Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

joining Him in sacrifice. He began a t th e thresho ld of h e r religious life, from the moment of h e r tak ing the hab it. In S ister F au s t in a ’s D iary we find a sho rt note from th a t period: ‘fh e day I tool c. t f e [religious] habit, Qod (et me understand how mucf I zoas to suffer. I cfearCy saw to zvhat I was committing myself" (Diary, Notebook I, para. 22). This was a sho rt revelation, almost a flash, b u t so strong th a t i t b rough t abou t a fa in t, which was remembered by h e r companions and engraved itse lf on th e memory of S is te r Faus tina . For a second time the knowledge th a t God called h e r to the role of a victim re tu rn ed during the mak ing of h e r f irs t vows. Again, th e Diary gives only a few words on th e subject: "first vows, Lin ardent desire to empty myseCffo r Qod by an active love, but a love that wou ld be imperceptible, even to the sisters closest to me." (Diary, Notebook I, para . 27). Both of these religious impulses were given to direct the will of S ister F au s tin a towards lim itless sacrifice when offering h e rse lf to th e Lord. Throughout the whole of th is time the religious life itse lf was p reparing th is readiness in her. J e su s re tu rn ed to His reques t i d n ir g ec t t h ly e b w e i f s o h re o h f e H r i f s in H al e a v r o t ws a , nd th i r s eq ti u m ir e in c g le f a r r o l my s h tr e e r ss a decisive answer. "‘During the third probation, the Lord gave me to understand that I should offer myself to Llim so that Lie could do zvith. me as Lie pleased. I was to remain 137