By Kim Ae-ran
God reveals his dynamic vitality through new sprouts and colorful buds in spring. The trees along the streets bring forth the freshest green leaves day in and day out. In their tiny and fragile sprouts and buds, God reveals his lively presence.
The extraordinary mercy and grace of God are revealed not only through sensitive nature but also through the simple and little people.
The life of Sister Faustina also testifies to the marvelous and mysterious ways of providence. Sister Faustina was born with the name Helena Kowalska in Poland on Aug. 25, 1905, as the third of 10 children to a poor and religious family.
Since childhood, she loved to pray, work hard, and obey her parents. She was also sensitive to the poor, for she was aware of the presence of divine mercy in them.
At age 7, she attended the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and felt a calling to religious life. Attending the elementary school for the third grade only, she wanted to join a convent, but her parents didn't give her permission.
At age 16, she left home to work as a housekeeper in order to support herself and to help her parents as well.
At age 19, she experienced her first vision of the Suffering Christ and departed for Warsaw to approach several convents, but she was rejected every time due to her poor appearance.
Finally, the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy accepted her on the condition that she could pay for her own religious habit.
On April 30, 1926, at age 20, she took her first religious vows with the religious name of Sr. Maria Faustina of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Then, she was sent to various communities as a cook, gardener and porter.
At age 24, she arrived in Plock, Poland but she became so weak that she was sent away to rest. Several months later, she returned to the convent.
On Feb. 22, 1931, Jesus who presented himself as the King of Divine Mercy visited her. He was wearing a white garment with red and pale rays coming from his heart. From then on, she became the apostle and secretary of God's mercy. As a doer of mercy, she was most attentive and merciful to others.
On May 1, 1933, she took her final vows and willingly offered her personal sufferings in union with Jesus to atone for the sins of others. At the same time, she brought joy and peace to others and encouraged them to totally trust in Jesus.
Contemplating mercy in the words of God and her daily activities, she was eager to perform her tasks faithfully. She was very recollected, natural, serene and kind to others.
The message of mercy that she received from Jesus is now being spread throughout the world. Her diary, "Divine Mercy in my Soul," translated into more than 20 languages, has become the handbook for devotion to Divine Mercy.
Sister Maria Faustina passed away in Krakow at age 33 on Oct. 5, 1938. She was beatified on April 18, 1993, and canonized on April 30, 2000, by Pope John Paul II. As the patron saint of God's Mercy, her feast day is celebrated on Oct. 5.
"Jesus, I trust in you" was her lifelong refrain.
The author is a member of the Daughters of St. Paul. When available, please feel free to visit her blog, "A piece of sunshine," at mtorchid88.blogspot.com.