Confession and Contrition

"Before the eight day retreat, I went to my spiritual director and asked him for certain mortifications for the time of the retreat. However, I did not receive permission for everything I asked for, but for some things only. I received permission for one hour of meditation in the Passion of the Lord Jesus and for a certain humiliation. But I was a little dissatisfied at not receiving permission for everything I had asked for I had asked. When we returned home, I dropped into the chapel for a moment, and then I heard this voice in my soul: "There is more merit to one hour of meditation on My sorrowful Passion than there is to a whole year of flagellation that draws blood; the contemplation of My painful wounds is of great profit to you, and it brings Me great joy. I am surprised that you still have not completely renounced your self will, but I rejoice exceedingly that this change will be accomplished during the retreat."

That same day, when I was in church waiting for confession, I saw the same rays issuing from the monstrance and spreading throughout the church. This lasted all through the service. After the Benediction. (the rays shone out) to both sides and returned again to the monstrance. Their appearance was bright and transparent like crystal. I asked Jesus that He deign to light the fire of His love in all souls that were cold. Beneath these rays a heart will grow warm even if it were like a block of ice; even if it were heard as a rock, it will crumble into dust.

J.M.J. Vilnius, February 4, 1935. Eight Day Retreat.
Jesus, King of Mercy, again the time has come when I am alone with You. Therefore I beg You, by all the love with which Your Heart burns, to destroy completely within me my self love and, on the other hand, to enkindle in my heart the fire of Your purest love

In the evening, after the conference, I heard these words, "I am with you. During this retreat, I will strengthen you in peace and in courage so that your strength will not fail in carrying out My designs. Therefore you will cancel out your will absolutely in this retreat and, instead My complete will shall be accomplished in you. Know that it will cost you much, so write these words on a clean sheet of paper; 'From today on, my own will does not exist', and then cross out the page. And on the other side write these words: 'From today on, I do the will of God everywhere, always, and in everything.' Be afraid of nothing; love will give you strength and make the realization of this easy."

In the fundamental meditation about the goal; that is, of choosing love: the soul must love; it has need of loving. The soul must divert the stream of its love, but not into the mud or into the vacuum, but into God. How I rejoice when I reflect on this, for I feel clearly that He himself is in my heart. Just Jesus alone! I love creatures insofar as they help me to become united with God. I love all people because I see the image of God in them.


J.M.J. Vilnius February 4, 1935. "
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FROM TODAY ON, MY OWN WILL DOES NOT EXIST.

"The moment I knelt down to cross out my will, as the Lord had bid me to do, I heard this voice in my soul: "From today on, do not fear God's judgment, for you will not be judged."

J.M.J. Vilnius, February 4, 1935.
FROM TODAY ON, I DO THE WILL OF GOD EVERYWHERE, ALWAYS, AND IN EVERYTHING.

J.M.J. Vilnius February 8, 1935.
Particular interior practice; that is, the examination of conscience. Self denial, denial of my own will.
(I). The denial of my reason. Subjecting it to the reason of those who represent God to me here on earth.
(II). The denial of my will. Doing the will of God, which is revealed in the will of those who represent God to me and which is contained in ....... the rule of our order.
(III) The denial of my judgment. Accepting immediately and without reflection, analysis or reasoning all orders given by those who ...... ......... represent God to me.
(IV). The denial of my tongue. I will not give it the least bit of freedom; but in one case only I will give it complete freedom; that is, in ......... proclaiming the glory of God. When I receive Holy Communion, I will ask Jesus to fortify and cleanse my tongue that I may not ...... ......... injure my neighbor with it. That is why I have the greatest respect for the rule which speaks about silence.

My Jesus, I trust that Your grace will help me to carry out these resolutions. Although the above points are contained in the vow of obedience, I want to practice these things in a special way, because this is the essence of the religious life. Merciful Jesus, I beg You fervently to enlighten my mind so that I may come to know You better, You who are the Infinite Being, and that I may get to know myself better, who am nothingness itself.

Concerning Holy Confession. We should derive two kinds of profit from Holy Confession:
(1) We come to confession to be healed;
(2) We come to be educated - like a small child, our soul has constant need of education.

O my Jesus, I understand these words to their very depths, and I know from my own experience that, on its own strength, the soul will not go far; it will exert itself greatly and will do nothing for the glory of God; it will err continually, because our mind is darkened and does not know how to discern its own affairs. I shall pay special attention to two things; firstly, I will choose, in making my confession, that which humiliates me most, even if it be a trifle, but something that costs me much, and for that reason I will tell it; secondly, I will practice contrition, not only during confession, but during every self examination, and I will arouse within myself an act of perfect contrition, especially when I am going to bed. One more word: a soul which sincerely wants to advance in perfection must observe strictly the advice given by the spiritual director. There is as much holiness as there is dependence. " -St Faustina