Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

• Reflection 238- Fidelity in Times of Darkness

  Though Saint Faustina and many other great saints entered into a unique spiritual darkness, defined by St. John of the Cross as the “Dark Night of the Soul” and the “Dark Night of the Spirit,” we all will experience a certain “darkness” of one form or another in our walk of faith. Our darkness may not be the result of the extraordinary purification of the soul that takes place on the journey toward perfection, but our response must be the same. No matter what we go through in life, when challenges arise we must speak the words spoken by the great saints, “Thy Will be done!” Holiness is all about doing the Will of God despite any confusion or apparent obstacle in our lives (See Diary #1237).Reflect upon the level of conviction you pray that prayer, “Thy Will be done!” Do you mean this? Can you say it with all the powers of your mind, will and soul? Have you chosen the Will of God above everything else in life? Embracing the Will of God in times of trial is especially fruitful for a life of faith. When temptations set in, especially temptations toward despair, you must reaffirm your commitment to God’s perfect Will. Reflect upon this holy act today. Say those words and mean them as completely as you can. Nothing in life should ever deter you from making this your daily prayer.Lord, may Your Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven! I make this my prayer today. I offer it to You with complete confidence and total surrender. I choose You above all things and make Your Will my own. I love You, my Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: www.divinemercy.lifeCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: The Virgin of the Carmen with Saint Theresa and Saint John of the Cross by Juan Rodríguez Juárez

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• Reflection 237- The Darkness of Faith Purifies our Love

  Many of the great saints, including Saint Faustina, experienced an interior darkness in their relationship with God. This is quite a mysterious experience. As a soul grows intimately close to God there are numerous consolations and feelings of love along the way. However, there comes a point on the spiritual journey when God hides Himself. This is not on account of any sin on the part of the person; rather, it’s God’s way of entering much deeper into the person’s life so as to sustain them without the help of emotional or even spiritual consolation. The soul is plunged into a darkness that can be quite painful. But in this darkness, the person is invited to know God with a new silence and surrender. The communication it receives on this new level is beyond words and beyond human experience. There is a knowledge of God and His Divine Will, but not an experience of Him. The soul is invited through this darkness to choose God and His Will despite the absence of any feelings or spiritual consolations (See Diary #1235).Most likely your prayer life has not brought you to this experience of darkness. But even though few enter into this level of communion with God, it’s good to be aware of it and to understand the experience that the great saints had. Knowing that this is the path of holiness will allow you to set aside desires to feel the love of God in exchange for a desire for God Himself. God is not a feeling; He is a Trinity of Divine Persons. Seek to love Him no matter what you feel and your relationship will grow deeper than you could ever imagine.Lord, at times I do not understand Your perfect love for me. When I feel close to You I am so very grateful for this experience. However, I pray that you give me the grace to love You even when I do not sense Your presence. Please purify my faith, dear Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: www.divinemercy.lifeCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Sorrowful Mother Shrine Chapel (Bellevue, Ohio) - stained glass, Mercy of Christ by Nheyob, via Wikimedia Commons

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• Reflection 236- Praying for Mercy for Everyone

  Every person is unique and God wishes to lavish His Mercy upon each and every one of us according to our particular needs. When we pray for people, it’s good to offer them individually as well as by groupings. Here are some groupings of people we ought to pray for: all sinners, priests, religious, the faithful, pagans, atheists, heretics, schismatics, children, those devoted to Mercy, those in Purgatory and the lukewarm. This list is not exhaustive but each grouping needs prayer for a deepening of God’s Mercy in a particular way in their lives. Do not be overwhelmed by the myriad of needs, but know that it is good to pray and offer sacrifice for a different group of people each day so as to slowly offer each and every person to the Mercy of God according to their particular needs (See Diary #1210-1230, Novena given by our Lord).How attentive are you to the needs of those all around you? Some are strong in their faith and need continual encouragement as they seek to offer their lives fully to the service of God. Others are caught in sin and need to be freed from the burdens and attachments they struggle with. Others are lukewarm, going astray, or lost. Everyone is different and carries particular needs in their lives. You must remember that the Mercy of God is for everyone and will meet the needs of each person in the specific way they need it. The more clearly you see this fact the more you will love each individual as God loves. Your prayers will be one way that you are able to share in the distribution of God’s grace to each person according to their needs.Lord, give me the grace to be attentive to the needs of all people. Help me to be aware of the ways that Your Mercy is distributed and to share in that distribution through my prayers. May all people come to know and serve You with their whole heart. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.lifeCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Christ Healing the Sick, 1813, by Washington Allston, via Wikimedia Commons

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• Reflection 235- The Simple Call to Mercy

  As we grow deeper in our faith, it’s easy to presume that life will become more complex. For example, when one begins to study mathematics, each course that is taken builds upon the previous, and the lessons become more challenging and difficult as time goes on. But in a certain sense the opposite is true with our life of faith. The deeper we plunge into the Ocean of Mercy, the more we realize the simplicity of our God. Though God is infinite and fully beyond our comprehension, He is also profoundly simple. In fact, the deeper we enter into His Mercy, the more we realize that the mysteries of life are not as complex as we once thought. We begin to realize that the mysteries of God bring us continually back to the simple truth that we are called to rest in the humble Heart of our Divine Lord (See Diary #1211).Reflect upon the call you have been given to enter into the Mercy of God. Do you find life difficult, confusing or overwhelming? If so, it may be time to step back and reexamine your thinking. The call of God is exceptionally simple. To answer that call you may need to set aside the apparent complexity of life and plunge into the simplicity of His Will. It does not require a doctorate degree to comprehend this profound simplicity. But when you do embrace its simplicity, you will also discover its depth and beauty in a new way. Reflect, today, upon this simple call and dive in with the innocence and trust of a child and you will discover the deep wisdom of God.Lord, I love You and desire to know You and Your holy Will. Give me the grace to plunge into the Ocean of Your Mercy and, in the simplicity of this act, to be fully committed to You. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: www.divinemercy.lifeCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Photo by Jenny Marvin on Unsplash

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• Reflection 234- The Obscurity of Deep Faith

  Normally, when one begins a journey of faith, there are countless insights and revelations that are enjoyed. Various aspects of the life of faith come alive and understanding of the many mysteries in life is received. This gift of spiritual insight and understanding is a great gift and guide as one begins to walk down the path God has chosen. But as time goes on and a soul enters deeply into the mysteries of faith, a certain obscurity can begin to set in. If this is caused by sin or by a spiritual sloth, it should be remedied through Confession and a new resolve to seek the Lord. But this experience can also be the result of a deepening of one’s faith. There comes a time when God’s communication is one of darkness and obscurity. The soul begins to understand that it cannot understand. This is a gift in that the deeper mysteries of faith cannot be communicated through a concept or insight. The deepest communications from our Lord must be communicated through a darkening of the mind. Knowledge becomes dark, yet the certainty of God’s voice remains (See Diary #1205).Reflect upon your interior life of prayer. If you do not clearly have an “interior life,” then it’s time to start. Seek our Lord through meditation and conversation and allow Him to speak to you. If you do have an interior life of prayer and God is regularly present to you, seek to go deeper. And as you seek more, do not be afraid if you begin to sense that meditation and conversation give way to greater silence and obscurity in your soul. This may be a sign that God is speaking to you on a new level. Speak to a priest about this experience and remain faithful to our Lord in every way as He draws you more deeply into a new level of prayer.Lord, I desire to be drawn in deeply to the silence and obscurity of a life of faith. Help me to commune with You on this deepest level and to be transformed in the depths of my soul. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.lifeCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Old woman in prayer (Rembrandt's mother) by Gerrit Dou, via Wikimedia Commons

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