Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

heaven and purgatory; the re was th e joyful, fruitful and creative intimacy with Jesu s , and suffering, used in a fertile soil, the soul of S is te r Faus tina , as a penance for th e souls of sinners. With her delicate and sensitive na tu re , and her well-developed sense of dignity, she by no means found i t easy to bear, w ithout defending herself, the unjust and m istaken remarks, accusations, hum iliations and gibes she suffered. I t requ ired constan t self-control from her. Bu t Jesu s demanded th a t th is self-control be not merely external - for th is was not the h e a r t of the m a t te r - b u t also in terna l. He desired th a t she should a t ta in such in terio r equilibrium th a t anger or a wish for re ta lia tion should slip away from her, leaving no trace, and th a t she should rem a in constantly a t peace, kindly, always understand ing and forgiving. Sister F au s tina realized th a t she m igh t not be able to under­ take such a huge task . In spite of all h e r charitable qualities, i t surpassed h e r ability. However, she longed with all her h e a r t to be able to do so. She therefore sought help from the Lord: 'O M y Lord, I can sec very w e ll that from t fe time when my souCf ir s t received t fe capacity to know fo u , my life nos Seen a continuaC struggle which has Secome increasingly intense. “Every morning during meditation, 1 prepare myself fo r t fe whole day's struggle. Sloly Com­ munion assures me that I zvill zvin t fe victory; and so it is. I fear t fe day when I do not receive Sloly Com­ munion. “This “Bread o f t f e Strong gives me a ll t fe strength I need to carry on my mission and t fe courage to do whatever t fe Lord asks o f me. “The courage and strength that are zvithin me are not o f me, Sut o f Slim who lives in me - it is t fe Eucharist. 186