Lord, I thank You for being alive in my life and for living within the depths of my soul. I thank You for being with me through all things and for never abandoning me. In those moments when I do not sense Your presence, give me faith to know You are there. And fill me with a confident trust in Your guiding Hand.
Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska §228
A few years ago I read all of St. Faustina’s Diary. My copy is now marked up with ink and arrows and underlined phrases, and many pages are flagged. The Diary is long, and while there was a benefit to reading it from cover to cover, in the future I will likely return to it in smaller chunks, perhaps adding it to a daily routine of spiritual reading since it is so rich and full of things to contemplate.
If you have not read the Diary, consider reading it as Divine Mercy Sunday approaches. In 2026, Divine Mercy Sunday falls on April 12, the Second Sunday of Easter. Even if you do not read the entire Diary, it can be read fruitfully by skimming, then slowing down wherever an entry uniquely touches the heart.
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As I finished the Diary, two pictures had emerged in my mind. The first was St. Faustina’s love for her Savior and the all-encompassing Divine Mercy of God whose Heart “burns for souls” and whose love consumes human misery “like a twig thrown into a roaring fire.” The second was the ordinary impression of a soul who, like all of us, struggled against the everyday reality of the human condition.
It was this second picture which I related to so well. While her saintly qualities and devotion to Jesus were plainly seen, it was when St. Faustina spoke about the normal frustrations of life that it seemed to me she was writing “after my own heart.” I was often surprised by the practical nature of her words and by her honest sentiments and ruminations.
The more I read, the more my affinity towards St. Faustina continued to develop, especially when she shared little matters about herself. She often humbly reflected on the self-knowledge that is so necessary in the spiritual life. She was human like the rest of us, and while she was called to a high degree of holiness, she still suffered from the daily occurrences and circumstances of life.
At one point she expressed that others, such as her fellow sisters in the convent, could disappoint her, but never God. She mentioned that when she brought her sorrows or cares to another sister, she sometimes left feeling empty and unsatisfied, but never did she feel that way when she brought her woes to God. This prompted her to say to Jesus, “My Master, cause my heart never to expect help from anyone, but I will always try to bring assistance, consolation and all manner of relief to others.”
That line has stayed with me because it exposes a temptation that is easy to miss. When frustration rises, the heart often wants immediate relief, and it can look for it anywhere that is not prayer. It can even feel reasonable to do so, as though prayer can wait until after the emotions have run their course.
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There was a time when I noticed I was growing tired from everything I was involved in. By the end of a long week, I felt low, unappreciated, and vulnerable. Invaded by thoughts of self-pity, it seemed my family was oblivious to how hard I was working. They did not seem to understand that I was overwhelmed, and I began to harbor bitterness and anger toward them.
Somewhere in my heart, I knew I should pause and pray. Instead, I let the feelings fester and allowed them to bulldoze any semblance of peace. Ignoring that inner nudge to bring it to God, I listened to the louder impulse to call someone and let off steam. So instead of turning it over to Jesus, I called my sister.
During our conversation, I felt temporary relief as I explained my frustrations. My sister listened patiently, told me she understood, and suggested I give it some time. As we ended the call, she advised me to pray about it.
But as soon as we hung up, I put off prayer again to tend to another obligation that seemed pressing.
That night, as I got ready for bed, I realized I was not feeling any better and that I still had not prayed. So, as tired as I was, I closed my eyes and asked God to help me let go of the bitterness and to give my heart forgiveness and peace. Then I fell asleep.
In her Diary, St. Faustina constantly turns to the subject of the Merciful Heart of Jesus. She implores us to place ourselves near the Heart of our Lord and turn things over to Him: “If only souls would become recollected. God would speak to them at once, for dissipation drowns out the word of the Lord.” Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska §452
In another place in her Diary, Faustina explains how quickly she turns to God for help even in small matters: “When I see that the burden is beyond my strength, I do not consider or analyze it or probe into it, but I run like a child to the Heart of Jesus and say only one word to Him: ‘You can do all things.’ And then I keep silent, because I know that Jesus Himself will intervene in the matter, and as for me, instead of tormenting myself, I use that time to love Him.” Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska §1033
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In another entry, Faustina describes how she felt after learning that some of her fellow sisters had spoken harshly about her: “O Jesus, how strange are your ways. I now see how people can do very little on their own. In prayer I always find light and strength of spirit although there are moments so trying and hurtful that it is difficult to imagine that these things go on in a convent.” Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska §165
Those lines are a quiet correction. It is easy to assume that certain frustrations belong only to certain vocations, or that the saints were spared some of the ordinary burdens of daily life. Yet they were not. The difference is that the saints learned where to bring those burdens. They learned how to go first to the Heart of Jesus.
As St. Faustina shows, Jesus longs to reveal to us His divine friendship and constantly waits for us, responding immediately to any small gesture or turning of our hearts towards Him even in small matters.
It is easy to seek solace in self-pity or in those things which honor pride, such as self-justification and longing for understanding from others. Yet in doing so, the soul can miss what is right in front of it: Our Lord’s unfathomable mercy and love. After my prayer that night before bed, I did not feel any immediate consolation. Yet at some point in the days that followed, I realized the feelings of bitterness had faded, and eventually they vanished altogether.
It is true that, in this life, we cannot fully understand the mercy of God. Even St. Faustina said that there are many aspects of Our Lord that we will never fully grasp: “Lord, Your life and Your workings are mysterious all at once” (Notebook II, 213). Yet she petitions us to seek the perfect Will of God and to desire to be led each day only by Him, trusting constantly in the gentle guidance of His providential care.
While Our Lord blesses earthly friendships, it is worth desiring the kind of friendship St. Faustina had with Jesus, and giving to Him all of our cares and sufferings, whether we ourselves are their source or they are caused by something or someone external.
Let us also remember that Jesus longs for our friendship and wants us to share with Him every small act or heavy burden.
St. Faustina, pray for us!
