Christ the King
In this season of Advent I will be taking a break from the series on our adversary, Satan, and turning the focus directly to God and to some of the beautiful things that I have experienced over the years. This is a time of prayerful consideration of the things of God, anticipation of Christmas and a time of hope and joy.
In this spirit I would like to share with you today words from Jesus that give us hope and consolation, in a world hurting so from sin and evil. These words were spoken to me by Jesus in the state between wake and sleep, but there was no accompanying dream or vision:
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2007 (Feast of Christ the King)
My sweet and tender child of Mercy, write that I am in love with the world.”
I was not surprised that Jesus referred to me as a child of Mercy, as I had just been formally inducted into the Divine Mercy movement in Ottawa, information about which can be found on this website. This movement of Mercy is an outpouring of the love that Jesus has for the world, despite its sins. To be called ‘sweet and tender’ by Jesus was also a consolation for me at that time, as these words came on the heels of some of the most hurtful words I have ever experienced from someone close to me.
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It is recorded in the book, Divine Mercy in My Soul – The Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, that the image she was instructed to paint – a vision she experienced of Jesus – was an image that would impart graces to the world. I think this is a good time to relate a personal experience I had of a moment of grace that emanated from that very image.
I am not sure exactly which summer it was, but probably 2003. I was lying on the beach at my campground reading the Diary. I put it aside and was lying there on my stomach on the sand, pondering the many words of Jesus contained in this church-approved book. As I glanced at the picture of Jesus on the cover I had a sudden staggering experience of the love of God. Although this experience is hard to describe and will probably only resonate fully with those who have experienced it themselves, I will do my best.
While looking at the Divine Mercy image (above) I experienced the most acute, stabbing, fiery pain of love from that image to my heart that was so unbearable I couldn’t believe it! It only lasted a moment and I was quite sure I was not going to survive it. I think if it had lasted longer than the moment it did I would have died from the most exquisite, acute pain of love I have ever experienced in my life. In that one moment I tasted the depth of the love that Jesus has for us. (On this site, in a previous writing, I related an experience of seeing the heart of Jesus, which you may wish to read again). I do not think we can even bear this love without special help from Him, for I reiterate that I could not even bear the pain of that love for longer than the second or two it lasted. This is a taste of the love that is available to us for eternity after death. Whatever He did to me in that moment set my heart on fire with love for Him as only the grace of God can.
It is no wonder we are all so lost and broken here until we find God. We search for this moment I experienced in many things, but are let down, time and time again. We search in alcohol, in drugs, in shopping, in pornography, in the endless pursuit of recreation, in the pursuit of money and power, and in partners that cannot approach the perfection of God and so let us down. We keep searching for it and so we should, but this Advent I ask one thing of you. Start looking in the right place and truly bring Christmas into your heart.
Karen
The Deliverance Ne†work 