My Lord and my God, Jesus: as we celebrate today the memorial of your modern saint, Sr. Faustina Kowalska whom you have chosen to deliver to the modern world your message of Divine Mercy which is as old as eternity, I have realized too how I have not fully grown nor matured in you - in prayer and in spirituality; like our readings today, I can see myself so clearly both in the persons of Jonah in the first reading and Martha in the gospel.
Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on a sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Jonah 3:4-6
Forgive me, Jesus, for being like your prophet Jonah in so many times and occasions: always running away from you, always reluctant to proclaim your words, and always thinking of myself; like Jonah, I pray but as much as possible, I cannot let go of myself, of the things I know and feel so much that I cannot let you control everything in me, including me!
The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
Luke 10:41-42
Forgive me again, Jesus, for being like your friend Martha in so many times and occasions: always busy working for you without really doing your work, always looking at the shortcomings of others without seeing mine, and always complaining to you of having my hands filled with things I believe you want me to do; like Martha, I love having you in my life, always welcoming your coming to me, but always forgetting the most important of all, YOU.
Lord Jesus Christ, help me shed off the Jonah and Martha in me; let me be like St. Sr. Faustina to give not from my wealth but from my want: too often, I just give you some of my time, some of my money, some of my talents, some of myself, keeping more to maintain my security; teach, Lord, to give more of my time, more of my money, more of my talents and more of myself so that I may truly give you the chance to show me and let me experience your boundless love, your Divine Mercy. It is only in totally surrendering myself to you can I truly pray, "Jesus, King of Mercy, I trust in YOU." Amen.
