St. Maria Faustina (1905-1938, Feast Day October 5) was born to a poor religious family in Glogowiec, Poland. Throughout her childhood, she always felt a pull towards the vocation of religious life. At the age of 19, she joined the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy where she led an outwardly normal and monotonous life. However, her interior life was rich and abundant with grace. She contemplated the gift of God’s mercy which allowed her to develop a childlike trust in God and grow in greater mercy towards others. St. Faustina suffered from tuberculosis for which she offered up her suffering for sinners. St. Faustina is also known as the apostle of Divine Mercy as she was tasked by Christ to spread the message of mercy. Through St. Faustina, Jesus graced us with new forms of worship and meditation on this topic: the picture inscribed “Jesus,I trust in You,” the Feast of Divine Mercy, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and the Hour of Mercy. Additionally, St. Faustina’s diaries provide a wealth of knowledge on the mystery of Divine Mercy. In 1938, St. Faustina died at the age of 33 with a reputation for spiritual maturity.

Questions for Reflection:

• Take a minute to meditate on God’s mercy. What areas of your past is he inviting you to surrender to his merciful love? 
• St. Faustina exercised a childlike trust in God. What do you envision childlike trust in God to look like? What can you do to cultivate a childlike trust in God?