Jesus, Mercy Incarnate

Quebec. Bl. Dina reiterated the teaching of St. Paul as the Christian ideal: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). She pointed to the radical surrender of self involved here by speaking of it as a kind of mystical “substitution.” In other words, Christ Jesus loves us so much that He Himself, dwelling within us, is the one who enables us to trust in Him for everything: If I gave up all concern about everything to Jesus, what would happen? In return, Jesus would take charge of every- thing, of thinking, speaking, acting, no longer just with me, but instead of me. He would substitute Himself for me, and I would let Him do as He pleased. 62 As St. Faustina often found herself in the care of Jesuit spiritual directors, it is not surprising that she too strove above all for the attainment of complete surrender to Christ’s will. In the writings of Faustina, however, there is a much more explicit sense that true abandonment to God’s providence flows from a mind and heart united to Jesus on His Cross, and sharing in His redemptive work: O Jesus, strechted out upon the cross, I imploreYou to give me the grace of doing faithfully the most holy will of Your Father, in all things always and everywhere. And when this will of God will seem to me very harsh and difficult to fulfil, it is then I beg you, Jesus, may power and strength flow upon me from Your wounds, and may my lips keep repeating, “Your will be done, O Lord.” O Savior of the world, Lover of man’s salvation, who in such terrible torment and pain for- get Yourself to think only of the salvation of souls, O most compassionate Jesus, grant me the grace to forget myself that I may live totally for souls, helpingYou in the work of salva- tion, according to the most holy will of Your Father.... 63 (c) Pure self-forgetful Love That a life of abandonment and surrender to the merciful Jesus inevitably involves suffering is to be expected. Our Lord, after all, asked his disciples to take up their Cross every day and followHim 75 Saint Faustina and Devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ