Having some serious doubts...help?

RaymondG

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Hey dude, whatever it takes for you to believe as you want, biblical or not, is fine with me.

I did think it funny all the "you's" in your post there, as you do precisely what you accuse me of doing. ;)
I think you are right. I repent of my mis-steps. Post removed
 
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wayfaring man

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For example, we know that a repented sinner will go to heaven - that's easy for me to understand. However, the bible also says non-believers will go to hell - that I struggle with since so many people are non-believers not by choice, but by circumstance.

The problem with the above is that a difference is implied where there is essentially none.

What keeps us heading towards hell is being unrepentant sinners. And what keeps us unrepentant is our unbelief.

So those who truly repent are the true believers, and those who don't are the unbelievers - despite many claims to the contrary.

God is not impressed with self-ordained titles and grandiose claims and professions.

It all basically comes down to consistently being three Christ-like ways -

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? <---> Micah 6:8

Also - as far as apparent contradictions go - when The New Testament speaks differently than does The Old - The New trumps The Old - for we live in The New.

But where they speak in harmony The Old is ratified by The New.

And generally, what Yeshua is recorded as saying himself is paramount.

Consider Luke 11:13
 
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Butch5

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I was brought up in a Christian household but of late have hit some pretty big hurdles.

I know I'll be able to find answers trawling through the forums but thought this would be the most efficient to deal with my questions.

My key questions are:

As Christians our belief is that believers in Christ and the bible will go to heaven and non-believers will be cast into hell for eternal damnation. Eternal damnation = much worse than torture or pain...How can we reconcile that we have a kind and loving God when he is willing to cast the majority of humanity into ETERNAL DAMNATION? Someone could live a righteous and perfect life without having the opportunity to learn about Christ and suffer eternal damnation whereas someone who has sinned but repented will go to heaven?

Firstly, the Bible doesn't teach that Christians go to Heaven. That is an error taught in the church. Likewise, the Eternal Conscious Torment is not taught in the Bible either.

How do you guys deal with the scores of bible verses (I won't list them...) that conflict with scientific, social and epistemological progression? E.g. Those condone murder, sexism, slavery etc. Yes, these were different cultural times, but are we then picking and choosing (e.g. slavery was a product of cultural times whilst homosexuality is not and is definitely a sin).

These need to be looked at on an individual basis. Slavery, for instance, was typically to work off a debt.

Lastly...

I've just come to a realisation that the Bible is an ancient text written by and for a small group of Middle Eastern tribesman. What other than our belief (which may be misled / uneducated) helps us place the Bible ahead of any other ancient text (e.g. Qaran)???

Sorry for the broad / controversial questions...important time in my life and I'm struggling to make sense of it all.

Prophesy. The Bible give predictions that have later come true and can be verified.
 
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Gregory Mallett

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I was brought up in a Christian household but of late have hit some pretty big hurdles.

I know I'll be able to find answers trawling through the forums but thought this would be the most efficient to deal with my questions.

My key questions are:

As Christians our belief is that believers in Christ and the bible will go to heaven and non-believers will be cast into hell for eternal damnation. Eternal damnation = much worse than torture or pain...How can we reconcile that we have a kind and loving God when he is willing to cast the majority of humanity into ETERNAL DAMNATION? Someone could live a righteous and perfect life without having the opportunity to learn about Christ and suffer eternal damnation whereas someone who has sinned but repented will go to heaven?

How do you guys deal with the scores of bible verses (I won't list them...) that conflict with scientific, social and epistemological progression? E.g. Those condone murder, sexism, slavery etc. Yes, these were different cultural times, but are we then picking and choosing (e.g. slavery was a product of cultural times whilst homosexuality is not and is definitely a sin).

Lastly...

I've just come to a realisation that the Bible is an ancient text written by and for a small group of Middle Eastern tribesman. What other than our belief (which may be misled / uneducated) helps us place the Bible ahead of any other ancient text (e.g. Qaran)???

Sorry for the broad / controversial questions...important time in my life and I'm struggling to make sense of it all.


Hey there,

The first thing that stuck out to me was that you seem to believe that if you are not Christian you are for some reason automatically going to hell. It's a pretty ommon belief among protestant denominations but it is certainly not true.
Heaven is attainable for anyone who follows their inner conscience and loves others to the best of their abilities. Of course when they die they will have sin on there soul but that's where purgatory comes into play. Purgatory is a grace God grants to souls who have lived like I've mentioned, but still need time to purify their souls before they can enter heaven. If you want to find out more, you can read "Hungry Souls", a short book on different accounts of encounters with souls from purgatory.

As for the bible, I would say that any young 21st century person definately might have a hard time stomaching different parts of the bible, but we can so easily read things out of context and confuse ourselves. I think the perfect book for you is "Hard Sayings" by Trent Horn. Believe me, I was in a very similar place as you are concerning the Bible, and after I read that book I regained complete confidence in it.
 
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dms1972

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Thank you. I think I can really sympathise with the view of Christianity as a philosophical exploration. I am clearly just at the start of my journey and had to just lay out my main concerns as a first step.

A lot more reading to do...

I read your OP and a few other posts. I don't know if this will help but I'll offer it. Often a question or doubt can come up in my own mind, even after I have thought through things as thoroughly as I know how and come to regard the Bible as true. Then comes in the little 'ah now to be 'intellectually honest' you'll need to think this through also'. Well a doubt doesn't make what I had up to that point untrue, does it? I can still hold on to what I had.

I have read a lot of philosophy in my life, its not a path I would recommend, partly you need to read in depth, with a good guide (i have found William Barrett a reliable guide on philosophy).

But basically christian faith is about living, it has to be lived. Philosophy tends toward thinking about being.

In fact Christ while he taught, his message was mainly about his Kingdom.
I concur with those who say we don't know for sure what the fate of the unevangelised will be. Several evangelical writers including CS Lewis, and as mentioned Wesley hold that there is hope for them. We do no them no good if we stay on the outside ourselves.
 
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BukiRob

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Hades -- we learn in this account more about Hades, which we can see is a place of suffering, torment, of paying for one's sins -- as the rich man in this account is paying for ignoring Lazarus begging in need. Later, we learn in that all in Hades will be brought out in the end of this age to face the day of judgement, and then Hades itself will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelations chapter 20). We know that those not given eternal life will "perish" there, as it will "destroy" their souls in the "second death". (in contrast the devil and his angels might suffer without perishing)

Hades=Sheol= GRAVE
 
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Ron Gurley

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OP Q1: "...How can we reconcile that we have a kind and loving God when he is willing to cast the majority of humanity into ETERNAL DAMNATION?..."

A1: God is ALSO perfectly JUST,... renders perfect JUDGMENTS and is "fair" toward Mankind.

God loves His sinning "children".
God HATES sin!

From Genesis to Revelation, The TRI-UNE GOD is unchanging and unchangeable.(immutable)
BUT His "economy" and method of how to deal with Man does change. E.G. OT versus NT

A perfectly SOVREIGN and JUST KING must render JUDGMENTS against Man and NATIONS (from infants to aged to animals) who have TOTALLY rejected Him and His perfect GOOD, His perfect WISDOM, His perfect provisions.

The TRI-UNE GOD is ALSO perfectly LOVING and MERCIFUL. His omniscience ensures that no one who spiritually believes in Him and accepts His calling and
accepts His loving gifts of undeserved Grace through spirit-led Faith receive salvation from what appears to Man as "atrocities" or "disasters".

JUST / justice = perfect respect and treatment of Man in accordance with perfect standards

Deuteronomy 32 (NASB)....The Song of Moses....God: ...all His ways are JUST
4 “The Rock!
His work is perfect,
For all His ways are JUST;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.

Genesis 18:25...God judges with perfect JUSTICE
Far be it from You to do such a thing,
to slay the righteous with the wicked,
so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike.
Far be it from You!
Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal JUSTLY?”

It is perfectly JUST for those who reject GOD's provisions to suffer His righteous and perfect WRATH....BUT:
God is also perfectly Loving and Merciful.


Matthew 5...Jesus: Sermon on the Mount to the crowds
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;
for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
48 Therefore you are to be (TRY to be) perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The "wrath of God" poured out on those who rejected Him ended at the Cross.

John 3:36...Jesus to Nicodemus
....He who believes in the Son has eternal (spiritual)life;
BUT he who does not obey the Son (TO BELEIEVE) will not see (eternal spiritual) life,
but the WRATH of God abides on him.”

Romans 5:9...
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be SAVED from the WRATH of God THROUGH Him.

Propititation: "satisfaction with action" ~= atonement

Romans 3....Justification / Redemption / PROPITIATION by Faith
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested,
being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe;
for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
whom God displayed publicly as a PROPITIATION in His blood through faith.
This was to demonstrate His righteousness,
because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time,
so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Revelation 14: 9-12 (NASB)
“If anyone worships the beast (Satan) and his image (idol), and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,he also will drink of the wine of the WRATH of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he (unbeliever) will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image,
and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
 
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Ron Gurley

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OP: Q2: "...What other than our belief (which may be misled / uneducated) helps us place the Bible ahead of any other ancient text (e.g. Qaran)???..."

A2:
My Christ-Following VIEWS:

The Bible (Scripture) is the supreme authority when compared to other writings and precepts.
All of the ACTUAL WORDS therein were "Spirit Inspired", and "superintended" by God the Holy Spirit.
The ~40 authors and their scribes recorded these words in "original manuscripts" which were without error.
Systematic study of Scripture leads one to the conclusion that it is God's supreme way of speaking to Man.
The "economy" or God's methods of relating to Man changed from Old Testament times to New Testamentdue to the historical appearance of:
Jesus of Nazareth, The Divine Messiah, The Christ, the God-Man., Son of God, Son of Man, etc
The Bible as a piece of literature is withhout peer, and
it has been MIRACULOUSLY remembered, inspired, dictated, written, copied, translated, preserved, interpreted, and distributed.


RELIABILITY of the 4 Gospels and "Dr." Luke's investigations in at least Acts chapters 1-12:

John 14:26 ....Jesus to his followers: Upper Room Discourse
"But the Counselor, (God) the Holy Spirit, (Spirit of Truth) whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (PERFECT spirit-led RECALL)

Has the COLLECTION of books and letters as piece of literature that we called the New Testament
passed acceptable TESTS to make it accurate enough to be BELIEVABLE?"


Similar to: " historically accurate?"

PRIMARY TESTS: Authenticity and Authority.
The first passing: all 27 books of the NT were accepted by the Council of Carthage, ~397 AD.
There are more than 5000 manuscripts of the NT...the best attested document of ALL ancient writings.
There are numerous fragments dating from ~135 -800 AD written on papyrus. There are hundreds of accurate parchment
copies produced in the 4th-5th centuries. There are ~86,000 quotations in old Latin, Latin, Syriac, and Egyptian translations
from the 3rd century. There is more scholarly work done on this piece of literature than any other in existence.(Ryrie 2084)

Conclusion: The New Testament translations in ANY version have been based on copious, reliable, accurate, authentic words from "authors" who were authorized and accepted "historians".

What the Bible says about itself:

2 Timothy 3: 14-17...All Scripture is God-breathed
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of,because you know those from whom you learned it,
15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

John 20:30-31 (NIV); 21:25...that you may BELIEVE...the historical BOOKS!
30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples,
which are not recorded in this book.
31 But these are written that you may BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in his name.
21:25 Jesus did many other things as well.
If every one of them were written down,
I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

2 Peter 1: 19-21...Bible "produced" by Men moved by God the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
So we have the prophetic WORD (Scripture) made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.
But know this first of all, that
no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but
men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Luke 24:27, 32, 44-45...the post- resurrection super BIBLE study...He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures
he (Jesus) explained to them (2 Emmaus followers) what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.
They said to one another,
“Were not our hearts burning within us (Holy Spirit?) while He was speaking to us on the road,
while He (Jesus) was explaining the Scriptures to us?”
(...at the "fish fry" to His followers)
Now He said to them,
“These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

IMHO:
The books of the Bible are in GENERAL HARMONY and GENERALLY ACCURATE enough to allow interpretation
and systematic theology AS TO ALL MAJOR DOCTRINAL TRUTHS. Those books were produced by spirit-led menfrom different view points, backgrounds, audiences, intent, etc.The spiritual revelation from God to Man is NOT "flawed".
The Bible can be "nit picked" for INSIGNIFICANT and humanly perceived contradictions.
And as per usual, because the Bible was "produced" by Man, he has succeeded in viewing the work as totally HIS!
 
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Ron Gurley

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The many attributes / character traits / nature of the TRI-UNE GOD which are found in the Bible and spirit-led writings!

1. Existent
2. Unified
3. Simple...Holy...Righteous...perfectly Good...omnibenevolence
4. Infinite
5. Eternal
6. Unchanging and unchangeable CHARACTER + attributes (immutable)
7. All Present (spiritually available)
8. All Sovereign (supreme rule over all)
9. All Knowing (omniscience)
10. All powerful (omnipotence)
11. Perfectly JUST
12. Perfectly LOVING / Merciful

13. Perfectly TRUE / Truthful
14. Perfectly FREE
15. Perfectly separate and pure
 
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Episaw

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I was brought up in a Christian household but of late have hit some pretty big hurdles.

I know I'll be able to find answers trawling through the forums but thought this would be the most efficient to deal with my questions.

My key questions are:

As Christians our belief is that believers in Christ and the bible will go to heaven and non-believers will be cast into hell for eternal damnation. Eternal damnation = much worse than torture or pain...How can we reconcile that we have a kind and loving God when he is willing to cast the majority of humanity into ETERNAL DAMNATION? Someone could live a righteous and perfect life without having the opportunity to learn about Christ and suffer eternal damnation whereas someone who has sinned but repented will go to heaven?

How do you guys deal with the scores of bible verses (I won't list them...) that conflict with scientific, social and epistemological progression? E.g. Those condone murder, sexism, slavery etc. Yes, these were different cultural times, but are we then picking and choosing (e.g. slavery was a product of cultural times whilst homosexuality is not and is definitely a sin).

Lastly...

I've just come to a realisation that the Bible is an ancient text written by and for a small group of Middle Eastern tribesman. What other than our belief (which may be misled / uneducated) helps us place the Bible ahead of any other ancient text (e.g. Qaran)???

Sorry for the broad / controversial questions...important time in my life and I'm struggling to make sense of it all.

You said and I quote "As Christians, our belief is that believers in Christ and the Bible will go to heaven"

I didn't know the bible is going to heaven. Which translation do you think it will be?
 
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...Eternal damnation = much worse than torture or pain...

Bible tells that person’s soul and body can be destroyed in hell. That is why I think people don’t suffer there. I don’t see how something that has been destroyed could feel, do or suffer anything.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matt. 10:28

...Someone could live a righteous and perfect life without having the opportunity to learn about Christ and suffer eternal damnation whereas someone who has sinned but repented will go to heaven?

According to the Bible, eternal life is for righteous. That is why I think there is no reason to think some righteous person would not get that.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

...E.g. Those condone murder, sexism, slavery etc. Yes, these were different cultural times, but are we then picking and choosing (e.g. slavery was a product of cultural times whilst homosexuality is not and is definitely a sin)...

Bible doesn’t condone murder. Murder is unlawful killing and it is not acceptable. That is said in ten commandments. It also means that abortion is wrong and it is interesting how modern people, who think they are better than those ancient, can accept it, even though in that they take life from an “innocent baby”. In my opinion, it is great hypocrisy when modern people speak how bad those ancient people were while they practice child sacrificing by abortion.

What “sexism” even means? Why it is wrong?

Slavery, all people who are in debt, or have to pay taxes are basically slaves. If people would really think slavery is bad, I think all debts should be forgiven and nobody should pay taxes unless they want to pay them.

...What other than our belief (which may be misled / uneducated) helps us place the Bible ahead of any other ancient text (e.g. Qaran)???

By what I see, Quran is mainly copy of the Bible. But because it has led people to worship a stone in the desert, I think it has something fundamentally wrong.
 
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Blade

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When I was about 15 or so.. I asked Him.. how can you send all these people to (forgive me Father) hell? He came right back with "for God so loved the world.. everyone gets a chance.. a choice.

Lets EXPAND this view... Jesus said.. if I had not come they would have no sin. Jesus said.. if you were blind you would haver NO SIN. You say you see..your sin remains. So there are SO MANY people that dont know.. never heard.

See no one is lost like..OOPS.. they MADE the choice.. they KNOW what they said NO to. Have faith.. the BOOKS have not been open.. God has not shown ANYONE something where the BOOKS would HAVE to have been open. Has not happen. I believe it is far easier to be saved then lost.
 
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Ron Gurley

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POST #152: Q1: "...Bible tells us that aperson’s "soul and body" can be destroyed in "hell"...".

A1: True ...BUT!

What about Man's SPIRIT?

Man's Body/Soul combo is MORTAL..."dies".
Man's SPIRIT is IMMORTAL...never "dies" and is eternal.

2 SPIRITUAL REALMS:
a. heavenly realms: Occupied by the TRI-UNE GOD + ANGELS + SAVED BELIEVERS
b. "lake of fire" realm": SEPARATED from the "heavenly realms" AND Occupied by the "unholy" 3 spirit beings + UNBELIEVERS + CONCEPTS of "Death" and "Hades". Revelation!


 
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fat wee robin

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That's a huge deception there!! Oh God will understand.
Scripture tells us there is Only One Way to Him and that is Through Christ.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.


So unless you accept Jesus as your Christ and make Him your Lord and Savior of your life by becoming Born Again - well what He will understand is - Either Christ Blood has Washed you or Not.

Blessings
FCJ
As Christians our belief is that believers in Christ and the bible will go to heaven and non-believers will be cast into hell for eternal damnation.

God is good. If He/ She is good, then He/ She is fair. He is also very explicit that we humans do not get to judge who does and does not go, except that he warns us that we are accountable and need savation and forgiveness. God knows the HEART. We are responsible for the light that we have been shown. I have faith that the creator of the universe is big enough to know what people are accountable for. Also, love covers over a multitude of sins. There are near death experiences in other countries where they may not know God, and yet a bright white figure leads them, exuding comfort and love. I encourage you to research this world-wide phenomenon. Top 7 Bible Verses About Accountability/

How do you guys deal with the scores of bible verses (I won't list them...) that conflict with scientific, social and epistemological progression?

I really don't have a perfect answer. However I know that God reaches out to us humans through Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law.

Also, as a biologist (degree, experience and future teacher), I get that how the Earth came to be this way is confusing. I don't quite understand macro-evolution, or exactly how old the Earth is. But I do know that modern science itself contains many mysteries and loop-holes. For one, matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed, and yet the whole world is supposed to have been created from an ultra-dense primeval atom and quantum foam that blinked in and out of existence. Another theory is two dimensions intersected like a bubble. But whence came the dimensions or the matter and energy and gravity and elements?


Lastly...

"I've just come to a realisation that the Bible is an ancient text written by and for a small group of Middle Eastern tribesman. What other than our belief (which may be misled / uneducated) helps us place the Bible ahead of any other ancient text (e.g. Qaran)???"

Yeah, kind of strange when you think about it. And yet, Jesus is the most influential human/ divine person that ever lived. It is the only religion where salvation is a gift, not something you work for (though faith without works is dead...). In Islam, one does not have assurance of salvation until death. The religion was created in 622 ad, and Mohammed was trying to convert the Jews of Medina, so he used the Old Testament. He tried to commit suicide several times after being thrown against the cave of Hara by a violent being who was supposed to be giving him messages from God. This does not sound like an angel to me... Also Allah is listed several times as the greatest trickster/ deceiver, etc.

Remember that there are a lot of Christians in this world, including doctors, scientists, engineers, theoreticists. You are not the first to ask these questions, and you will not be the last. My answer may not be perfect, but I encourage you to keep seeking and reading.
GOD is masculine ,only the masculine energy can initiate ,and Jesus always talked about God the Father ,and He himself is male .:wave:
 
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paul becke

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I was brought up in a Christian household but of late have hit some pretty big hurdles.

I know I'll be able to find answers trawling through the forums but thought this would be the most efficient to deal with my questions.

My key questions are:

As Christians our belief is that believers in Christ and the bible will go to heaven and non-believers will be cast into hell for eternal damnation. Eternal damnation = much worse than torture or pain...How can we reconcile that we have a kind and loving God when he is willing to cast the majority of humanity into ETERNAL DAMNATION? Someone could live a righteous and perfect life without having the opportunity to learn about Christ and suffer eternal damnation whereas someone who has sinned but repented will go to heaven?

How do you guys deal with the scores of bible verses (I won't list them...) that conflict with scientific, social and epistemological progression? E.g. Those condone murder, sexism, slavery etc. Yes, these were different cultural times, but are we then picking and choosing (e.g. slavery was a product of cultural times whilst homosexuality is not and is definitely a sin).

Lastly...

I've just come to a realisation that the Bible is an ancient text written by and for a small group of Middle Eastern tribesman. What other than our belief (which may be misled / uneducated) helps us place the Bible ahead of any other ancient text (e.g. Qaran)???

Sorry for the broad / controversial questions...important time in my life and I'm struggling to make sense of it all.

Well, llq, I'll address them in a slightly different order. 'The last shall be first :'
'I've just come to a realisation that the Bible is an ancient text written by and for a small group of Middle Eastern tribesman. What other than our belief (which may be misled / uneducated) helps us place the Bible ahead of any other ancient text (e.g. Qaran)???'

The answer to that question is mutlifarious - our Judaeo-Christian scripture being coherent enough to have provided the world with virtually all the discoverers of the greatest paradigms of of physics. To this day, in the area of science, atheists are for the most part, parasites, not least since 80 % of manufacturing output relies on quantum mechanics, a field they would not have touched with a barge-pole, since even they now appear to have difficuty believing that one day man would understand it all.
Incidentally, Einstein, whom some atheists, to his rage, have the temerity to claim to be one of their own, was positively effusive about how extraordinariyl luminous a figure Jesus cut in the New Testament.

Our faith is more than a matter of credence, of belief : it is actually more importantly a matter of commitment, a commitment to self-denying love of God and neighbour - with the self-same, divinely-inspired love. The love that is the key ingredient in all the virtues (since each has a counterfeit simulacrum) is also that light (the Holy Spirit) that John tells us in his Prologue, is the light that enlightens every man and woman that comes into the world.

As for the cognitive aspect of our faith in Christ, it consists of a knowledge-faith continuum, since (ultimate) truth and life are dynamic. As Peter said on one occasion to Christ : ' ....... (Lord); we believe, and we know that you are the Christ, the Son of God.'

The deepest truths of our faith provide us with 'wriggle-room' to believe or disbelieve, since they are so abstruse and subtle that we all end up believing what we want to believe, what we find beautiful, or don't find beautiful and reject in favour of anything but the sublimely beautiful. If we find the truth as taught by Jesus not to be one of great beauty, nor enough to deter us from pursuing a hedonistic life-style, nor are inspired by his Holy Spirit, irrespective of our formal belief or lack thereof, to help our neighbour in need (the Sheep in Final Judgment in Matthew 25), then we would find heaven intolerable, and in any case, deserving of eternal punishment.

And why would not God inspire his 'children of light' with a wishful thinking that accorded with his truth? Must it, on the contrary, be undesirable, not to be wished for, not to be hoped for, ugly, cold and hard ? Of course, not.

We both are, and are not, in a 'one to one' relationship with God. If any individual human being, including unborn foetuses, were the sole human being in the universe, Jesus would have undergone the same cruel torture and death on that person's behalf - to save them from the sin and the guilt from it that they inherited, much as we might inherit a physical disease from our parents, though somehow, presumably as being 'begotten', not 'made' (at least, by our parents or other human agent) - the last of a long chain going back to Adam and Eve. They were Adam and Eve, but it doesn't matter if you believe it or not, the baneful inheritance, nevertheless, being from our first parents, who precipitated our Fall from God's wonderful grace.

That unique 'first-born son' status in Christ's Mystical Body is something that is so seminal that every person, but especially clergy, should keep it at the forefront of their mind. Yet, paradoxically, God made it clear in both the Old and the New Testaments that He does not want us to view ourselves as soloists, unrelated, physically or spiritually or metaphorically with the other people with whom we share this planet - our brothers and sisters descended from our first parents. On the contrary, the very meanng of the term, 'church' could not indicate the converse more clearly. First the individual before God, then he or she as one of the many branches of the True Vine, with Christ as the head. This, togeher with Jesus' description of the Final Judgment in Matthew, should go some way towards answering your questions.

As regards slavery. God told the Jews of old that he detested it, and specifically forbade Jews from enslaving fellow-Jews. He evidently countenanced it more generally, on the basis that grace has to build on nature, and more civilised behaviour could not be imposed arbitrarily, but would take time. Ironic that it's returned to our world in a big way, today. Some of the Patriarchs resorted to prostitutes, (one impregnating his niece in disguise), and it was not disparaged in any way. There is moreover, a scale of sinfulness, with sodomy a big no-no. Today, God would take into consideration the propaganda young people are subject to in the West, but its ugnliness and irrationality are fundamental.
 
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paul becke

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No one can live a righteous life out side of Christ.
Every One will have had MANY opportunities to accept Christ.



First God sends no one to hell. They do that on their own by rejecting Christ.
Scripture tells us in 2Peter3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.


That is False.
It is Gods Most Holy Word to ALL that would hear.

Also think about this.....the Most Holy Written Word of God is hidden from outsiders or those in the darkness.
At best all you can understand is through carnal human understanding.....HOWEVER for those who are born of incorruptible seed, the ever living Word of God......The Truth and Understanding is given unto them.

Blessings
FCJ

Well spoken, FCJ.
 
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ICONO'CLAST

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Acts2:38,
[I am interested in hearing why you refuse to believe in the scriptures in context.]

I do believe the scriptures in context. Keep something in mind. The natural man cannot understand the Spirit of God. To a natural man a believer who knows scripture will offer proper scripture which the unbelieving will wrest to their own destruction. That explains your confusion.
[From what I read in scripture, the baptist church is not authorized as a church in scripture
.]
This kind of comment indicates why you have departed from truth and it almost does not need to be responded to. You now have revealed another area of teaching that you lack...ecclesiology.

[ May I ask WHERE in scripture do you see baptist church or that many different churches are okay (Ephesians 4:4-6)? ]
In Rev.2-3 there are letters to 7 different local churches. The fact that the word churches [plural] is used is informative.

[Scripture authorizes just one, Christs church that He established.
]

The one true church will not assemble until the last day. In the meantime their are many local "Churches".

[If only a first century Christian was able to be time warped here. You think he would know what a baptist church is?]
of course he would
[There is so much scripture that pertains to immersion in water
,]
baptism is important ....but not essential for salvation as some cults teach.
[ the necessity, and examples for you of baptism , "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God" (1 Peter 3:21).]

you miss what the verse is teaching
[One would be silly to refute such verses as Romans 6:1-4 and Galatians 3:26-27. Baptism is completely necessary.]
there is no water baptism in romans6
[I have already shown you samples of free will]
You cannot find one verse anywhere in the bible that speaks of man having a free will....the term is only used of voluntary offerings under levitical law, they were not commanded by law...
But as far as mans will...you will not find ONE.


[I have already shown you samples of free will vs predestination and you seem to just not see the key points I shown you.]
That is because there is so much error in your post it is hard to determine where to start


[Its almost like I didn't even post them.]
yes...because i am not sure you want a biblical answer...I have found that when a person has turned from truth to error many times it takes Divine Chastisement to save such a person, if indeed they are going to be saved.
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.



[ I will explain it once more later after you explain your end so I know where you are at in your comprehension of this.
I saw what you posted the first time. You need help, but I am not sure you think you do.


[I am very interested where you are going to prove that election]
The biblical doctrine of election has been a great comfort to Christians since the cross.

I go to the bible to see it everywhere. When i see someone doubt this teaching I take it as a cry for help.

[(of hand picked individuals being saved and others being condemned) from times start. ]

Here you seek to define the term with an evil caricature of God's electing love. God in love saves a multitude of sinners In Christ.

[I will await this point with great interest as this is probably where you were taught to twist scripture.]

Regrettably I will have no trouble identifying who is twisting scripture as it looks as if rather than help, you desire conflict


[ This is the ground you stand on and I will show from scripture the false premise of election as Calvinists believe it.]
You would if you could...but you cannot. Instead you will create a series of strawmen to attack which will easily be corrected.
[As far as your small intro into the meaning of predestination, now you are trying to trick me on the meaning of such?]

No...not at all. When the truth is presented next to the error...it is obvious .
[Predestination, is predestination, not for sanctification
.]

Predestination in the bible is used primarily for the work of God the Holy Spirit is conforming the elect unto the Image of the Son.

rom8:
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

That is progressive sanctification .It goes from conversion to glorification.Your theology has no answer as you left the true teaching, for the false.

[They mean it as the word implies.]

The word is used positively for the elect.


[They mean it as a preset number of people chosen to be saved in Christ
]

That is the decree to Elect a number os sinners and mark them for salvation,being given by the Father to the Son
see here from the 1689 confession of faith;

Chapter 3: Of God's Decree
1._____ God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein; nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established; in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree.
( Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 6:17; Romans 9:15, 18; James 1:13; 1 John 1:5; Acts 4:27, 28; John 19:11; Numbers 23:19; Ephesians 1:3-5 )
2._____ Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he not decreed anything, because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.
( Acts 15:18; Romans 9:11, 13, 16, 18 )

3._____ By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.
( 1 Timothy 5:21; Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 1:5, 6; Romans 9:22, 23; Jude 4 )

4.______These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.
( 2 Timothy 2:19; John 13:18 )

5._____ Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto.
( Ephesians 1:4, 9, 11; Romans 8:30; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Romans 9:13, 16; Ephesians 2:5, 12 )

6._____ As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so he hath, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the means thereunto; wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith unto salvation; neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.
( 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:9, 10; Romans 8:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:5; John 10:26; John 17:9; John 6:64 )

7._____ The doctrine of the high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election; so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.
( 1 Thessalonians 1:4, 5; 2 Peter 1:10; Ephesians 1:6; Romans 11:33; Romans 11:5, 6, 20; Luke 10:20 )

[and a preset number of people to be condemned.
]
The Fall put all men in the realm of condemnation
 
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thesunisout

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No offense, but saying things like that will neither help the OP or me. It only seems to say "God only loves you if you believe in Jesus and if not you'll be tortured for eternity".

Hi CrystalDragon..I understand that we believe differently about the word of God. Do we both agree that Jesus is Lord and Savior? That's a good place to start
 
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Galilee63

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Jesus God and The Holy Spirit are our real "Judges" and regardless of speculation all souls require Jesus Mercy now and at the hour of death and in Judgement. There are still some Nations/peoples of whom have not known about Jesus God and The Holy Spirit and our Blessed Virgin Mother Mary - such as people in North Korea of whom i am immersing their hearts and souls in Jesus Ocean of Mercy and their hearts and souls immersed in Jesus' Blessed Holy Sacred Wounds regularly including souls passing over of whom do not know Jesus God and The Holy Spirit immersing their hearts and souls in Jesus
Abyss of Mercy and Blessed Holy Sacred Wounds and immersing their hearts and souls for conversions and salvation in our Blessed Virgin Mother Mary's Holy Immaculate Heart.

There are many Catholics/Christians praying for souls around the world in particular those of whom have lived under dictatorship and not heard of God.

This is another reason why it is essential as Christians to pray for other Nations/peoples/souls for Jesus Holy Spirit and Mother Mary to receive our Prayers from our hearts for as many souls and their conversions and/or salvation as possible.

Our souls are greatly rewarded for Prayers, little sacrifices offered up with them, deeds, visits to Hospitals, Prisons, Nursing Homes, those sorts of deeds from our hearts, many things offered up for soul Salvation praying and talking to Jesus daily and or during the Consecration of our Hearts to Jesus Sacred Heart and Consecration of our hearts to our Blessed Virgin Mother Marys Most Holy Immaculate Heart.

Jesus delivered His Prayer to Saint Gertrude for sinners everywhere of which Jesus Promised He would deliver 1,000 Holy Souls from Purgatory on every occasion prayed to God our Heavenly Father. I praise and Glorify God our Heavenly Father in between a Holy Decade prayed then continue praying because Jesus God our Heavenly Father and The Holy Spirit and our Blessed Virgin Mother Mary are working tirelessly to free The Holy Souls when we pray this Holy Prayer and other Prayers for The Holy Souls in Purgatory and for souls'salvation everywhere.

O Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family.
Amen.



Here is another Holy Prayer of which Jesus delivered to one of His Hundreds and Hundreds of Saints - whereby the Holy Souls in Purgatory can through Jesus God and The Holy Spirit and Mother Mary pray for you and illuminate your heart to Jesus on The Cross more profoundly, Praise be to Thee my Dear Lord Jesus now and for eternity Amen.


Make the "Sign Of The Cross" on the Cross.

Then say the I Believe In God..

On the 5 beads between the Cross and the medal, say,

1 Our Father...

3 Hail Mary...

1 Glory Be...

For each decade, proceed as follows:

On the large bead prior to 10 small beads, say:

"O Holy Souls
draw the fire of God's love into my soul,
to reveal Jesus Crucified in me here on earth,
rather than hereafter in Purgatory."

On each of the small beads, say:

"Crucified Lord Jesus,
have mercy on the souls in Purgatory."

When you have completed all 5 decades, say 3 times the Glory Be...


The fire of Purgatory is the same as the fire of Hell; the difference between them is that the fire of Purgatory is not everlasting." ~Saint Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney

The following prayers not only help the tormented Souls in Purgatory but they also help us. Because each Soul that is released will pray for us when they reach Heaven. Here is a quote from Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori regarding this very thing: "The practice of recommending to God the souls in Purgatory, that He may mitigate the great pains which they suffer, and that He may soon bring them to His glory, is most pleasing to the Lord and most profitable to us. For these blessed souls are His eternal spouses, and most grateful are they to those who obtain their deliverance from prison, or even a mitigation of their torments. When, therefore, they arrive in Heaven, they will be sure to remember all who have prayed for them."

"It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins" 2 Macabees 12:46

Jesus Divine Mercy Chaplet/Novena prayed to Jesus God our Heavenly Father and The Holy Spirit and to our Blessed Virgin Mother Mary for all of the Groups of Souls of whom Jesus has requested:

The Divine Mercy Novena - Jesus is our Holy Divine Mercy Himself


faustina_divine_mercy.jpg

Description:

Divine Mercy Novena is intended to be prayed for graces and/or salvation to be given to other people. He gave Sr. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the Novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all, the lukewarm and indifferent of whom He said: "These souls cause Me more suffering than any others; it was from such souls that My soul felt the most revulsion in the Garden of Olives. It was on their account that I said: 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass Me by.' The last hope of salvation for them is to flee to My Mercy." In her diary, Saint Sister Faustina wrote that Jesus told her: "On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls."



Prayer:

The different souls prayed for on each day of the novena are:

All mankind, especially sinners; The souls of priests and religious; All devout and faithful souls; Those who do not believe in Jesus and those who do not yet know Him; The souls of separated brethren; The meek and humble souls and the souls of children; The souls who especially venerate and glorify Jesus' mercy; The souls who are detained in purgatory; and The souls who have become lukewarm.

This is prayed along with the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

First Day - Today bring Me all mankind, especially all sinners.

Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.

Second Day - Today Bring Me the Souls of Priests and Religious.

Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in us, that we may perform worthy works of mercy, and that all who see us may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company [of chosen souls] in Your vineyard - upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation, and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.

Third Day - Today Bring Me All Devout and Faithful Souls.

Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in the great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.

Eternal Father, turn Your Merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lost the treasure of the holy faith, but rather , with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Fourth Day - Today Bring Me The Pagans and Those Who Do Not Know Me.

Most Compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of pagans who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of pagans and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Fifth Day - Today Bring to Me the Souls of Heretics and Schismatics.

Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of heretics and schismatics. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of heretics, and schismatics, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your Own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Sixth Day - Today Bring Me The Meek and Humble Souls and the Souls of Little Children.

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said, "Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy, and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek and humble souls, and upon the souls of little children, who are enfolded in the abode of the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight you take in them: bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Seventh Day - Today Bring Me The Souls Who Especially Venerate and Glorify My Mercy.

Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your Mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident in Your Mercy. These souls are united to Jesus and carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy and their spirit, overflowing with joy, sings a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them, "I Myself will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy."

Eighth Day - Today Bring Me The Souls Who Are In the Prison Of Purgatory.

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of purifying fire, that in that place, too, the power of Your mercy may be praised.

Eternal Father, turn Your most merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way than through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.

Ninth Day - Today Bring Me The Souls Who Have Become Lukewarm.

Most Compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love; and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen

Jesus, I trust in You.

In honor of the feast of the Sacred Heart, we decided to share with you some passages from St. Faustina's Diary on Jesus' Heart.

O Eternal Love, You command Your Sacred Image to be painted
And reveal to us the inconceivable fount of mercy,
You bless whoever approaches Your rays,
And a soul all black will turn into snow.

O sweet Jesus, it is here You established the throne of Your mercy
To bring joy and hope to sinful man.
From Your open Heart, as from a pure fount,
Flows comfort to a repentant heart and soul.

May praise and glory for this Image
Never cease to stream from man's soul.
May praise of God's mercy pour from every heart
Now, and at every hour, and forever and ever. — Diary, 1

O Jesus, eternal Truth, our Life, I call upon You and I beg Your mercy for poor sinners. O sweetest Heart of my Lord, full of pity and unfathomable mercy, I plead with You for poor sinners. O Most Sacred Heart, Fount of Mercy from which gush forth rays of inconceivable graces upon the entire human race, I beg of You light for poor sinners. O Jesus, be mindful of Your own bitter Passion and do not permit the loss of souls redeemed at so dear a price of Your most precious Blood. O Jesus, when I consider the great price of Your Blood, I rejoice at its immensity, for one drop alone would have been enough for the salvation of all sinners. Although sin is an abyss of wickedness and ingratitude, the price paid for us can never be equalled. Therefore, let every soul trust in the Passion of the Lord, and place its hope in His mercy. God will not deny His mercy to anyone. Heaven and earth may change, but God's mercy will never be exhausted. Oh, what immense joy burns in my heart when I contemplate Your incomprehensible goodness, O Jesus! I desire to bring all sinners to Your feet that they may glorify Your mercy throughout endless ages. — Diary,72

Suddenly, when I had consented to the sacrifice with all my heart and all my will, God's presence pervaded me. My soul became immersed in God and was inundated with such happiness that I cannot put in writing even the smallest part of it. I felt that His Majesty was enveloping me. I was extraordinarily fused with God. I saw that God was well pleased with me and, reciprocally, my spirit drowned itself in Him. Aware of this union with God, I felt I was especially loved and, in turn, I loved with all my soul. A great mystery took place during that adoration, a mystery between the Lord and myself. It seemed to me that I would die of love [at the sight of] His glance. I spoke much with the Lord, without uttering a single word. And the Lord said to me, You are the delight of My Heart; from today on, every one of your acts, even the very smallest, will be a delight to My eyes, whatever you do. At that moment I felt transconsecrated. My earthly body was the same, but my soul was different; God was now living in it with the totality of His delight. This is not a feeling, but a conscious reality that nothing can obscure. — Diary, 137.

A great mystery has been accomplished between God and me. Courage and strength have remained in my soul. When the time of adoration came to an end, I came out and calmly faced everything I had feared so much before. When I came out into the corridor, a great suffering and humiliation, at the hands of a certain person, was awaiting me. I accepted it with submission to a higher will and snuggled closely to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, letting Him know that I was ready for that for which I had offered myself.

Suffering seemed to spring out of the ground. Even Mother Margaret herself was surprised. For others, many things passed unnoticed, for indeed it wasn't worth paying any attention to them; but in my case, nothing passed unnoticed; each word was analyzed, each step watched. One sister said to me, "Get ready, Sister, to receive a small cross at the hands of Mother Superior. I feel sorry for you." But as for me, I rejoiced at this in the depths of my soul and had been ready for it for a long time. When she saw my courage, she was surprised. I see now that a soul cannot do much of itself, but with God it can do all things. Behold what God's grace can do. Few are the souls that are always watchful for divine graces, and even fewer of such souls who follow those inspirations faithfully. — Diary, 138

Renewal of vows. From the moment I woke up in the morning, my spirit was totally submerged in God, in that ocean of love. I felt that I had been completely immersed in Him. During Holy Mass, my love for Him reached a peak of intensity. After the renewal of vows and Holy Communion, I suddenly saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me with great kindness, My daughter, look at My merciful Heart. As I fixed my gaze on the Most Sacred Heart, the same rays of light, as are represented in the image as blood and water, came forth from it, and I understood how great is the Lord's mercy. And again Jesus said to me with kindness, My daughter, speak to priests about this inconceivable mercy of Mine. The flames of mercy are burning Me — clamoring to be spent; I want to keep pouring them out upon souls; souls just don't want to believe in My goodness. Suddenly Jesus disappeared. But throughout that whole day my spirit remained immersed in God's tangible presence, despite the buzz and chatter that usually follow a retreat. It did not disturb me in the least. My spirit was in God, although externally I took part in the conversations and even went to visit Derdy. — Diary, 177

I am beginning the retreat today, Jesus, my Master, guide me. Govern me according to Your will, purify my love that it may be worthy of You, do with me as Your most merciful Heart desires. Jesus, there will be just the two of us during these days until the moment of our union. Keep me, Jesus, in a recollected spirit! — Diary, 218

O living Host, my one and only strength, fountain of love and mercy, embrace the whole world, fortify faint souls. Oh, blessed be the instant and the moment when Jesus left us His most merciful Heart! — Diary, 223

To suffer without complaining, to bring comfort to others and to drown my own sufferings in the most Sacred Heart of Jesus! ... — Diary, 224

Once the Lord said to me, Act like a beggar who does not back away when he gets more alms [than he asked for], but offers thanks the more fervently. You too, should not back away and say that you are not worthy of receiving greater graces when I give them to you. I know you are unworthy, but rejoice all the more and take as many treasures from My Heart as you can carry, for then you will please Me more. And I will tell you one more thing — take these graces not only for yourself, but also for others; that is, encourage the souls with whom you come in contact to trust in My infinite mercy. Oh, how I love those souls who have complete confidence in Me — I will do everything for them.Diary, 294

O my Jesus, my only hope, thank You for the book which You have opened before my soul's eyes. That book is Your Passion which You underwent for love of me. It is from this book that I have learned how to love God and souls. In this book there are found for us inexhaustible treasures. O Jesus, how few souls understand You in Your martyrdom of love! Oh, how great is the fire of purest love which burns in Your Most Sacred Heart! Happy the soul that has come to understand the love of the Heart of Jesus! — Diary, 304

When I become immersed in the Lord's Passion, I often see the Lord Jesus, during adoration, in this manner: after the scourging, the torturers took the Lord and stripped Him of His own garment, which had already adhered to the wounds; as they took it off, His wounds reopened; then they threw a dirty and tattered scarlet cloak over the fresh wounds of the Lord. The cloak, in some places, barely reached His knees. They made Him sit on a piece of beam. And then they wove a crown of thorns, which they put on His sacred head. They put a reed in His hand and made fun of Him, bowing to Him as to a king. Some spat in His face, while others took the reed and struck Him on the head with it. Others caused Him pain by slapping Him; still others covered His face and struck Him with their fists. Jesus bore all this with meekness. Who can comprehend Him — comprehend His suffering? Jesus' eyes were downcast. I sensed what was happening in the most sweet Heart of Jesus at that time. Let every soul reflect on what Jesus was suffering at that moment. They tried to outdo each other in insulting the Lord. I reflected: Where does such malice in man come from? It is caused by sin. Love and sin have met. — Diary, 408

March 21, 1935. Often during Mass, I see the Lord in my soul; I feel His presence which pervades my being. I sense His divine gaze; I have long talks with Him without saying a word; I know what His divine Heart desires, and I always do what will please Him the most. I love Him to distraction, and I feel that I am being loved by God. At those times, when I meet with God deep within myself, I feel so happy that I do not know how to express it. Such moments are short, for the soul could not bear it for long, as separation from the body would be inevitable. Though these moments are very short, their power, however, which is transmitted to the soul, remains with it for a very long time. Without the least effort, I experience the profound recollection which then envelops me — and it does not diminish even if I talk with people, nor does it interfere with the performance of my duties. I feel the constant presence of God without any effort of my soul. I know that I am united with Him as closely as a drop of water is united with the bottomless ocean ... — Diary, 411

Once when my confessor [Father Sopocko] was saying Mass, I saw, as usual, the Child Jesus on the altar, from the time of the Offertory. However, a moment before the Elevation, the priest vanished from my sight, and Jesus alone remained. When the moment of the Elevation approached, Jesus took the Host and the chalice in His little hands and raised them together, looking up to heaven, and a moment later I again saw my confessor. I asked the Child Jesus where the priest had been during the time I had not seen him. Jesus answered, In My Heart. But I could not understand anything more of these words of Jesus. — Diary, 442

When we went to the Jesuits' place for the procession of the Sacred Heart, during Vespers I saw the same rays coming forth from the Sacred Host, just as they are painted in the image. My soul was filled with great longing for God.—Diary, 657

January 29, 1937. I overslept today. A little longer, and I would have been too late for Holy Communion because the chapel is a good distance from our section. When I went outdoors, the snow was knee-deep. But before it occurred to me that the doctor would not have allowed me to go out in such snow, I had already come to the Lord in the chapel. I received Holy Communion and was back in no time. I heard these words in my soul: My daughter, rest close to My Heart. Known to Me are your efforts. My soul is more joyful when I am close to the Heart of my God. — Diary, 902

In difficult moments, I will fix my gaze upon the silent Heart of Jesus, stretched upon the Cross, and from the exploding flames of His merciful Heart, will flow down upon me power and strength to keep fighting. — Diary, 906

O Jesus, how sorry I feel for poor sinners. Jesus, grant them contrition and repentance. Remember Your own sorrowful Passion. I know Your infinite mercy and cannot bear it that a soul that has cost You so much should perish. Jesus, give me the souls of sinners; let Your mercy rest upon them. Take everything away from me, but give me souls. I want to become a sacrificial host for sinners. Let the shell of my body conceal my offering, for Your Most Sacred Heart is also hidden in a Host, and certainly You are a living sacrifice.

Transform me into Yourself, O Jesus, that I may be a living sacrifice and pleasing to You. I desire to atone at each moment for poor sinners. The sacrifice of my spirit is hidden under the veil of the body; the human eye does not perceive it, and for that reason it is pure and pleasing to You. O my Creator and Father of great mercy, I trust in You, for You are Goodness Itself. Souls, do not be afraid of God, but trust in Him, for He is good, and His mercy is everlasting. — Diary, 908

... Divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners, I trust in You ... — Diary, 949

Today, I took part in a one-day retreat. When I was at the last conference, the priest was speaking of how much the world needs God's mercy, and that this seems to be a special time when people have great need of prayer and God's mercy. Then I heard a voice in my soul: These words are for you. Do all you possibly can for this work of My mercy. I desire that My mercy be worshiped, and I am giving mankind the last hope of salvation; that is, recourse to My mercy. My Heart rejoices in this feast. After these words, I understood that nothing can dispense me from the obligation which the Lord demands from me. — Diary, 998

June 4. Today is the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. During Holy Mass, I was given the knowledge of the Heart of Jesus and of the nature of the fire of love with which He burns for us and of how He is an Ocean of Mercy. Then I heard a voice: Apostle of My mercy, proclaim to the whole world My unfathomable mercy. Do not be discouraged by the difficulties you encounter in proclaiming My mercy. These difficulties that affect you so painfully are needed for your sanctification and as evidence that this work is Mine. My daughter, be diligent in writing down every sentence I tell you concerning My mercy, because this is meant for a great number of souls who will profit from it.Diary, 1142

Today, I asked the Lord's pardon for all the offenses committed in our convents from which His divine Heart suffers. — Diary, 1144

June 20, [1937]. We resemble God most when we forgive our neighbors. God is Love, Goodness, and Mercy...

Every soul, and especially the soul of every religious, should reflect My mercy. My Heart overflows with compassion and mercy for all. The heart of My beloved must resemble Mine; from her heart must spring the fountain of My mercy for souls; otherwise I will not acknowledge her as Mine.Diary, 1148

O Jesus, I want to live in the present moment, to live as if this were the last day of my life. I want to use every moment scrupulously for the greater glory of God, to use every circumstance for the benefit of my soul. I want to look upon everything, from the point of view that nothing happens without the will of God.

God of unfathomable mercy, embrace the whole world and pour Yourself out upon us through the merciful Heart of Jesus. — Diary, 1183

The Divine Mercy Novena (Diary, 1209-1229)

Despite the peace in my soul, I fight a continuous battle with the enemy of my soul. More and more, I am discovering his traps, and the battle flares up anew. During interludes of calm, I exercise myself and keep watch, lest the enemy find me unprepared. And when I see his great fury, I stay inside the stronghold; that is, the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. — Diary, 1287

O humility, lovely flower, I see how few souls possess you. Is it because you are so beautiful and at the same time so difficult to attain? O yes, it is both the one and the other. Even God takes great pleasure in her. The floodgates of heaven are open to a humble soul, and a sea of graces flows down upon her. O how beautiful is a humble soul! From her heart, as from a censer, rises a varied and most pleasing fragrance which breaks through the skies and reaches God Himself, filling His Most Sacred Heart with joy. God refuses nothing to such a soul; she is all-powerful and influences the destiny of the whole world. God raises such a soul up to His very throne, and the more she humbles herself, the more God stoops down to her, pursuing her with His graces and accompanying her at every moment with His omnipotence. Such a soul is most deeply united with God. O humility, strike deep roots in my whole being. O Virgin most pure, but also most humble, help me to attain deep humility. Now I understand why there are so few saints; it is because so few souls are deeply humble. — Diary, 1306

October 10, [1937]. O my Jesus, in thanksgiving for Your many graces, I offer You my body and soul, intellect and will, and all the sentiments of my heart. Through the vows, I have given myself entirely to You; I have then nothing more that I can offer you. Jesus said to me, My daughter, you have not offered Me that which is really yours. I probed deeply into myself and found that I love God with all the faculties of my soul and, unable to see what it was that I had not yet given to the Lord, I asked, "Jesus, tell me what it is, and I will give it to you at once with a generous heart." Jesus said to me with kindness, Daughter, give Me your misery, because it is your exclusive property. At that moment, a ray of light illumined my soul, and I saw the whole abyss of my misery. In that same moment I nestled close to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus with so much trust that even if I had the sins of all the damned weighing on my conscience, I would not have doubted God's mercy but, with a heart crushed to dust, I would have thrown myself into the abyss of Your mercy. I believe, O Jesus, that you would not reject me, but would absolve me through the hand of Your representative. — Diary, 1318

Hail, most merciful Heart of Jesus,
Living Fountain of all graces,
Our sole shelter, our only refuge;
In You I have the light of hope.
Hail, most compassionate Heart of my God,
Unfathomable living Fount of Love
From which gushes life for sinful man
And the Spring of all sweetness.

Hail, open Wound of the Most Sacred Heart,
From which the rays of mercy issued forth
And from which it was given us to draw life
With the vessel of trust alone.
Hail, God's goodness, incomprehensible,
Never to be measured or fathomed,
Full of love and mercy, though always holy,
Yet, like a good mother, ever bent o'er us.

Hail, Throne of Mercy, Lamb of God,
Who gave Your life in sacrifice for me,
Before whom my soul humbles itself daily,
Living in faith profound. — Diary, 1321

Eighth day. O my Lord, while calling to mind all Your blessings, in the presence of Your Most Sacred Heart, I have felt the need to be particularly grateful for so many graces and blessings from God. I want to plunge myself in thanksgiving before the Majesty of God and to continue in this prayer of thanksgiving for seven days and seven nights; and although I will outwardly carry out all my duties, my spirit will nonetheless stand continually before the Lord, and all my exercises will be imbued with the spirit of thanksgiving. Each evening, I will kneel for a half hour in my cell, alone with the Lord. As often as I shall awake at night, I shall steep myself in a prayer of thanksgiving. In this way, I want to repay, at least in some small way, for the immensity of God's blessings.

However, in order to make all this more pleasing in the eyes of God and to remove the least shadow of doubt from my mind, I went to my spiritual director [Father Andrasz] and revealed these desires of my soul to him; that is to say, the desire to be steeped in such thanksgiving. I received permission for everything, except that I should not force myself to pray at night should I awaken. — Diary, 1367-1368

The mercy of God, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, the voice of the Lord who speaks to us from the throne of mercy: Come to Me, all of you.

Conversation of the Merciful God with a Sinful Soul.

Jesus: Be not afraid of your Savior; O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon My hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My Heart.

Soul: Lord, I hear your voice calling me to turn back from the path of sin, but I have neither the strength nor the courage to do so.

Jesus: I am your strength, I will help you in the struggle.

Soul: Lord, I recognize your holiness, and I fear You.

Jesus: My child, do you fear the God of mercy? My holiness does not prevent Me from being merciful. Behold, for you I have established a throne of mercy on earth — the tabernacle — and from this throne I desire to enter into your heart. I am not surrounded by a retinue or guards. You can come to me at any moment, at any time; I want to speak to you and desire to grant you grace.

Soul: Lord, I doubt that You will pardon my numerous sins; my misery fills me with fright.

Jesus: My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of my goodness? For you I descended from heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to the cross; for you I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come, then, with trust to draw graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My mercy. Do not argue with Me about your wretchedness. You will give me pleasure if you hand over to me all your troubles and griefs. I shall heap upon you the treasures of My grace.

Soul: You have conquered, O Lord, my stony heart with Your goodness. In trust and humility I approach the tribunal of Your mercy, where You Yourself absolve me by the hand of your representative. O Lord, I feel Your grace and Your peace filling my poor soul. I feel overwhelmed by Your mercy, O Lord. You forgive me, which is more than I dared to hope for or could imagine. Your goodness surpasses all my desires. And now, filled with gratitude for so many graces, I invite You to my heart. I wandered, like a prodigal child gone astray; but you did not cease to be my Father. Increase Your mercy toward me, for You see how weak I am.

Jesus: Child, speak no more of your misery; it is already forgotten. Listen, My child, to what I desire to tell you. Come close to My wounds and draw from the Fountain of Life whatever your heart desires. Drink copiously from the Fountain of Life and you will not weary on your journey. Look at the splendors of My mercy and do not fear the enemies of your salvation. Glorify My mercy.Diary, 1485

Conversation of the Merciful God with a Despairing Soul.

Jesus: O soul steeped in darkness, do not despair. All is not yet lost. Come and confide in your God, who is love and mercy.

— But the soul, deaf even to this appeal, wraps itself in darkness.

Jesus calls out again: My child, listen to the voice of your merciful Father.

— In the soul arises this reply: "For me there is no mercy," and it falls into greater darkness, a despair which is a foretaste of hell and makes it unable to draw near to God.

Jesus calls to the soul a third time, but the soul remains deaf and blind, hardened and despairing. Then the mercy of God begins to exert itself, and, without any co-operation from the soul, God grants it final grace. If this too is spurned, God will leave the soul in this self-chosen disposition for eternity. This grace emerges from the merciful Heart of Jesus and gives the soul a special light by means of which the soul begins to understand God's effort, but conversion depends on its own will. The soul knows that this, for her, is final grace and, should it show even a flicker of good will, the mercy of God will accomplish the rest.

My omnipotent mercy is active here. Happy the soul that takes advantage of this grace.

Jesus: What joy fills My Heart when you return to Me. Because you are weak, I take you in My arms and carry you to the home of My Father.

Soul (as if awaking, asks fearfully): Is it possible that there yet is mercy for me?

Jesus: There is, My child. You have a special claim on My mercy. Let it act in your poor soul; let the rays of grace enter your soul; they bring with them light, warmth, and life.

Soul: But fear fills me at the thought of my sins, and this terrible fear moves me to doubt Your goodness.

Jesus: My child, all your sins have not wounded My Heart as painfully as your present lack of trust does — that after so many efforts of My love and mercy, you should still doubt My goodness.

Soul: O Lord, save me Yourself, for I perish. Be my Savior. O Lord, I am unable to say anything more; my pitiful heart is torn asunder; but You, O Lord...

Jesus does not let the soul finish but, raising it from the ground, from the depths of its misery, He leads it into the recesses of His Heart where all its sins disappear instantly, consumed by the flames of love.

Jesus: Here, soul, are all the treasures of My Heart. Take everything you need from it.

Soul: O Lord, I am inundated with Your grace. I sense that a new life has entered into me and, above all, I feel Your love in my heart. That is enough for me. O Lord, I will glorify the omnipotence of Your mercy for all eternity. Encouraged by Your goodness, I will confide to You all the sorrows of my heart.

Jesus: Tell me all, My child, hide nothing from Me, because My loving Heart, the Heart of your Best Friend, is listening to you.

Soul: O Lord, now I see all my ingratitude and Your goodness. You were pursuing me with Your grace, while I was frustrating Your benevolence. I see that I deserve the depths of hell for spurning Your graces.

Jesus (interrupting): Do not be absorbed in your misery — you are still too weak to speak of it — but, rather, gaze on My Heart filled with goodness, and be imbued with My sentiments. Strive for meekness and humility; be merciful to others, as I am to you; and, when you feel your strength failing, if you come to the fountain of mercy to fortify your soul, you will not grow weary on your journey.

Soul: Now I understand Your mercy, which protects me, and like a brilliant star, leads me into the home of my Father, protecting me from the horrors of hell that I have deserved, not once, but a thousand times. O Lord, eternity will hardly suffice for me to give due praise to Your unfathomable mercy and Your compassion for me. — Diary, 1486

I remind you, My daughter, that as often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul. In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world — mercy triumphed over justice.

My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant. I claim veneration for My mercy from every creature, but above all from you, since it is to you that I have given the most profound understanding of this mystery.
Diary, 1572

First Friday. When I took the Messenger of the Sacred Heart into my hand and read the account of the canonization of Saint Andrew Bobola, my soul was instantly filled with a great longing that our Congregation, too, might have a saint, and I wept like a child that there was no saint in our midst. And I said to the Lord, "I know your generosity, and yet it seems to me that you are less than generous toward us." And I began again to weep like a little child. And the Lord Jesus said to me, Don't cry. You are that saint. Then the light of God inundated my soul, and I was given to know how much I was to suffer, and I said to the Lord, "How will that come about? You have been speaking to me about another Congregation." And the Lord answered, It is not for you to know how this will come about. Your duty is to be faithful to My grace and to do always what is within your power and what obedience allows you to do ...Diary, 1650

April 10, 1938. Palm Sunday. I attended Holy Mass, but did not have the strength to go and get the palm. I felt so weak that I barely made it till the end of Mass. During Mass, Jesus gave me to know the pain of His soul, and I could clearly feel how the hymns of Hosanna reverberated as a painful echo in His Sacred Heart. My soul, too, was inundated by a sea of bitterness, and each Hosanna pierced my own heart to its depths. My whole soul was drawn close to Jesus. I heard Jesus' voice: My daughter, your compassion for Me refreshes Me. By meditating on My Passion, your soul acquires a distinct beauty.Diary, 1657

Low Sunday. Today, I again offered myself to the Lord as a holocaust for sinners. My Jesus, if the end of my life is already approaching, I beg You most humbly, accept my death in union with You as a holocaust which I offer You today, while I still have full possession of my faculties and a fully conscious will, and this for a three fold purpose:

Firstly: that the work of Your mercy may spread throughout the whole world and that the Feast of The Divine Mercy may be solemnly promulgated and celebrated.

Secondly: that sinners, especially dying sinners, may have recourse to Your mercy and experience the unspeakable effects of this mercy.

Thirdly: that all the work of Your mercy may be realized according to Your wishes, and for a certain person who is in charge of this work ...

Accept, most merciful Jesus, this, my inadequate sacrifice, which I offer to You today before heaven and earth. May Your Most Sacred Heart, so full of mercy, complete what is lacking in my offering, and offer it to Your Father for the conversion of sinners. I thirst after souls, O Christ. — Diary, 1680

May 1, [1938]. This evening, Jesus said to me, My daughter, do you need anything? I answered, "O my Love, when I have You I have everything." And the Lord answered, If souls would put themselves completely in My care, I myself would undertake the task of sanctifying them, and I would lavish even greater graces on them. There are souls who thwart My efforts, but I have not given up on them; as often as they turn to Me, I hurry to their aid, shielding them with My Mercy, and I give them the first place in My compassionate Heart.Diary, 1682

Today, I saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the sky, in the midst of a great brilliance. The rays were issuing from the Wound [in His side] and spreading out over the entire world. — Diary, 1796

Jesus Holy Spirit and Mother Mary receive my Prayers daily and offerings for Conversions and Salvation of many souls including The Holy Souls in Purgatory after changing my life 6 years ago. Mother Mary led my heart back to receiving Jesus God our Heavenly Father and The Holy Spirit through Mother Mary always many years ago.
 
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