Divine Mercy in My Soul
Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
Notebook 1 Section 16
"It was during the octave of Corpus Christi [June 25, 1925]. God filled my soul with the interior light of a deeper knowledge of Him as Supreme Goodness and Supreme Beauty. I came to know how very much God loves me. Enteral is His love for me. It was at vespers - in simple words, which flowed from the heart, I made to God a vow of perpetual chastity. From that moment I felt a greater intimacy with God, my Spouse. From that moment I set up a little cell in my heart where I always kept company with Jesus."
(Emphasis mine)
Sometimes my mind is so full with all the things I must know and remember as a wife, mother, and whatever choices, needs, and obligations fill my life, that my interior life, my relationship with Christ Jesus and all that He gives us through Holy Mother Church gets pushed out. Ironically, when the Spiritual is pushed out and everything else crowds in, that fullness feels more like emptiness.
I love the imagery of a little cell in my heart for Jesus and me. I picture an austere, but clean little room, warmed by the sun coming through the diamond-paned windows. There sitting in an antique chair My Savior. There is only one chair, and He occupies it. My place is to serve Him or sit at His feet on the stone floor worn smooth by years of the feet of the righteous before me. In the corner is a small cot where He lays me to rest when I am troubled while He keeps vigil over me until I come to my senses.
"It was during the octave of Corpus Christi [June 25, 1925]. God filled my soul with the interior light of a deeper knowledge of Him as Supreme Goodness and Supreme Beauty. I came to know how very much God loves me. Enteral is His love for me. It was at vespers - in simple words, which flowed from the heart, I made to God a vow of perpetual chastity. From that moment I felt a greater intimacy with God, my Spouse. From that moment I set up a little cell in my heart where I always kept company with Jesus."
(Emphasis mine)
Sometimes my mind is so full with all the things I must know and remember as a wife, mother, and whatever choices, needs, and obligations fill my life, that my interior life, my relationship with Christ Jesus and all that He gives us through Holy Mother Church gets pushed out. Ironically, when the Spiritual is pushed out and everything else crowds in, that fullness feels more like emptiness.
I love the imagery of a little cell in my heart for Jesus and me. I picture an austere, but clean little room, warmed by the sun coming through the diamond-paned windows. There sitting in an antique chair My Savior. There is only one chair, and He occupies it. My place is to serve Him or sit at His feet on the stone floor worn smooth by years of the feet of the righteous before me. In the corner is a small cot where He lays me to rest when I am troubled while He keeps vigil over me until I come to my senses.
Here, it is quiet. The thick walls of the cell and heavy oak door keep out the noise of the world. Here, I can be honest and open and love Him freely.
My house is noisy. My mind is noisy. Even my Church is noisy.
I miss having Adoration in the sanctuary itself. It is such a large room that I can feel quite alone with Christ even though others are present. It is much harder to be intimate with My Savior when others are so near you can hear them breathing, and it feels like our prayers and worship bounce off each other as they scramble to the monstrance.
But, no one can penetrate the cell of my heart except God, Himself. If I set it up, I can retreat there whenever needed.
My house is noisy. My mind is noisy. Even my Church is noisy.
I miss having Adoration in the sanctuary itself. It is such a large room that I can feel quite alone with Christ even though others are present. It is much harder to be intimate with My Savior when others are so near you can hear them breathing, and it feels like our prayers and worship bounce off each other as they scramble to the monstrance.
But, no one can penetrate the cell of my heart except God, Himself. If I set it up, I can retreat there whenever needed.
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