[Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. (Diary, 1146)
divine mercyAnyone who knows me also knows that the above words of Jesus from St. Faustina’s diary, “Divine Mercy In My Soul”, are what I end every witness talk with. I can still remember the first time I read those words, “the greatest sinner”! That was me! He was speaking to me! Who could possibly be a worse sinner having aborted a baby in my 4th month?
I remember contemplating the “abyss” of God’s mercy, limitless, infinite, never ending, enough supply to fill the deep recesses of the wounds of abortion. Not only was I being told it was there, I was being told I had “the right before others to trust”! What could possibly give me, such a great sinner this right, and how did I possibly deserve it?
As good as it all sounded, I could see no way it could possibly be true considering who I was and what I had done. I continued to get hung up on the belief that I did not deserve His mercy or forgiveness. Surely, this was meant for everyone but me!
But then something happened. As I traveled down my healing road, learning the dynamics of post abortion and growing in my faith relationship with Jesus, I came to take the focus off of myself and place it on Him instead. I came to see, that of course I did not deserve His Mercy that was the point. I was a sinner who committed grave sin, but my healing and His mercy were not about me.
Although I was called to look at my abortion, not to blame myself or others, but to understand what had happened, I was also called to look at the life of Jesus. It was there I began to understand how healing was possible.
“We, who were slaves of sin-– He has made us all free,” the Pope said. “He has healed us at the very core of our existence.” Pope Francis (Homily, July 4, 2013)
(from"A Journey to Healing Through Divine Mercy" - Marian Press)
