When difficulties arise in our lives, it can be a struggle to maintain hope. The future may look bleak, or even uncertain, and we don’t know what to do.
St. Faustina, a Polish nun who lived in the early 20th century, received many private revelations from Jesus and one of the primary messages he relayed to her was trust.
He said to her, “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.”
This theme of trust was repeated again and again in these private revelations, “I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.”
In fact, the prayer Jesus gave to St. Faustina was one of the simplest, but often the most difficult to pray in times of difficulty.
Jesus, I trust in You!
This prayer is one that should center us during any trial and calm our fears down instantly. It requires a humble heart, willing to give up control of a situation and trust that God is in control.
Jesus taught his disciples a similar spiritual principle.
Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? … seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. (Matthew 6:26-27, 33)
By revealing to St. Faustina that simple prayer of “I trust in you,” Jesus reminds us that the essential spirituality of a Christian is that of trust in God, trusting in his mercy and love to provide for us and care for us in our need.
Whenever you feel doubtful or anxious about what is happening in your life, say over and over again the prayer Jesus taught St. Faustina, “Jesus, I trust in You!” Little by little God will inch his way into your heart so that those words are not empty, but reflect an honest trust that God is in control.
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And today we celebrate...