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 Cavalska from beginning to end.

Today we take up from where we left off, beginning with diary entry number 1554.

February 1st 1938 today I am feeling a little worse physically

but I am still taking part in the common life prayers meals and recreation I am making

great efforts known to you alone Jesus Jesus. In the refractory today,

I did not think I would last until the end of the meal. Every mouthful causes me extreme pain.

When Mother S. Irene visited me a week ago, she said, you catch every sickness, sister, because your

system is so weak. But that is not your fault. In fact, if any other sister had that same

sickness, she would certainly be walking around, whereas you, sister, must stay in bed.

These words did not hurt me, but it is better not to make such comparisons with very sick

persons, because their cup is full enough as it is.

Another thing, when sisters visit the sick, they should not ask in detail every time, what is hurting you, and how does it hurt? Because it is very tiresome to keep telling each sister the same thing about oneself, and it sometimes happens that one must repeat the same thing over and over many times a day.

When I had gone to the chapel for a moment, the Lord gave me to know that, among his chosen

ones there are some who are especially chosen, and whom he calls to a higher form of holiness, to exceptional union with him.

These are seraphic souls, from whom God demands greater love than he does from others.

Although all live in the same convent, yet he sometimes demands of a particular soul a greater degree of love. Such a soul understands this

call because God makes this known to it interiorly. But the soul may either follow this call or not.

It depends on the soul itself, whether it is faithful to these touches of the Holy Spirit,

or whether it resists them. I have learned that there is a place in purgatory where souls will

pay their debt to God for such transgressions. This kind of torment is the most difficult of all.

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