Eugeniusz Kazimirowski, 1934

Have someone in your life who causes you to suffer that you feel no love for, yet you help them anyway? This wonderful passage from the Diary of St. Faustina is for you. Thanks to FlockNote’s free Divine Mercy Daily for sharing this morning:

During Holy Mass, I saw Jesus stretched out on the Cross, and He said to me, *My pupil, have great love for those who cause you suffering. Do good to those who hate you. I answered, “O my Master, You see very well that I feel no love for them, and that troubles me.” Jesus answered, It is not always within your power to control your feelings. You will recognize that you have love if, after having experienced annoyance and contradiction, you do not lose your peace, but pray for those who have made you suffer and wish them well (Diary, 1628).

*Note: The bolded portions are Jesus speaking.

Doesn’t this Bible verse from the Gospel of John perfectly explain the notion that we will have to suffer and by doing so we will be “fruitful?”

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” — John 15: 1-2

I’ve heard and read this verse many times, but yesterday I saw the correlation to suffering for the first time. He “prunes” fruitful branches! That pruning is likely suffering we will endure in this life. If we are granted such a grace as a believer in Jesus, it is a blessing and will enable us to bear more fruit to do God’s work. Amen!

Reprinted from The Secret Diary of Elizabeth Leseur:

“I believe that suffering was accorded by God to man with a great intention of love and mercy.

I believe that Jesus Christ has transformed and sanctified suffering and made it almost divine.

I believe that suffering is the great instrument of redemption and sanctification for the soul.

I believe that suffering is fruitful, as much as and sometimes more than our words and deeds, and that the hours of Christ’s Passion did more for us and were more powerful with the Father than even His years of preaching and earthly activity.

I believe that there is coursing through souls — those on earth, those in Purgatory, and those who have attained to true life — a great unending stream made up of the suffering, merits, and love of all these souls, and that our least sorrow, our faintest efforts can by divine action reach certain souls, whether near or far, and bring them light, peace, and holiness.

I believe that in eternity we shall find again the beloved ones who have known and loved the Cross, and that their sufferings and our own will be lost in the infinity of divine Love and the joy of final reunion.

I believe that God is love, and that suffering, in His hand, is the means used by His love to transform and save us.

I believe in the Communion of Saints, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.”

Beautiful!