(Death, Heaven, Purgatory, Hell)
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
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'Today Lord Jesus will take me'
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Fr Miroslaw Milek
The contemporary civilization,
which is infected by secularism and consumerism, does everything to make us
believe that heaven is not worth thinking. It narrows the space of human life
only to earthly life, the present time and this world. Many people think that
speaking about eternity seems something incomprehensible. The perspective of
eternity, which stimulated thinking and helped people bear suffering with
courage, has disappeared. Therefore, one should remind people of the 21st
century that their lives are not limited to the present.
St Faustina lived her life thinking
of eternity. Her Diary contains numerous statements, which tell us that she
experienced every moment of her life in an eschatological dimension. Her
thoughts always ran towards heaven. Her desires referred to solid values and
those, she felt, were only in God. She was not terrified by hardships and
suffering, which piled up in her life. Many parts of her Diary speak about her
great longing for God. Everything she experienced on the earth was only 'a dim
reflection' of the true fullness of life. In spite of her young age Sister
Faustina longed for death. She knew that only death could free her soul from
continuous bitterness and pain that she experienced because of her separation
from the Bridegroom. In 1933 there were signs of the development of her illness
but the doctor did not confirm any changes in Faustina's lungs. Her photograph
of February 1935 shows evident signs of illness. On 19 September 1936 the doctor
diagnosed tuberculosis. Then it meant the same as malignant cancer today. Having
learned about that Sister Faustina went to the hospital chapel to inform her
Beloved. He was with her, 'My child, only a few more drops in the cup, soon'
(The Diary 694). She said with confidence that 'Death destroys nothing that is
good (The Diary, 694). Facing spiritual suffering and the physical one as well
she did not despair but she trusted in the Divine Mercy. She was not full of
resignation but she hopefully waited for the meeting. She was united with the
Saviour who suffered on the cross. Looking at her going on the way of the cross
one is under the impression that she 'did not carry her cross, she danced with
it'. It was a master's dance. The year 1938 was the apogee of suffering.
However, Sr Faustina did not fear death. She waited for that unique moment of
meeting Christ. She wrote, 'O my God, how much I long for you today. O, nothing
is in my heart; the earth has got nothing for me. O Jesus, how much I feel this
exile, how much it is prolonged; o death, God's messenger, when will you
announce me this desired moment through which I will be united with my God for
ever' (The Diary, 1573).
On 22 September she felt that her
death was coming and as it was customary she apologized
to the whole congregation for all her weaknesses and negligence. All were
encouraged by her cheerful attitude she maintained in spite of much suffering.
When some nun asked her if she was afraid of death she answered with joy, 'No, I
am not afraid of death. I am waiting for death'. She was dying, giving up her
will completely. None of the sisters heard any complaints or speaking about
herself - she spoke only about Jesus. She repeated, 'Soon, so soon'. On 5
October, the last day of her life, Sister Faustina said with a radiant face,
'Today Lord Jesus will take me'. She confessed her sins to Fr Andrasz and
silently waited for death. A quarter to 11 o'clock p.m. she went to the Father's
house. At the moment of her death she looked up, smiled slightly and then bent
her head. On a beautiful, calm, autumn day the nuns and foster girls carried her
body to the common tomb in Jozefow.
A witness to Devine Mercy John Paul
II spoke to the young people in the fields of Lednica, being aware that many
contemporary people did not hear the call of eternity, 'I want to tell you all:
raise your heads and see your destination! If you go with Christ, if the Holy
Spirit leads you, there is no other destination that the Father's house that is
in heaven. You cannot lose this aim ...We are speaking about eternity. Raise
your heads! Do not be afraid of looking at eternity. The Father who is love is
waiting there. It is worth living for that love. Have courage to live for love.
Have courage!' Saint Faustina had such courage. She wanted to love Jesus with
such love nobody had loved him before and she did till her last breath...
Please come to Swinice Warckie on 5
October, to the home place of St Faustina in order to learn to look to the
future without fear, to see the aim of your life - heaven. Come to learn the
courage of life for love from the Mystic of Glogowce.