Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

In th is painful way, struggling with endlessly m u lti­ plying difficulties S ister F au s tin a learned gradually the e lementary tru th th a t no t only everything th a t she received was through th e grace of God, b u t th a t everything th a t she was to do could only be done by the help of His grace. She learned patience and pe r­ severance, and gradually she began to achieve inner independence of people’s opinion. In comparison with people, how compassionate and unde rs tand ing is the Lord! Even h e r doubts resum ing again, h e r hesitancy and unw illingness did no t seem to annoy Him. On the contrary. To h e r am azemen t she noted: "Qod is pleased, and rejoices when a sou l distrusts Mim fo r Mis oum sake; because i t loves Mim, it is prudent and itse lf asks and searches fo r help to make certain that it is really Qod who is acting within i t ”. (Diary, Notebook I, para. 139). How many times she wen t to Him. and, gazing towards the tabernacle, asked, "Are f o u really Jesus?... Jesus, are yo u not an illusion?''. And Je su s reassu red he r patiently: "My love deceives no one." Reminded by Jesus , S ister F au s t in a continued to ask Him for the sp iritua l director she needed for he r task . During h e r re tre a t confession, the fa th e r had em­ phasized th is , and even warned th a t w ithout a director she could fall into error. When and where would she get one? She pestered Him again and again ceaselessly. Je su s likes being asked pers is ten tly and does no t remain dea f to prayer. So now, therefore, to strengthen S ister Faus tina , He drew aside th e curta in th a t hides th e future, and in a short visionary glimpse He showed h e r th e priest He intended for h e r sp iritual director. The vision appeared twice: once a t Warsaw du ring the th ird probation, and a second time in Cracow, where S ister F au s tin a had gone to make h e r final profession. 130