Hello, I'm Father Joe Roche of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. Thank you for joining us as we continue with our year-long journey, reading the diary of St. Maria Faustina Kovalska from beginning to end. Today, we take up from where we left off, beginning with diary entry number 65.

One time during the novitiate, when Mother Directoress sent me to work in the Ward's

kitchen, I was very upset because I could not manage the pots which were very large.

The most difficult task for me was draining the potatoes, and sometimes I spilt half of them with the water.

When I told this to mother directress, she said that, with time, I would get used to it and gain the necessary skill.

Yet the task was not getting any easier, as I was growing weaker every day.

So I would move away when it was time to drain the potatoes.

The sisters noticed that I avoided this task and were very much surprised.

They did not know that I could not help in spite of all my willingness to do this and

not spare myself.

At noon, during the examination of conscience, I complained to God about my weakness.

Then I heard the following words in my soul.

From today on, you will do this easily. I shall strengthen you.

That evening, when the time came to drain off the water from the potatoes,

I hurried to be the first to do it, trusting in the Lord's words.

I took up the pot with ease and poured off the water perfectly. But when I took off the cover to let the potatoes steam off,

I saw there in the pot, in the place of the potatoes,

whole bunches of red roses, beautiful beyond description. I had never seen such roses before.

Greatly astonished, and unable to understand the meaning of this, I heard a voice within me

saying, I change such hard work of yours into bouquets of most beautiful flowers, and their perfume rises up to my throne.

From then on, I have tried to drain the potatoes myself, not only during my week when it was my turn to cook,

but also in replacement of other sisters when it was their turn.

...