The simplicity of Christmas
The simplicity of Christmas
Turn to any page of St. Faustina’s Diary and you’ll find spiritual gems. Like this one: When I started the Holy Hour, I wanted to immerse myself in the agony of Jesus in the Garden of Olives. Then I heard a voice in my soul: Meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation. And suddenly the Infant Jesus appeared before me, radiant with beauty. He told me how much God is pleased with simplicity in a soul. Although My greatness is beyond understanding, I commune only with those who are little. I demand of you a childlike spirit (Diary, 332)
You might also like...
Fr. Mark reminds us that Advent is not Christmas—it is a penitential season meant to awaken our souls, sharpen our spiritual vision, and prepare us to stand before the Lord. Across the 24 Churches that make up the Catholic Church, Advent (or its equivalent) is lived with deep seriousness: 40-day fasts, vegan disciplines, weeks of total abstinence, and long seasons of preparation. Their witness challenges us in the Roman Rite to rediscover what this season truly is: a call to repentance, renewal, and readiness.
Turn to any page of St. Faustina's Diary, and you'll find spiritual gems like this one:Suddenly, I found myself in a strange cottage where an elderly man was dying amidst great torments. … When I began to pray … The soul became calm and, filled with trust, rested in the Lord. At the same moment, I found myself again in my own room. How this happens... I do not know. (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1797)
Turn to any page of St. Faustina’s Diary and you’ll find spiritual gems. Like this one: [Jesus said], “I rejoice that [souls] 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” (1578).
