Finally, through the grace of such heart healing, youll become an even more effective channel of Gods mercy' to others. This blind hope in your mercy, O Lord, is my only treasure. I know this because in my travels, when Ive given talks about the Offering, Ive often begun by asking, Who here has ever heard of the Offering to Merciful Love? Truth be told, Ive never seen more than about 5 percent of the people raise their hands. Now, thats great. Inspired by the Diary of St. Faustina, I said its to m/rtin him. 120 People sometimes allow the devil to take possession of their souls. I say that because, as Scripture teaches, the measure with which we measure will be measured back to us (see Lk 6:38). More specifically, what is Divine Mercy? In other words, Mary (and her husband, Joseph) walked by faith and not by sight, as St. John Paul II makes clear: During the years of Jesus hidden life in the house at Nazareth, Marys life too is hid with Christ in God" (cf. 70-72. Well, we need one. Michael Gaitley, MIC, this 33 Days to Merciful Love Group Retreat goes even deeper than the book alone and explores new material on the heart of St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s Little Way, uncovering the power of trust in the face of personal darkness, inspiring participants to become great saints amid ordinary circumstances, and . According to St. Paul, there is. What? Problem is, not everyone accepts, receives, and draws from such a superabundant source. Why? I want us to see our preparation to consecrate ourselves to Divine Mercy as a way of letting God work a great miracle of mercy in us and for our time. (Or, as Therese would put it, its the Little Way of mercy.) (See the Resource Pages at the back of this book for more informa tion.) Youve made it to Consecration jLJDay, the day you will offer yourself to Merciful Love, a day of great joy and happiness. I do this because it may be hard to believe that Jesus actually needs us and that we truly can give relief to his Sacred and Merciful Heart. In fact, it becomes an act of perfect love, because perfect love, like perfect contrition, is concerned with the Lords Heart. I say that because, as we just learned, Mary leads us to Divine Mercy. Bless us with your mercy when we leave our home and bless us again when we return. On the contrary, she saw humility as being what smacks magnanimitys horses in the rear, sending them racing to the moon! (For more infor mation on the Chaplet and how to pray it, see this endnote.159) So, thats the secret to saving the world. Next week, were going to start learning about St. Therese and her spiritual doctrine, which builds on this weeks scriptural foundation. Third, for the purpose of consoling Jesus. In times of darkness, when youre tempted to think theres no way you can become a saint remember that smile. Yesterday, we learned that the Offering to Merciful Love heals our hardened hearts, making them more sensitive and compas sionate. Love is not loved! Its to allow our hearts to become more like the heart of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who attentively listened to Jesus painful cry from the Cross: I thirst!98 Its to allow our WEEK THREE; The Offering to Merciful Love 77 hearts to be healed of indifference toward the pain and suffering of our neighbor. 209 According to Pope John Paul II in his encyclical letter Dives in Misericordia, mercy is a bilateral reality, a two-way street (14). Youre not important. Relate Saint Therese doesnt always make a good first impression. DAY 2 Our Father in Faith Yesterday, we learned that its all about trust. 178 For group recitation, I recommend the Prayer of Consecration to Mer ciful Love. (When I renew my consecration annually, I like to recite the prayer from the original copy and then sign and date it again.) In other words, it called into question Gods 116 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE goodness. Let me explain. Kazimierz Chwalek, MIC' Provincial Superior The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy Province January 1, 2016 Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2016930904 ISBN: 978-1-59614-345-6 Layout and page design: Kathy Szpak St.Therese of Lisieux (1873-97) 1928 (w/c on paper), Maxence, Edgar (1871-1954) 2015 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York ZADAGP, Paris; Private Collection/Archives Charmet/Bridgcman Images. 2, p. 999. 1511 The spirituality of offering ourselves along with Christ during the Through him, and with him, and in him supercharged moment of the Mass also provides us with an opportunity to simplify our prayer for others. Were too focused on the beloved who suffers. For instance, lets hear some of die sins of she who sees herself as weakness itself.136 They included impatience with a sister, a missed oppor tunity to make a sacrifice, aversion to a medicinal drink, an interior movement of curiosity toward a magazine.137 Surely these arent the kinds of sins that thrust most people into discouragement! Its to trust that he will make us into great saints, even if we dont see it happening, even if we struggle with the same sins day after day, even if we have to wait for the grace of great holiness until the very end of our lives. Yes, its true that we should always follow our conscience, but we also have a responsibility to form our conscience properly. So, whether you want to deepen your love of Divine Mercy or have a devotion to St. Therese, 33 Days to Merciful Love is the book for you. You can pray and sacrifice for me, and it makes a difference. Let me explain. 180 Ibid. Also, see Vatican Ils Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 61-62, which describes Marys role as a Mediatrix. 33 Days To Merciful Love A Do It Yourself Retreat In Preparation For Divine Mercy . Anyone can become a little soul at heart, just as even the materially rich can be poor in spirit. (3) prayerfully answer the four corresponding questions in this Retreat Companion.] Thats what we regoing to explore this week. Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. 197 Ibid., 1120. 248-9. Because, again, the wound has to do with God. What do you choose? In the above quote, Therese even says, This is die difficulty. And why is it difficult? According to traditional Catholic spiritual wisdom, to think you will be a great saint is basically to dis qualify yourself from becoming one. You, at least, come to Me as often as possible and take these graces they do not want to accept. Saint John Paul II expressed the theology of consoling Jesus in what is probably the most profound papal statement on the topic. Alright, so lets now express our efforts, our trying, by getting ready to consecrate ourselves to Merciful Love. I know that this whole multitude of sins would be lost in the twinkling of an eye like a drop of water cast into a burning furnace. Specifically, he revealed to her that his Heart suffers terrible pain because he longs to pour out his mercy on souls, but so many refuse to receive it. So, not wanting to gather merits with downward facing, grasping hands, Therese wants to appear before the Lord with upward facing, poor, and empty' hands that are ready to receive Gods gift of himself. Does this fact mean were unacceptable to the Lord? 33 Days to Merciful Love Group Retreat goes even deeper than the book alone and explores new material on the heart of St. Thrse of Lisieux's Little Way, uncovering the power of trust in the face of . I shared in the introduction that when I first learned about the Little Way, it filled me with hope that maybe even someone like me could become a saint. Please give me such trust in Gods Word that I might even hope against hope. 170 Diary, 86. 167 We can develop this wise capacity by continuing what weve been doing all along, namely, pondering in our hearts (see Lk 2:19), but now with a more refined focus. 34 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE DAY 4 Mary's Pilgrimage of Faith Yesterday, we learned that theres a key to Marys innermost reality, a key to understanding her faith the blessing of Elizabeth: Blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled. Now, while those words firstly refer to the Annunciation and the moment when Mary believed the angels words that she would be the mother of the Son of God, they also refer to her whole life of faith or, as St. John Paul II puts it, her pilgrimage of faith. Now, contrary to overly pious belief, Mary didnt constantly have angels waiting on her at her home in Nazareth, helping with the housework and changing Jesus diapers. DAY 24 Liturgical Darkness Yesterday, we learned the secret to overcoming our blindness to our own personal sins, the secret to being little: the fire of Gods love. If Jesus sees this litde bit of good will in the soul. Think of that. Emphasis added. Since You loved me so much as to give me Your only Son as my Savior and my Spouse, the infinite 135 136 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE treasures of His merits are mine. Were so beautiful to him just as we are. She herself explains all this in the following lines of a poem she wrote about the Holy Face called, My Heaven on Earth: Ah! After all, by consecrating yourself to Divine Mercy, youll be consol ing Jesus and making him happy. You, at least, come to Me as often as possible and take these graces they do not want to accept. In response, with love and kindness, the young nun calmly tried to explain the matter, but Sr. Febronie would have none of it. But I also shared that Id then run into thieves of hope. Remember them? : Our Sunday Visitor, 1980], p. 153). 136 Ibid., p. 224. There are lots -ZX of reasons why people invite others into their homes. Shes saying, I do not regret having offered myself to Love and neither will you!165 And shes asking you to let her do good for you and to fulfill her mission in you, a mission that she expressed shortly before her death: I feel especially that my mission is about to begin, my mission to make God loved as I love him, to give my little way to souls. And as weve learned from St. Faustina, this image truly' is living and grace-filled.221 Moreover, when you display' it in your home in a place of honor where youll see it daily, it becomes a continual, concrete, physical reminder of die solemn invitation (offering) you and your family have made. Well, let me begin to answer that by first telling you an amazing secret: According to St. John Paul II, theres a kind of key which unlocks for us the innermost reality of Mary.12 Imagine that. Purgatory Heres one other catch that comes with making the Offering to Merciful Love: It gradually increases our longing for God. All subsequent sin would be disobedience toward God and lack of trust in hisgoodness6 So, according to the Catechism, its all about trust. Youve been faithfully preparing for this moment for the last 33 days. let us remain then very far from all diat sparkles, let us love our littleness, let us love to feel nothing, then we shall be poor in spirit, and Jesus will come to look for us [and] He will transform us in flames of love. Of course, before we can get to that last day, well need to start with the first, which now follows. This book, like 33 Days to Morning Glory, is a 33-day do-it-yourself retreat in preparation for consecration thats based on heart-pondering prayer. Its supposed to pull back great desires for holiness, like reining in a horse. Heres how that is often explained: We can console Jesus by giving consolation to the members of his body. In fact, he even commands us to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5:48). It means that if we fall into discouragement or despair, well make an effort to get right back up, right back to trusting in Gods mercy. Appendix Two Family Offering and Divine Mercy Image Enthronement | This appendix is an excerpt from Divine Mercy Image Explained bv hr. So, in times of darkness, when youre tempted to discouragement because of your own weakness, poverty, and sin remember that smile. But is he giving such a gift? Each of these words was spoken by Mary, and each word following the other is a way of continually making a spiritual communion of Merciful Love with the Heart of Mary. I seek and desire souls like you, but they are few. On the Ten Small Beads of Each Decade For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. But heres some saving good news: In his loving mercy, Godfills up the abyss ofour wretchedness with his own divine love. Even if, along with her empty hands, she's full of weaknesses and imper fections, she does not fear. Brian J. Gail Catholic Speaker and Bestselling Author A Do~|t-Yourself Retreat Fr. 175 The last clause, and those of the Blessed Mother, is particularly appropriate for those who have consecrated themselves totally to Jesus through Mary. Most Blessed Trinity, I desire to Love You and make You Loved, to work for the glory of WEEK THREE: The Offering to Merciful Love 85 Holy Church by saving souls on earth and liberating those suffering in purgatory. Your great trust in Me forces Me to continuously grant you graces. 73 Therese believed she would become a great saint, but her faith and hope in this regard was not based on pride but, rather, humility, as is clear from the following passage: I considered that I was born for glory and when I searched out 182 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE the means of attaining it, God inspired in me the sentiments I have just described. Help me to believe in God and his love for me, even when the darkness surrounds me. Well, I think we can live, so to speak, in one act of perfect love if our central motivation in life is like that of perfect contri tion. Oh, how indifferent are souls to so much goodness, to so many proofs of love! Talk to you later. With those words, the dots immediately connected. What about something that we can easily memorize and pray anytime during a busy day? Publisher : Marian Press. Fr. How? It just takes you and me and maybe one other person. Help me to recognize my own lowliness and to rejoice in Gods mercy. She tells us that Gods love for us is so great that he allows us to borrow his own love. We also read the following commentary and quote compilation from Guy Gaucher: Anticipating the liturgical reform by some sixty years, Therese used the familiar [not formal] form of Tu when speaking of Jesus. Not by necessity but by his free choice, God allowed himself, in Jesus Christ, to feel a need for our love. How can such a seemingly unimportant woman be so amazingly blessed? Consoling the Heart of Jesus: Prayer Companion From the Do-It-Yourself Ignatian Retreat. Yes, I believe everything that God promised about Jesus will be fulfilled, even if everything about him is a sign of contradiction (Lk 2:34). Hes God. Home. Mk 3:21 -35) that day by day there was fulfilled in her the blessing uttered by Elizabeth at the Visitation: Blessed is she who believed.20 Alright, but what was it that Mary believed specifically as she lived under the same roof with Jesus and during his public life? When we say, Let it be done to me, were allowing Gods Merciful Love to come pouring down into our weak, sinful souls. Gaitley's 33 Days to Morning Glory. Now, as our father in faith, Abraham is the complete opposite of our mother in doubt: Eve. Well, when I saw that claim on the back of the book, I was sold. It is with joy I shall contemplate You on the Last Day carrying the scepter of Your Cross. 3. But then, one day earlier this year, he called me out of the blue. Were just outside the walls of Jerusalem at Calvary, and Jesus is dying on the Cross. He spoke about mortal sin, and he described a soul in the state of sin and how much God hated it. Blessed is she who believed that God was able to raise men even from the dead (Heb 11:19). Its when we receive the rays of his love and mercy and say the prayer, Jesus, I trust in you for this truly con soles his Heart. Recall that in the France of Thereses day, the heresy of Jansenism had a deep influence on Catholic spirituality. However, while Abraham ultimately did not have to go through with the sacrifice, Mary had to watch and be present during the torture and slaughter of her dearly beloved Son all the way to its agonizing end. are nothing-, they are not what give me the unlimited confidence that I feel in my heart. Speaking of ordinary life, we can also relate to Thereses ordinariness. Then, perhaps, when the son was ready to speak, he spoke. Therese doesnt seem to have a problem with it.121 After all, isnt God all-powerful? It reveals that when we compare Gods infinite love for us with our own pitiful love for him, our love is really nothing. We see this kind of freedom, for example, in the saints particularly in those who gifted the Church with major spiri tualities. As she herself put it, compared to Gods love for her, her love for him is not even a drop of dew lost in the ocean!145 And the deeper she delved into the mystery of Gods love for her, the more she realized she couldnt compete.146 She clearly understood that she couldnt love God as he loved her. 14 RedemptorisMater, 12. Clearly theres a catch when it comes to making an offering to Divine Justice: lots of suffering! So, in a bold move, she chooses to rely on Gods sanctity, a choice that carries into the next paragraph: (2) Since You loved me so much as to give me Your only Son as my Savior and my Spouse, the infinite treasures of His merits are mine. In other words, were probably numbered 102 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE among the ordinary people. If that describes you, then thank the Lord. Col 3:3) through faith [She] is in contact with the truth about her Son only in faith and through faith! Y26-SGSBK book Y26-EBSGSBK Divine Mercy in the Second Greatest Story (DVD and Guidebook) New! 155 Actually, according to the testimony of St. Faustina, in this time of great mercy, the Lord wants to make us saints not just to save the world but also to prepare it for bis final coming. Although the reality' of Gods mercy for sinners is beyond the power of words to express, St. Faustina does try to lift the veil of the mystery in the following passages from her Diary. 33 days to merciful love retreat companion pdf. I searched, then, in the Scriptures for some sign of this elevator, the object of my desires, and I read these words coming from the mouth of Eternal Wisdom: Whoever is a LITTLE ONE, let him come to me." Okay, but what does that mean? Specifically, it becomes a plea for mercy.158 As we hold up Christs perfect sacrifice of love to the Father, we cry out for mercy for ourselves and for the whole world. 10. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC Marian Joi presS STOCKBRIDGE MA 01263 2016 Copyright 2016 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. But Therese doesnt leave us hanging. The Litde Way is not about taking away die dryness of everyday life. I smile through my own tears When I contemplate your sorrows Oh! St. Therese asked the Lord to pour into her little soul all the rejected mercy that 20 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE others dont want and he gave it to her. This is one of the effects of original sin, one of its tragic consequences.7 And so, what the Catechism says about Adam and Eve, to one degree or an other, applies to us all: They become afraid of the God of whom they have conceived a distorted image .8 And w hat has become distorted about our image of God? But despite this, try to be faithful, so that He does not have to wait in vain for your love.172 Todays Prayer: Spend the day pondering the Offering to Merciful Love as it is summarized in these three words: Console, the Catch, and Purgatory. He pours out his life for us in his Passion and Death and we complain about a headache. In other words, I hope well see how Elizabeths blessing can apply to us, that the fol lowing words can be spoken to us: Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be ftilfilled. And what was spoken to us? Well, there is, indeed, a catch, but its not a scary one. 1 mean, here it seems as if nobody believes in God, and living by faith is hard. But now we know that Therese also suffered the temptation to wonder whether 110 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE there even is a God and a heaven. Yes. More specifically, she believes that her desires will be realized only in heaven: What attracts me to the homeland of heaven is the Lords call, the hope of loving Him finally as I have so much desired to love Him.149 So, according to St. Therese, only in heaven will wc love God with perfect love. T)reathing Meditation. 185 Story of a Soul, p. 14. One result of that heightened sensitivity is a deeper feeling of longing for God. (3) Keep trusting: Keep trusting and believing that God will satisfy our desires for holiness, even if we dont yet fully understand how. It means striving to never tire of asking God for forgiveness. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because 1 pour all the treasures of My graces into them. But before we begin, let me first connect the various dots that have come up as Ive introduced you to my three friends. It is this: As an age, with a river of heinous sin overflowing the banks of humanity, we have quite simply exhausted our reparative capacity to sate the demands of Divine Justice. Truly, day by day through the hidden life in Nazareth and during Jesus public ministry, the blessing of Elizabeth was 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE 36 fulfilled in Mary. I let her do it.82 Next, when asked ifTherese had made the Offering just once and forgotten about it. So why not just aim to be a little saint who simply makes it into heaven widiout spending time in purgatory? Their extraordi nary love consists in their efforts to keep trying, to keep striving to love God and neighbor in the little things. And, again, shes not worried. Chris Alar, MIC, a priest in my community, die Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. She does this through her powerful prayers for us, which are so effective because of the suffering she endured at the foot of the Cross. Now, of course, as we learned on Days 20 and 21, St. Therese has already composed such a marvelous prayer. In times of darkness, when youre tempted to think that God and heaven do not exist remember that smile. Because in our day, when the family is so much under attack and when, sadly, so many families refuse Gods mercy, Jesus Heart is especially wounded. Recognizing what? The catch is that we accept to allow Gods Merciful Love to gradually heal our hardened hearts, so theyll become more sensitive, compassionate, and losing. But how can we have a true friendship with Jesus if its just a one-way street? Its a choice to be little. Wonderful. Well, I have three recommendations. We console Jesus Heart when we go to him just as we are it breaks his Heart when we dont. So God has two problems: (1) He wants us fallen creatures to believe in his Word and to trust in his goodness, but thats something he cant force, because trust, like love, must be given in freedom. No. 10? It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love.81 Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. Well, thats when Fr. Please forgive us our sins. (See Appendix One.) Venial sin allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it (1854-1855). Of course not! But before I connect those dots for you, let me introduce a third friend. Touched by grace, the sinful woman followed the Saint into the desert to perform a rigorous penance. 54 Ibid., pp. 107 Pope John Paul II, Theotokos: Woman, Mother, Disciple {Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2000), p. 38. Father Mike, do we have a consecration to Divine Mercy? No. Specifically, would you pray the following prayer of St. Therese for us? Ah! For Therese, that is the true and greatest holiness. As Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, hes a perfect Family of Love, and we can add nothing to his greatness, glory, or happiness. After all, it was the devil himself who said to St. John Vianney, If there were three upon earth like you, my kingdom would be destroyed.156 Just three! Those who have done so are amazed at how powerfully Jesus takes them up on their offer. When, on one occasion, instead of interior prayer, I took up a book of spir itual reading, I heard these words spoken distinctly and forcefully within my soul, You will prepare the world for My final coming. 157 See endnote 3 15S In his encyclical letter on Divine Mercy, Dives in Misericordia, Pope John Paul II spoke about the importance of making a plea to God for mercy in our time. In times of darkness, when youre tempted to think theres no way you can become a saint remember that smile. This most blessed among women lived a hidden life in an unknown little town while bearing the same burdens of countless ordinary people. I don't know, but what I am certain about is that God's mercy will accompany her always.131 We now know how Therese's story came to an end. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, author of the bestselling book Consoling the Heart of Jesus, comes an extraordinary 33. An Age when all people can appeal to Perfect Mercy without fear of Perfect Justice. Jesus, we trust in you. It was instituted by [St.] John Paul II. In another way one may eat Christ spiritually, as He is under the sacramental species, inasmuch as a man r i 202 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE believes in Christ, while desiring to receive this sacrament; and this is not merely to eat Christ spiritually, but likewise to eat this sacrament; which does not fall to the lot of the angels. Youre not attractive. DAY OF CONSECRATION: 'The Happy Day' 133 So, as you prepare to consecrate yourself to Merciful Love, if youre feeling happy, then good be happy! 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