When I stop to think about God's mercy toward me, the concept can be absolutely mind-blowing. I have fallen short of the mark so many times, yet God lifts me up and extends his loving care toward me. In this way, I am richly blessed.
This is why I was so eager to read God's Amazing Mercy: Meditations by St. Faustina's Confessor and Spiritual Director. The book is a rich resource for anyone wishing to learn more about God's mercy. The writings come from Blessed Michael Sopocko, who guided St. Faustina at a critical time in her life.
As Sopocko writes:
"Throughout His life Christ exhibited the greatest Mercy, and His attitude toward us has not decreased in even the smallest degree today. Could God, in His boundless Wisdom, find anything more appropriate to encourage us to imtimacy with Himself and to limitless trust? Would our Redeemer so indefatigably encourage us to trust in Him, if He did not want to reward this trust with Mercy?"
The book is edited by the distinguished Robert Stackpole, STD, who also contributes commentaries that help to further illuminate the concept of Divine Mercy. In a moving passage about despair, Stackpole writes:
"In other words, we need not give in to despair even when the world seems to be turning upside down with troubles and sorrows. Almighty God would not permit such things to happen unless it was at least possible for good to come out of them, if we cooperate with His grace--indeed, sometimes a good even greater than if He had not permitted these things to happen in the first place!"
In short, God's Amazing Mercy is a fascinating read, and should be a welcomed addition to any home library.