I recently retired. Unfortunately, I have developed a nagging lower back problem that makes it difficult to sit. So, after 34 years of cubicle life, I gave my two weeks' notice and walked away from the 9 to 5.
Up until 10 months ago when I injured my back, I had planned on working for a couple more years. But after much agonizing over the situation, I decided I had to move on, in hopes of finding a cure to restore my lower back.
On my way home, I stopped by my local health club to ride the stationary bike and do some lower back stretches I learned from physical therapy sessions.
Since my retirement was partially planned in advance (from putting money in a 401K, like many other people), taking a 50 percent reduction in income, voluntarily, was a big issue for me. I will be fine, but it's not exactly what I had planned for at this point in the game.
So, as I was leaving my health club, I started to think that perhaps I should cut back on handing out free Divine Mercy prayercards, brochures, magnets, and other things, as I have done for many years now. Even though it is not a great expense, I guess I was feeling sorry for myself and complaining to God, all at the same time.
As I got into my minivan, the following quotes filled my mind:
My daughter, if I demand through you that people revere My mercy, you should be the first to distinguish yourself by this confidence in My mercy (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 742).
I assure you of a permanent income on which you will live. Your duty will be to trust completely in My goodness, and My duty will be to give you all you need. I am making Myself dependent upon your trust: if your trust is great, then My generosity will be without limit (Diary, 548).
I could not remember the exact quote in detail at the time, but I could at least remember that Jesus had promised St. Faustina she would be taken care of financially for the rest of her life if she trusted in Him.
So I quickly adjusted my thinking, I decided I was making too much of my concerns about continuing to buy Divine Mercy resources to put in the back of churches.
When I got home from the health club, I took a quick shower so I could then make dinner for my wife before she got home from work. As I started drying my hair with the towel that I grabbed, which was hanging from the door knob in my bathroom, I heard something hit the bathroom floor.
I saw it was a penny. How a penny could be sitting in a towel hanging on a door knob, I will never know. Even now as I think about it, it does not seem possible for a penny to be attached to a towel hanging upside down.
But when I heard, and then saw, the penny rolling on the ground, I instantly thought again of Jesus' promise made to St. Faustina. I guess Jesus was telling me, "Yes, you will be able to pay your bills." All He asks of us is to do whatever we can to promote His Divine Mercy, and He will do the rest.
As He told St. Faustina, "The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I Myself take care of it" (Diary, 1273). ?
Mark Endres is a Friend of Mercy from Madison, Wisconsin.
