Lets be clear about something right off the bat: God doesnt need us. All subsequent sin would be disobedience toward God and lack of trust in hisgoodness6 So, according to the Catechism, its all about trust. Again, as St. Therese said to the Lord, For me to love you as you love me, I would have to borrow your own love." So, if we object, then maybe were simply looking for justice. Jesus doesn't just want good people he wants saints. Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. Right again. Confidendy, I stated my conclusion, And so 40 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE the best way to remove that thorn and console him is to fra# him. Michael, youre absolutely right. Great! I said to myself, Its all about trusting Jesus in order to console him. At that point, 1 thought I was all set. And thats the beauty of Thereses path. 59 Story ofa Soul, pp. We must strive to forgive. M. Verda Clare, CSC (Chicago: Fides Publishers Association, 1953), p. 25. There is rhe marvel of Abrahams faith. To ask other readers questions about 33 Days, to Morning Glory Retreat Companion , please sign up . Among other things, die book asserts that every Carmelite should offer herself as a victim soul to Gods justice, and several nuns from the Lisieux convent did just that.84 Alright, so what did that offering mean? 1,1877-1890. Customer reviews. I believe, he also and especially wants to pour out his mercy on families. 33 Days to Merciful Love: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Divine Mercy Consecration http . Lowest prices Gallery wrap Framing options FREE SHIPPING on Divine Mercy Prints and Prayercards Y26-PIM10GW Y26-PB10GW (See below) Prayercards (1000) 2 %"x 3" cards $14.95 8" x 10" Prints (50) 8" x 10" prints $14.95 (400) 8" x W prints $64.95 Print. Bless everyone we meet with the mercy you pour into our hearts. Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure and St. Claude de la Colombiere and translated by Paul Garvin (Rockford, Ill.: TAN Books and Publishers, 1984), we read the following, which also ties in with Thereses idea that well learn on Day 21, namely, that the Offering to Merciful Love causes one to become a martyr of love: [I ]t is the teaching of great masters of the spiritual life that a person who, at the point of death, makes an act of perfect conformity to the will of God [i.e., an expression of unshakable trust] will be delivered not only from Hell but also from Purgatory, even if he has committed all the sins in the world. God is so good. And now, to confirm my resolve and to con sole you for so much rejection of your mercy, I OFFER MYSELF, THROUGH THE HANDS OF MARY IMMACULATE, AS A VICTIM OF HOLOCAUST TO YOUR MERCIFUL LOVE, asking you to consume me incessantly, allowing the waves of infinite tenderness shut up within you to overflow into my soul, and that I may thus become a martyr of your love, O my God, and a gift of mercy to so many others. This most blessed among women lived a hidden life in an unknown little town while bearing the same burdens of countless ordinary people. to be Yourself my Sanctity! O my Jesus, let me be this happy victim; consume Your holocaust with the fire of your Divine Love!91 From this beautiful prayer, we begin to arrive at the essence of the Offering to Merciful Love. Now I know that even [some] souls that are chosen and well advanced in the religious life or the spiritual life do not have the courage to entrust themselves completely to God. But, again, that experience of heaven on earth is hidden under the veil of a Sacrament. Description. Problem is, not everyone accepts, receives, and draws from such a superabundant source. Because she knew it was her littleness that at tracted Gods Merciful Love. And through that effort, weve come to find a light in the darkness, namely, Gods own love that fills up the abyss of our nothingness. Of course not! In order that those who committed these sins may, after repenting, remain humble (p. 70). (Libertyville, Ill.: Marytown Press, 2007), pp. 139 Ibid. I say that because I didnt want to become a priest unless I had at least some hope of becoming a saintly one. Also, you might want to peek ahead to the second section of tomor rows reading, Before Consecration. (Dont worry. A must-read for all those who desire to bear witness to the mercy of God . 96 Ibid., 1705. Indeed, shes blessed because she believed in Gods promise of mere}' that he would raise her to the heights of holiness, even though she was helpless and even though it seemed to her that there was no God and no heaven. And what does our heavenly mother do when she wins such hearts? The Bible says that even the just man sins seven times a day (Prov 24:16). And guess what: Thats a lot like purgatory. As we learned on Day 13, in many ways were living in a time of unprecedented dark ness and evil. If the priest cant make it, perhaps you can ask him to solemnly bless your image (with others from the parish) on Divine Mercy Sunday. More specifically, its an extension of the most power fill moment of the Mass, what I earlier called the supercharged moment. This spark needs to be lighted by the grace of God. It takes effort. Therefore, there must be such a path! One expert on Carmelite spirituality contrasted these two paths (that of merit and that of mercy) as follows: [God] brings about [our sanctification] by the diffusion of grace which He gives according to our merits, or simply to satisfy the need ofhis mercy.91 I dont know about you, but I choose the latter path! Whenever it was, weve all experienced Gods love and how real that love is. Why not? In fact, the weaker and more sinful we are, the more he wants us to go to him and present ourselves with complete honesty and truth: Ecce behold, Lord, here I am, sinfulness and all. If only we would always remember how much this pleases him! Available from: Marian Helpers Center Stockbridge, MA 01263 Prayerline: 1-800-804-3823 marian.org Orderline: 1-800-462-7426 shopmcrcy.org IMPRIMI POTEST: Very Rev. Thats what were going to ponder this week, using Sacred Scripture and its giants of trust. Michael Gaitley has done is again. (Thus, she says in the text of the Offering that she wants God himself to be her Sanctity and wants God to look upon her only in the Face of Jesus and in His Heart burning with Love.") In other words, like most of us, she not only knew herself to be weak and imperfect (more on that in the next point), but she knew what it was like to live in an age of secularism and doubt. So, blame Abraham! | One of the great blessings of being a priest is that I get to live in the same house as die Blessed Sacrament. Theyre not essential to the consecration. For instance, its to hope against hope, like Abraham did when he was called to sacrifice Isaac, believing in the impossible, namely, that God could even raise Isaac from the dead. Read 4 reviews from the worlds largest community for readers. He will go far, very far, in search of you, if at times you wander off a little.60 Or, as Jesus himself put it to St. Faustina: The greater die sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy.61 Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. Journey with St. Therese of Lisieux and discover 33 Days to Merciful Love: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Consecration to Divine Mercy, the stirring sequel to the Fr. Today, I have come to understand many of Gods mysteries. According to Webster's Dictionary, the root word for Gnosticism is gnosis, which means "divinely inspired knowledge." 1 This word is generally used to describe heretical . Download/Read PDF 33 Days to Merciful Love: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Divine Mercy Consecration Full Edition by Michael E. Gaitley. Most of all I imitate the conduct of Magdalene; her astonishing or rather her loving audacity which charms the Heart of Jesus also attracts my own. I mean, why should we get excited about Gods abundant mercy for sinners if we dont really think were sinners? And all this, again, gets back to the heart of Sacred Scrip ture, which is saturated with mercy. We need only fear becoming one who sins but does not repent, one who tires of asking for forgiveness and ends up believing that he doesnt need to ask for it any more. Apart from falling into the evil habit of corruption, Therese would say that there is no reason to be afraid. All rights reserved. And who could be afraid of such a mother? Its truly amazing. Yesterday, not meaning to do so, she tore off a small piece of wallpaper. "37 Yes, singing is in order for in rediscovering the Gospel, Therese had also rediscovered the joy of the Gospel. Anselm W. Romb, OFM, Cap. Its to allow our hearts to become more like die heart of St. Francis of Assisi, who, in his great compassion for Jesus, went around weeping and crying out loud, Love is not loved! In short, its to allow Jesus to make our hearts more like liis. For instance, she records the following in her Diary. Her loving confidence in our Lord made her extraordinarily daring in the things she asked him for. I say that because Jesus doesnt just want to pour out his rejected Merciful Love on individuals, like St. Therese. 70-71. This praise and thanks is signified by the air we exhale from our lungs. Its a way thats very straight because its entirely ver tical, very short because it avoids die spirals of the staircase,55 and totally new or at least it feels that way because it redis covers the heart of the Gospel, namely, Gods mercy for the litde and die lowly. Here it is: Merciful Father, in the name of our lovable Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and all the Saints, I ask You to set me on fire with Your Spirit of Love and to grant me the grace of making You deeply loved.177 I love that prayer. He has anticipated the movements of the Holy Spirit and given us means by which to suck the marrow out of this year of Mercy. Carmel July 16 June 19 St. Mary Magdalene July 22 June 29 St. Alphonsus Liguori August 1 July 12 St. Maximilian Kolbe August 14 July 13 The Assumption August 15 July 20 Queenship of Mary August 22 August 3 Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta September 5 August 6 Nativity of Mary September 8 August 10 Holy Name of Mary September 12 August 13 Our Lady of Sorrows September 15 August 27 St. Therese of Lisicux October 1 September 2 St. Faustina Kowalska October 5 During a leap year, when February has 29 days, die starting date is February 21. 178 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE And so I will accept with submission and gratitude everything that God sends me (1549). (See Mk 6:5.) And now I am simply resigned to see myself always imperfect and in this I find my joy. 147 Ibid., p. 256. Rather, its a self-offering to God (a setting of oneself apart for God) dtat anyone can make whether the person is a member of die clergy, consecrated religious, or laity and they do it for the specific purpose ofglorifying Gods mercy. I always feel, however, the same bold confi dence of becoming a great saint because 1 dont count on my merits since I have none, but I trust in Him who is Virtue and Holiness. That is faith. The greatness of Its majesty pierced me deeply, and I did not dare to repeat my entreaties. Finally, through the grace of such heart healing, youll become an even more effective channel of Gods mercy' to others. Celine chose one item that pleased her. And so it is in the world of souls, Jesus garden.185 So, the diversity of authentic spiritualities within the Church is pleasing to Jesus. After all, maybe he could have gotten the number down to just three. 221 See endnote 191. DAY 14 No More 'Thieves of Hope' Yesterday, we learned that St. Therese of Lisieux is a prophet. In fact, most of the rime, we probably wont feel it at all, WEEK FOUR: Into the Darkness 103 and well have to fight to believe that God still loves us. Hail Mary 5. This invitation pleased Jesus so much that he filled her with a superabundance of his mercy, and the experience of it became the very center of Thereses whole spirituality, leading her to the heights of holiness. Chris and ask him iff could write the book on a Divine Mercy consecration after all. What should I fear then?116 Good question. But the other key word of this trial is heaven," which is very interesting. I aim to keep before my eyes my poverty, weakness, brokenness, and sin, trusting that my littleness and contrite heart will attract your Merciful Love. I try to con sole them by inviting diem to get an Image of Divine Mercy, which, in my opinion, is die next best thing. I say that because, while the Divine Mercy' Image is certainly not a Sacrament, it is an extraordinary image of grace.212 Actually, I tell my friends not just to get a Divine Mercy Image for their homes but to enthrone it in their homes. And thats really the fine point of living the Little Way. Because people who dont think theyre sinners dont clearly see the reality of Gods love, theyre blind to their sins. 3. Emphasis added. Maybe youre not quite ready. It reminds us that trust does not come naturally to us. 56-60. 143-144). All rights reserved. What should I fear then?188 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE 146 Again, Therese chose to see everything through the lens of mercy. It is to her I abandon my offering, begging her to present it to You. The three words from Scripture, in IV1 Latin, are as follows: ecce,fiat, magnificat. There must be a path for little souls like her: a straight, short, and totally new way. No. 30 Because St. Josephs heroic faith is so essentially linked to that of Mary, his inclusion is implied in die attention here given to the faith of his spouse. 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. Emphasis added. Youve made it to Consecration jLJDay, the day you will offer yourself to Merciful Love, a day of great joy and happiness. In fact, she even told the Lord, [H]ere on earth, I cannot conceive of a greater immensity of love than the one which it has pleased You to give to me freely, without any merit of my part. I found what I was looking for. And so should you.'" He kept pestering me. 192 Regarding the Image of Divine Mercy, Jesus tells St. Faustina, Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush, lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace (Diary, 313). In other words, its to see the Eucharist (even spiritually received) as a channel through which Jesus can pour out on us the superabundance of his rejected mercy. Christo pher OMahony. More precisely, its all about our lack oftrust. [T]he cross will remain the point of reference for other words too of the Revelation of John: Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me. In a special way, God also reveals His mercy when He invites man to have mercy on His only Son, the crucified one. I want, O my Beloved, at each beat of my heart to renew this offering to You an infinite number of times, until the shadows having disappeared I may be able to tell You of my Love in an Eternal Face to Face!1*3 Please note: If on your day of consecration, you recite your consecration prayer with a group, I highly recommend only using the Prayer of Consecration to Merciful Love. Remember that image? For instance, it was because of her extraor dinary magnanimity that St. Therese once said, I would so much like to love [God] to love Him more than He has ever been loved.69 And such magnanimity is a good thing. For simple souls there must be no complicated ways; as I am of their number, 194 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE one morning during my thanksgiving, Jesus gave me a simple means of accomplishing my mission. Merciful Love Book - Retreat Companion (working book with daily and weekly questions written by O. Michael Gately) - The Merciful Love Certificate - Prayer of the O. He knew that the Offering to Merciful Love is not well known. Similarly, after we inhale Gods Merciful Love, because it was so good and refreshing, well need to praise and thank him for the gift of his mercy. Holy Face ofJesus by Sr. Genevieve of the Holy Face Office Central de Lisieux Photographs of St. Therese of Lisieux Office Central de Lisieux Printed in the United States of America To the Marian Missionaries of Divine Mercy May we trust in Jesus even more. I cant relate to her. Theres some trudi to this objection. If so, then youre a little one. 276-77. Yet hes silently nursing at my breast? Whats its concrete expression in your daily living? I was stumped. Emphasis added. 32 Since that time, the popes have added three more saints to the list of the Doctors of the Church, raising the total to 36. It consists in suffering and suffering from everything Holiness! (2) Write out or print up the Prayer of Consecration to Merciful Love or Thereses own text so you can sign it after youve recited it if youd like, you can visit ShopMercy.org for a certificate or prayercard with the Prayer of Consecration to Merciful Love. It was there, in the midst of die most terrible darkness, that we paradoxically sec the luminous blessing of Elizabedi shine fordi with ever-greater glory: Blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled! Yes, blessed is she who believed at the foot of the Cross. Its a choice to be little. 10? I will also pray this prayer for you, and I hope you enjoyed your retreat. Youre nothing." 123 Cited in The Power of Confidence, p. 302. DAY 23 The Blindness to Sin Living the Little Way requires that we recognize our littleness. I suggest that we can do so by living our lives with the one purpose of consoling Jesus through our attitude of trust, which means praising and thanking God in all things and in all circumstances. The P first friend is Fr. Yes, in the midst of an ordinary, mundane life, she had extraor dinary faith, hope, and love that are accessible to us all. After all, I figured that only the quickest and easiest path could help someone like me to become a saint. Really tell them, Mother, that if I had committed all possible crimes, I would always have the same confidence. Well, Pope Francis has such authority, and he did announce it. 31 4:18) and considered that God was able to raise up Isaac even from the dead. The Lord said he would spare it for their sake. But when it came to Thereses turn, the future saint suddenly exclaimed, I choose all! and proceeded to take the entire basket. Are you going to have pity on Jesus? Because, again, as the Cate chism teaches, all sin involves a lack of trust in Gods goodness. And she also said something else thats familiar: Keep trusting ( and have an unshakable trust). Before we go further into diose three moments of breathing, let me say something about three words from Scripture. Perhaps we didnt stop long enough to get a good grasp on what the worlds darkness is all about. Week Three will treat the Offering to Merciful Love. I say weve begun to put it all together. In fact, thats really the most amazing part: Jesus need is to show mercy and to save us. 95 Ibid., 1074. I mean, if we receive all the rejected mercy that other souls dont want, whats that going to cost us? More Details. Therese herself tells us as she makes an ardent prayer to the Lord: O my God! But where? 56 Catechism, 1846. She chose mercy, and so, even Gods Justice seemed to her clothed in love." DAY 2 Our Father in Faith Yesterday, we learned that its all about trust. Even after die death of her one true friend in the convent (Therese), even after her mental illness caused her to have to leave the convent at the age of 55 after 28 years of religious life, even after years of wondering aimlessly about the French countryside (ibid., p. 51) amazingly she could still write the fol lowing words to Mother Agnes, words that reveal her hidden sanctity: The work of sanctification which my beloved Therese began so lovingly in me beore she died continues. Again, its the Good News of Gods mercy for sinners. Talk to you later. With those words, the dots immediately connected. Todays Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. So, in times of darkness, when youre tempted to discouragement because of your own weakness, brokenness, and sin remember that smile. Why go to Confession when weve not done anything wrong? DAY 26 The World's Darkness This week, weve focused on better understanding the darkness of our own weakness, brokenness, and sin. 48 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE It teaches that few are saved, that you have to be perfect to go to Jesus, and that you must earn his love, especially by multiply ing great works and painful sacrifices. Also, in a Regina Caeli message for Divine Mercy' Sunday, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI stated, Indeed, mercy is the central nucleus of the Gospel message; it is the very name of God, the Face with which he revealed himself in the Old Covenant and fully in Jesus Christ, the incarnation of creative and redemptive Love. 57 Story ofa Soul, p. 208. I can assure you that He is grieved over this. Publisher : Marian Press. Download Free PDF. Well, consider the following. We need Marys help to obtain the gift of faith, that is, the grace to believe. Krailsheimer [London: Penguin Classics, 1966], 136). Just make up die reading die next day. ortege Friend: A Sequel to Marian Consecration. But then theres the whole category of sinners who hardly see any sin in themselves. They simply need to try sincerely to turn away from sin, invite the Lord into their home, and receive and share his Merciful Love. 137 See Use Power of Confidence, p. 241, and Gaucher, p. 172. So, with that in mind, 1 knew exactly what he was getting at regarding the Offering to Merciful Love. 65 Wlekti-irle. In other words, it shows us what we are of our own sinful selves: empty, weak, and on the verge of passing out. But when will Therese get that love? Now, perhaps that seems selfish. It was instituted by [St.] John Paul II. Help me to believe that with God nothing will be impossible. (1698). Its the face of Christ in his Pas sion. From Gods perspective, though, the truly great souls are the little souls, because they allow Gods greatest attribute, his mercy, to shine forth most fully. In offering herself to Merciful Love and not justice, Therese opens herself to receive not waves of infinite harshness but infinite tenderness." If Jesus sees this litde bit of good will in the soul. Michael Browner FINAL FIVE DAYS: Synthesis and Review 117 Grace Mary is not only a perfect model of faith and trust for us, but she obtains for us the grace to believe and to trust in God. After all, to think such a thing (not to mention collecting relics of yourself) is certainly pride, right? But dont just take my word for it. Now, of course, it doesnt give us freedom to choose when it comes to something like the Ten Command ments. To help you figure out a good day to start your 33-day preparation for Divine Mercy consecration, check out the follow ing chart with recommended feast days and their starting dates: S tar t of Feast Day the 33 Days Consec&ation/Feast January 9 Our Lady of Lourdes February 11 February 20* The Annunciation March 25 Varies Divine Mercy Sunday Sunday after Easter April 10 Our Lady of Fatima May 13 April 28 The Visitation May 31 Varies Pentecost Sunday 50 days after Easter Varies Trinity Sunday Sunday after Pentecost Varies Sacred Heart of Jesus Friday after Corpus Christi Varies Immaculate Heart of Mary Saturday after Corpus Christi May 27 Sts. My heart is a living 188 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE tabernacle in which the living Host is reserved. As we also learned on Day 13, St. Therese is a prophet w ho teaches us that in the present time of mercy, God w ants to work some of the greatest miracles of his mercy in the history of the WEEK FOUR: Into the Darkness 105 world. Will you let her give you the gift of the Little Way and her Offering to Merciful Love? 'ilni :l> ' It:.'! We follow that with a week focused on self-knowledge then a week focused on knowledge of Mary and finally a week focused on knowledge of Jesus. Will you accept the rejected mercy that burns his Heart? Let me explain. I say that because our trust problem primarily has to do with God. So, my spiritual life became something of a roller coaster high with hope one minute and down with discouragement the next. As soon as she does anything wrong, everybody must know it. Touched by grace, the sinful woman followed the Saint into the desert to perform a rigorous penance. In fact, the other school kids bullied her and made fun of this girl who didnt know how to join in their games and couldnt even comb her own hair.45 In the midst of her extreme loneliness and sensitivity, Therese deeply longed to be loved. In a certain sense, God needs this womans help. Thus, Marv is a kind of secret weapon for God, a way for his grace to enter hardened hearts, hearts that she then opens up to God. 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. Anyone can become a little soul at heart, just as even the materially rich can be poor in spirit. (More on this later.) I want to work for Tour Love alone with the one purpose of pleasing You, consoling Your Sacred Heart, and saving souls who will love You eternally. 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. Still, theres such a thing as heaven on earth. Thank God that she discovered a way of spiritual victimhood that not only allows even little souls to be generous but also sets them on fire with love. How do we persevere in faith, hope, and love in the midst of deep spiritual darkness? Hes well aware that the child wdll often fall back into the these same faults, but hes always ready to forgive him, provided the boy always grasps him by the heart. Its the Good News that God doesnt love us because were so good but because hes so good, that he loves us not because we deserve it but because we desperately need it. Doesnt the inflow of air feel great? Again, I suggest its his words, I thirst, spoken from the Cross. Therese simply realized that by recognizing her littleness and helplessness more and more, she would, thereby, be more and more ready for the cascading love pouring forth from the pierced Heart of Jesus. Yes, he can do it. 23 Ibid., 19. I smile through my own tears When I contemplate your sorrows Oh! In fact, Ive often heard that when people first meet her in her writings, they think, I cant relate to her. They say, What do I have in common with a girl who grew up in a sheltered home, lived in a cloistered convent, and died at just 24-years-old? But then, as they get to know her more, theyll often say, I relate to her more than to any other saint. FINAL FIVE DAYS: Synthesis and Review 123 So, why do people relate so much to someone who, on the surface, seems difficult to relate to? "207 He goes on to call dris reality a fragment of lifes deep logic.208 But if Jesus doesnt need us, then how can there be a true and loving friendship between him and us? It is impossible for me to grow up, and so I must bear with myself such as I am with all my imperfections. Help me to participatefully, consciously, and actively in the borrowed divine love ofliturgical worship. Quite the contrary', in fact. Put differently, we just need to remember to do three things: (1) Recognize, (2) Trust, and (3) Try. Second, I recommend the spiritual journal of St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul: Diary ofSaint Maria Faustina Kowalska. Yes. 204 Catechism, 1085. Its the word of love spoken through Christs death on the Cross, the word of love that Mary intimately shared in on Calvary. When 1 first learned this great lesson that praise itself is a powerful act of trust it had a profound effect on my life. Anyway, diat covers three potential objections diat may' be coming to mind as we prepare to make the Offering. After all, unlike Eve, Abraham refused to give in to the temptation to think that God is a liar, to think that God doesnt keep his promises, to think that God is not good. Yes, it is as bad as that. She fell back on the pillow, her head turned towards the right [S]he pronounced very distinctly her final act of love: Oh! So, we need only" tear becoming corrupt. Tired of being on such a roller coaster of spiritual ups and downs, I decided to read just about everything St. Therese ever wrote, trying to find out if the Little Way really could help someone like me to become a saint. 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE 78 DAY 18 No Purgatory? So, every day, she saw her sisters impressive desires, sacrifices, and sufferings right up close, and she concluded that the future saint was no little bird at all. (See pages 135-137 for the fall text.) O Fount of Life, un fathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty' Yourself out upon us. 120 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE DAY 31 The Offering Three words summarize what we learned about the Offering to Mercifiil Love: (1) Console, (2) The Catch, and (3) Purgatory. 36 Ibid. Conrad de Meester explains Thereses teaching on this point: Therese knew how God's life could lie hidden below the sur face of a human psyche and temperament, and that some souls were much closer to God than might be apparent if they were judged merely by their struggles and inhibitions. Rather, the focus in this para graph is not on seeking out suffering but, rather, on accepting the suffering that God will choose for her. That is the mystery she wanted to glorify, the main mys tery that formed her conscience. I love him she said, looking at her crucifix. So how do we obtain it? 162 Ibid., p. 211. 118 33 DAYS TO MERCIFUL LOVE Recognize To live the Little Way, we need to recognize the darkness of our littleness and our brokenness. This moment in feels great, especially if weve held empty lungs for 10 to 20 seconds. Through her imploring behavior and her profound looks, it seemed she wanted to say, You were right. For today, though, lets look at those who feel they cant relate to Therese or her teaching because they actually struggle with attachments, deliberate venial sins, and maybe even grave sins.

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