“Where am I lukewarm, Lord? Show me that I may bring it to you to be healed so as to be ever more in union with You.”
Thinking about lukewarmness, the focus of today’s novena intention, always first brings to my mind a well-known scripture reference:
I know your works: You are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15-16
These strong words from Revelation make it undeniably clear that choosing “lukewarmness” is not something that is pleasing to our Lord.
Depending upon where we are in our level of knowledge about Who our Trinitarian God truly is, this scripture might initially strike a note of fear in our hearts – I know it did for me in years past. (Let us remember truth that is – He does not desire us to fear – which should provide a clue, then, that we need to look deeper into what that fear might be about in our lives that needs His healing.)
As we come to know Him – taking that first little step towards Him in faith and trust – we encounter His desire for each one of us as a bridegroom desires his bride. And, we are drawn to desire more deeply that nuptuality with Him. By opening to the Love for which we were created, lukewarmness is erradicated more and more. The healing fire of His Love leaves no room in our hearts for lukewarmness!
Christ told St. Faustina that lukewarm souls “wound My Heart most painfully”.
It’s not so hard to understand why that is so if we reflect on that statement through the lens of our own relationships – aren’t our hearts hurt deeply by loved ones when they treat us poorly, or when our purely intentioned efforts of love extended toward another soul are rejected over and over again?
We must be ever mindful that Jesus Christ (our God who became Incarnate in the flesh to become like us in all ways but sin) – is a not some vague non-person “universe”, but indeed a person who desires relationship with us – and Whose Heart hurts (but is ever merciful!) when we reject Him over and over again.
We all have areas in which we are spiritually blind or perhaps emotionally injured, which are in need of healing and growth – areas which tend, then, towards lukewarmness of faith.
But the more that we come to know His deep desire for His beloved – YOU! – the more the desire to grow in relationship with Him expands. By doing so, lukewarmness dissipates, holiness and virtue permeate your being – and your heart is stretched beyond imagination to be able to receive and pour forth more and more love.
Here’s a great article by Nicholas Halligan, O.P. that I found very helpful in breaking open further the concept of lukewarmness, to help us all to see more clearly those areas where we injure the Lord – and do not see how we are injuring ourselves in the process.
These are a couple of quotes that really struck me today as I read the article:
An early monastic figure in the West, Cassian, wrote: “No one should attribute his going astray to any sudden collapse, but rather . . . to his having moved away from virtue little by little, through prolonged mental laziness. This is the way the bad habits gain ground without one’s even noticing it, and eventually lead to a sudden collapse. ‘Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall’ [Prov. 16:18]. The same thing happens with a house: It collapses one fine day due to some ancient defect in its foundation or long neglect by the occupiers” (Collationes, 6:17).
Christians cannot remain lukewarm. If we allow ourselves to lose contact with the spiritual, we will become spiritually cold. We can come in out of the cold because the grace of Christ is always there to provide the opportunity. “We need to submit to the spirit, to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to keep the flesh in tis place. By doing so our flesh will become spiritual again. Otherwise, if we give in to the easy life, this will lower our soul to the level of the flesh and make it carnal again” (John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans, 13).
It’s the final day of our Novena – we made it!! I would encourage you to continue the Chaplet everyday – ideally at the hour of mercy at 3:00 pm, but anytime is a good time to pray this powerful prayer every day for souls
TOMORROW IS A MAGNIFICENT DAY – Divine Mercy Sunday
See what Christ promises in this entry from Faustina’s Diary #699 regarding Divine Mercy Sunday specifically.
“On that day, the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity.”
BE NOT AFRAID, dear souls, to approach the priest – who is truly in the person of Christ waiting for YOU in the confessional, ready to receive you with Love and Mercy.
“When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I, Myself, act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy. Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity.” (1602)
“Come with faith to the feet of My representative…and make your confession before Me. The person of the priest is, for Me, only a screen. Never analyze what sort of a priest that I am making use of; open your soul in confession as you would to Me, and I will fill it with My light.” (1725)
“Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy.” (1602)
Do not give into the temptation to believe that your sins are unforgivable
“Were a soul like a decaying corpse, so that from a human standpoint, there would be no hope of restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full. In the Tribunal of Mercy [the Sacrament of Confession], the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated.” (1448)
“Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy.” (1602)
“There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy.” (1273)
“Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it with peace.” (1074)
HIS MERCY IS FOR EVERY SOUL
As we complete our novena today, let us prepare our hearts to receive the gifts offered to us through Divine Mercy Sunday.
Today bring to Me souls who have become lukewarm, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: ‘Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.’ For them, the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy.
Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love, let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.
Opening Prayers
First, recite the Daily Intention for each of the nine days of the novena (different one each day), and certainly consider adding your own as well for the intentions that you desire to bring to the Heart of Jesus.
Make the sign of the cross, saying “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
(NOTE: See what Christ instructed St. Faustina about this next portion of this prayer – such powerful intercession for those we are interceding for conversion. Christ says: “If you say this prayer, with a contrite heart and with faith,on behalf of some sinner I will give that soul the grace of conversion”.)
“O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus
as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus
as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus
as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!”
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Repeat this sequence on each decade as follows:
(On the “Our Father” beads, pray…)
“Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”
(On the Ten Beads of Each Decade, pray…)
“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Holy God
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Final Prayer
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen.