Aug
02
2011
By Anonymous (not verified)
One reader asks: I've heard that St. Faustina was a prophet. What does this mean? Can you share some examples?
Answer: We can consider St. Faustina not only a mystic but a prophet, because of the nature of the extraordinary private revelations she received from our Lord. In fact, at the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy celebrated in Rome in 2008, Pope Benedict XVI called St. Faustina "a prophetic messenger of Divine Mercy."
A prophet is one chosen by God to bring His word to His people. Saint Faustina has done for us what the Old Testament prophets did for the people of their time. As our Lord told her, "Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy" (Diary of St. Faustina, 300).
In her Diary, St. Faustina even prophesied the difficulties that would befall promoting the message of Divine Mercy. We see this fulfilled in the ban that was placed on the message and devotion for nearly 20 years and in all that her spiritual director, Blessed Michael Sopocko, suffered in seeking to continue her work (see Diary, 378).
She also prophesied that after the ban was lifted, "God will act with great power, which will give evidence of [the message and devotion's] authenticity. It will be a new splendor for the Church" (Diary, 378). This has been fulfilled in the pontificates of John Paul II and of Benedict XVI. Indeed, Pope John Paul II called St. Faustina "a gift of God to our time" and said she "was chosen by Christ to be a particularly enlightened interpreter of the truth of Divine Mercy."
Saint Faustina's ultimate mission in our day is to prepare the world for the Lord's Second Coming. "Secretary of My mercy," Jesus told her, "write, tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice, is near!" (Diary, 965).
This is why now is the time to plead for Divine Mercy.
Father Joe Roesch, MIC, is the Marians' vicar general. He lives in Rome, Italy.
Answer: We can consider St. Faustina not only a mystic but a prophet, because of the nature of the extraordinary private revelations she received from our Lord. In fact, at the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy celebrated in Rome in 2008, Pope Benedict XVI called St. Faustina "a prophetic messenger of Divine Mercy."
A prophet is one chosen by God to bring His word to His people. Saint Faustina has done for us what the Old Testament prophets did for the people of their time. As our Lord told her, "Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy" (Diary of St. Faustina, 300).
In her Diary, St. Faustina even prophesied the difficulties that would befall promoting the message of Divine Mercy. We see this fulfilled in the ban that was placed on the message and devotion for nearly 20 years and in all that her spiritual director, Blessed Michael Sopocko, suffered in seeking to continue her work (see Diary, 378).
She also prophesied that after the ban was lifted, "God will act with great power, which will give evidence of [the message and devotion's] authenticity. It will be a new splendor for the Church" (Diary, 378). This has been fulfilled in the pontificates of John Paul II and of Benedict XVI. Indeed, Pope John Paul II called St. Faustina "a gift of God to our time" and said she "was chosen by Christ to be a particularly enlightened interpreter of the truth of Divine Mercy."
Saint Faustina's ultimate mission in our day is to prepare the world for the Lord's Second Coming. "Secretary of My mercy," Jesus told her, "write, tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice, is near!" (Diary, 965).
This is why now is the time to plead for Divine Mercy.
Father Joe Roesch, MIC, is the Marians' vicar general. He lives in Rome, Italy.
