Lenten Regulations God of great mercy, who deigned to send us Your only-begotten Son as the greatest proof of Your fathomless love and mercy, You do not reject sinners; but in Your boundless mercy You have opened for them also Your treasures, treasures from which they can draw abundantly, not only justification, but also all the sanctity that a soul can attain. Father of great mercy, I desire that all hearts turn with confidence to Your infinite mercy. No one will be justified before You if he is not accompanied by Your unfathomable mercy. When You reveal the mystery of Your mercy to us, there will not be enough of eternity to properly thank You for it. 4 1. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of abstinence from meat as well as days of fast, when only one full meal is allowed. On days of fast two other meat-less meals may be taken ac-cording to one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. 2. The other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat. 3. The obligation to abstain from meat begins at fourteen (14) years of age. 4. The obligation to fast begins at eighteen (18) years of age and ends at fifty-nine (59) years of age. 5. Although the faithful may excuse themselves for a just cause from these laws of fast and abstinence, there is an obligation to substitute another penance and no Catholic should lightly excuse himself/herself from this obligation in the Lenten season. L nten Regulations From the Diary of St. Faustina December 29, [1936]. Today after Holy Communion, I heard a voice in my soul: My daughter, stand ready, for I will come unexpectedly. Jesus, You do not want to tell me the hour I am looking forward to with such longing: My daughter, it is for your own good. You will learn it, but not now; keep watch. O Jesus, do with me as You please. I know You are the merciful Savior and You will not change towards me at the hour of my death. If at this time you are showing me so much special love, and are condescending to unite Yourself with me is such an intimate way and with such great Kindness, I expect even more at the hour of my death. You, my Lord God, cannot change. You are always the same. Heaven can change, as well as everything that is created forever. So come as You like and when You like. Father of infinite mercy, I, Your child, wait longingly for Your coming. O Jesus, You said in the Holy Gospel, “Out of your mouth do I judge you.” Well, Jesus, I am always speaking of Your inconceivable mercy, so I trust that You will judge me according to Your unfathomable mercy. Diary 1122, 854
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==