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 1437

Christmas Eve 1937. After Holy Communion, the Mother of God gave me to experience the anxious

concern she had in her heart because of the Son of God. But this anxiety was permeated with such

fragrance of abandonment to the will of God that I should call it rather a delight than an anxiety.

I understood how my soul ought to accept the will of God in all things.

It is a pity I cannot write this the way I experienced it.

My soul was plunged in deep recollection all day long.

Nothing could tear me away from this recollection, neither duties, nor the business I had with lay people.

Before supper, I went into the chapel for a moment to break the wafer spiritually with those beloved persons so dear to my heart, though far away.

First, I steeped myself in profound prayer and asked to the Lord for graces for them, all as a group, and then for each one individually. Jesus gave me to know how much this pleased him,

and my soul was filled with even greater joy to see what that God loves in a special way,

those whom we love.

After I had gone into the refectory during the reading, my whole being found itself plunged in God.

Interiorly, I saw God looking at us with great pleasure.

I remained alone with the Heavenly Father.

At that moment, I had a deeper knowledge of the three divine persons whom we shall contemplate

for all eternity, and, after millions of years, shall discover that we have just barely begun

our contemplation.

Oh, how great is the mercy of God, who allows man to participate in such a high degree in his divine happiness.

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