Lent 2010: Trying God's Patience?

The following is the second in a series of Lenten reflections, written as a dialogue between the Lord and the soul. These reflections are inspired by the Diary of St. Faustina and Scripture.
+ + +

"My child, where did you go? Come to your merciful God."

I'd rather not Lord. For a second, I thought that I could follow You and be with You, but I'm a hypocrite! I say that I love You and that I want to follow You, but then I walk away and commit a sin. Very often the same sin, over and over! I say that I love You and then turn around and hurt You. I'm a terrible friend to You.

"Do not get discouraged when you see yourself as you are, when you see yourself as weak and helpless. You can do nothing without Me - of course! But you forget the importance and power of My mercy. As often as you fall, return to Me, and throw yourself upon My mercy. Trust in Me and My love for you. Your sins do not offend Me as much as does your lack of trust in My goodness."

But Lord, don't You ever get tired of my continual (and often repeated!) sins?

"Little one, fallen human love is imperfect and conditional, whereas My love for you is unfathomable. Only in eternity will you understand how much I love you. My love for you stretches from heaven to earth and pierces though your brokenness. Every time you humble yourself and approach Me with all that you are and have - all your brokenness and frailty - and ask for My mercy, My Heart melts and I rush to gather you in My arms."

+ + +

Read part 1: The Quiet Call.
Read part 2: Trying God's Patience?
Read part 3: A Trail of Trust.
Read part 4: If You Want Peace ...
Read part 5: In Your Mercy, Preserve My Life
Read part 6: Finding Everyday Masterpieces.
Read part 7: Into Jerusalem


Sarah Chichester works for the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, based in Stockbridge, Mass.

You might also like...

The world may think that Christmas ended at midnight on Christmas Day, but the Church knows better. We celebrate an eight-day Christmas Octave, stretching from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1, with a number of special feast days, including three feasts of martyrs:

On Oct. 28, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of Sts. Simon and Jude, apostles of the Lord who zealously preached to the nations. Father Dan Cambra, MIC, tells their story.

Eight missionaries, sent to proclaim the Gospel to the Huron people in North America, suffered terrible martyrdom at the hands of the Iroquois. We celebrate them on Oct. 19. Here, in brief, is the story of St. John de Brebeuf, St. Isaac Jogues, and their companions.