April 2002

Happy Easter everyone!

Rejoice, my friends, Jesus is risen! Alleluia! The sad part of our Lord’s passion in which we have been contemplating last month had ended. Now, we actually come to the best part of the story, the happy-ending part of "The Greatest Story Ever Told". The best thing about this is that it’s a true story! Each one of us is actually living in this "happy-ending" part right now. Since each of us belongs to the Mystical Body of Christ, when Jesus died on the cross, in a way, he took us with Him (along with our sins, and our death). And then, when Jesus rose from death, He took us with Him as well. Through His victory over sins and death, Jesus brought us eternal life! This means that as children of God, we too will live forever. Pain, suffering and death do not have a hold on us because we share in the eternal life with Christ. Doesn’t it feel good to know that there is a happy ending to our life’s story? Isn’t it great to know that in the end, we will live forever in perfect happiness and love with our Creator? My friends, this is truly the Good News, it is why God created us - out of Love, God created us so we too can learn to love and be happy forever with Him. For those friends who are still facing problems and despair in life, hang in there, keep your hope in Jesus alive and trust that your "happy-ending" will come. Jesus had purchased your salvation with his own blood, have faith in Him, He will never abandon you.

Dear friends, I pray that the joy of our risen Lord will remain in your heart always, especially during this Easter Season. Thank you Jesus for the gift of life! Alleluia, Alleluia!

Tess Nguyen

* Smile, Jesus LIVES !!!

You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible (Lk 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Mt 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you! (Jn 3:16 & Jn 13:34)
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

 

The Apostle of Divine Mercy
SAINT MARIA FAUSTINA
(1905-1938)

Sister Faustina was born in 1905 in the village of Glogowiec near Lodz (Poland) as the third of ten children in the family of Marianna and Stanislaw Kowalski. From her childhood she was distinguished by a love for prayer, diligence at work, obedience and a sensitivity for the poor. She attended not quite three years of clementary schooling, and later, as a teenager, left her family home to work as a domestic servant.

At the age of twenty she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. In its convent in Krakow, Sister Maria Faustina spent thirteen years of her life performing the duties of cook, gardener, and doorkeeper. Her life, though seemingly very ordinary, monotonous and drab, concelead in itself an exceptionally profound union with God. From her childhood she desired to become a great saint, and she consistently strove toward that goal, working together with Jesus for the salvation of lost souls, even to the extent of offering her life as a sacrifice for sinners. Therefore, her life as a religious was marked with the stigma of suffering, but also with extraordinary mystical graces.

On February 22, 1931, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ appeared to this simple nun, bringing with Him a wonderful message of Mercy for all humankind. Sister Faustina tells us in her diary under this date: "In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening in the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red, and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me: ‘Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You!’"

Some time later, Our Lord again spoke to her: "The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stand for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at that that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross... Fortunate is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold on him."

As a further sign of His forgiving love, Jesus called for a Feast of the Divine Mercy to be celebrated in the whole Church. He said to Sister Faustina: "I want this image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; that Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy. On that day, the depth of My Mercy will be open to all. Whoever will go to confession and Holy Communion on that day will receive complete forgiveness of sin and punishment. Mankind will not enjoy peace until it turns with confidence to My Mercy."

Then the mission of Sister Faustina consists in:

- reminding the world of the truth of our faith revealed in Holy Scripture about the merciful love of God towards every human being, even the great sinner.

- conveying new forms of devotion to Divine Mercy

- initiating a great movement of devotees and apostles of Divine Mercy who would lead people toward the renewal of Christian life in the spirit of this devotion; in other words, in the evangelical spirit of a childlike confidence in God and an active love of neighbor.

Worn out and weakend by tuberculosis and the sufferings she bore in sacrifice for sinners, Sister Faustina died in the odor of sanctity in Krakow on October 5, 1938 at the age of 33.

On March 7, 1992, Sister Faustina’s virtues were declared heroic; on December 21, 1992, a healing through Sr. Faustina’s intercession was declared a miracle; on April 18, 1993, Pope John Paul II had the honor to declare the Venerable Servant of God Sister Faustina Blessed; and on April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Blessed Faustina and also called for the celebration of the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday throughout the Church.