Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

such a v ita l question th a t even insufficient discussion could cause a false in te rp re ta tion . Happily, in h e r diary a few pages fu r th e r on, we have h e r own s ta tem en t on th e subject of in te re s t to us: M y Jesus, ^ou. know that from my earliest years I have wanted to become a great saint; that is to say, I have wan ted to love y o u zvith a love so great that there wou ld 6e no sou l who has hitherto loved y o u so." (Diary, Notebook V, para . 1372). "Once, when I was seven years old, a t a Vesper Service, conducted 6efore the Lord Jesus in the monstrance, the love o f Qod was imparted to me fo r the f i r s t time and f i l le d my little heart... JLrom that day un t i l this, my love fo r the hidden Qod has Been grozving constantly to the point o f closest intimacy. M l the strength o f my soul flow s from the ‘BlessedSacrament.' (Diary, Notebook V, para . 1404). M f ir s t these desires o f mine were kept secret, and only Jesus knew o f them. B u t today I cannot contain then zvithin my heart; I wou ld like to cry out to the whole world, "Love Qod, Because Lie is good and great is Slis mercy!"" (Diary, Notebook V, para . 1372). Sanctity, as S ister F au s t in a understood it, depends therefore on lim itless love of God. The g rea te r th e love, the g rea te r the sanctity. Love is the basic fea tu re , to which all others are subordinate. Only from it, springs full and willing acceptance of th e will of God. This is the conclusion she reaches: "9{either graces, nor revelations, nor raptures, nor g i f ts granted to a sou l make i t perfect, But rather the intimate 333