Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska and Divine Mercy are a perfect way forward for us as we mark “America 250.” Saint Faustina is a beautiful model of patriotism and love of country. She teaches us how to make reparation for sin and intercede for the future of our country.
By Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
We are living in complex yet exciting times, celebrating the 250th year of our country this year in 2026. Tuning into current news broadcasts could cause more than a bit of discouragement, and can make our hearts sink in fear for the future. However, we, the faithful, can rise to the occasion and become an essential and beautiful part of a wondrous celebration of holy patriotism for the United States of America.
To rescue us from our doubts and fears, let’s look to a modern-day saint, once a simple, uneducated Polish farm girl, but who rose to the occasion with God’s grace, choosing and persevering to become a saint! She shows us how to do something practical and even essential to help keep our ship, our society and world today, from sinking.
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska and Divine Mercy are a perfect way forward for us as we mark “America 250” in this noteworthy year during July, the month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.
Love of Country
Jesus calls every soul to a rich interior life. He also calls us to sacrifice for others — to lean in more trustingly to His Sacred Heart and His unfathomable Love and Mercy. But we are not merely to sit back and hold fast to those heavenly treasures! No! We need to become merciful people and carry out works of mercy ourselves so that others will be helped — and thereby help our country, too!
Our friend St. Faustina is a beautiful model of patriotism and love of country. She teaches us how to make reparation for sin and intercede for the future of our country.
Saint Faustina earnestly offered her spiritual and physical sufferings and many prayers for reparation for her native Poland. Knowing of God’s anger towards her country, Faustina prayerfully plunged herself into the “abyss of His mercy” (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1188), allowing God to bless Poland for Jesus' sake, rather than punish it for its sin. Faustina prayed to save her beloved Poland through the Divine Mercy Chaplet, a powerful prayer taught to her by Jesus.
Saint Faustina’s earlier director, Fr. Joseph Andrasz, SJ, encouraged her, saying, “Let God push your boat out into the deep waters, toward the unfathomable depths of the interior life” (Diary, 55). Though St. Faustina initially struggled with profound doubts, she would become an exceptionally prayerful and humble mystical soul, allowing God to push her boat — completely trusting Him with every detail of her life and the mission entrusted to her in propagating the message of Divine Mercy to the world.
Strength from Jesus’ Body and Blood
Saint Faustina notes all throughout her Diary that it was Jesus in His Body, Blood, soul, and Divinity Who gave her every bit of strength she needed to fulfill her duties as His “Secretary of Divine Mercy.” Heaven even sent a seraph angel to deliver Holy Communion to the young mystic when she was ill and unable to go to the chapel! We absolutely need Jesus in our lives, too!
Saint Faustina was one woman, yet her persevering prayers worked miracles through God’s grace. Saint Faustina also prayed many novenas. We can do this, too!
For prayerful ideas and novenas, I encourage you to check out DivineMercyForAmerica.org, an initiative of the Marians’ official apostolate Mother of Mercy Messengers. As a way to prepare to live mercy and celebrate “America 250,” you can also commit to learning more about our sister Faustina and Divine Mercy through my book, 52 Weeks with Saint Faustina: A Year of Grace and Mercy.
Our Lord told St. Faustina:
The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is — trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts (Diary, 1578).
Let us wholeheartedly trust our Lord Jesus and pray for His great, unfathomable mercy and love on our great nation. He pours out “all the treasures of [His] graces into” souls who boundlessly trust Him.
Let us move forward this year, prayerfully asking for much and making a difference, bringing about change now and into the future!
Saint Faustina, pray for us!
May God bless the USA!
Jesus, we trust in You!
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