there are sometimes direct quotes from St. Faustina and Our Lord, and other times an application of how it applies to our troubled times of today.
Great Quotes of Jesus in the Book
"Give Me souls. Know that it is your mission to win souls for Me by prayer and sacrifice, and by encouraging them to trust in My mercy" (Diary, 1690).
"Why are you afraid to begin work which I have commanded you to carry out?" (Diary, 1181).
"Tell souls where they are to look for solace; that is, in the Tribunal of Mercy [Sacrament of Reconciliation]" (Diary, 1448).
"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" (Diary, 1578).
Themes Recalled in the Book
Jesus speaks to us through the remorse of our conscience, through our failures and sufferings, through thunderstorms, and through the voice of the Church (Jan. 13, and Diary, 1728).
On the Day of Judgment, He will judge the world only in terms of mercy…. And acting out of mercy, or neglecting mercy, a person determines their own judgment (Jan. 7, and Dairy, 1666).
How the "Jesus-Host" is our faithful companion, even when friends abandon us (Jan. 14, and Diary, 1509)
Dealing with the unfair judgments of those you live with (Jan. 15, and Diary, 1528)
How pleased Jesus is with the deep faith we have (Jan. 17, and Diary, 1487).
How Jesus asks us to not tire of proclaiming his mercy (Jan. 24, and Diary, 1521).
As these visions were given to St. Faustina during the gathering dark clouds of World War II, so her message is appropriate for our difficult times.
The book, Jesus Speaks to Faustina and You is available on Amazon, at https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Tassone/e/B001K7L9B6/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1. Visit also Susan's interviews and her other books on the Susan Tassone website, at http://susantassone.com.
Kevin J. Banet is a journalist and publicist. He provides marketing for religious communities, non-profits and healthcare services. Kevin and his family live in the Chicago area. His website is VocationPromotion.com.
