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If you want your dream to be, build it slow and surely. Small beginning, greater and heartfelt work grows purely.

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Welcome. This is David Russell and Your Faith Anew. Daily Reflections guiding you to live in the divine will. Today's reflection is from the Book of Heaven by the servant of God Louisa Picaretta, june fourteenth, eighteen ninety nine, volume two. Let us begin in the will and name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Heavenly Father, grant us the grace to trust you in moments of uncertainty, when we cannot see your plans, help us to remain faithful, surrendered and attentive to your will. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, teach us to unite our prayers and sacrifices with those of Jesus for the salvation of all souls. Amen. In the gospel, according to Saint Matthew, Jesus teaches. Then he said to them, My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me. He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not as I will, but as you will. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches in Paragraph six fifteen By his obedience unto death, Jesus accomplished the substitution of the suffering servant, who makes himself an offering for sin, when he bore the sin of many, and who shall make many to be accounted righteous, for he shall bear their iniquities. Jesus atoned for our faults and made satisfaction for our sins to the Father. As we continue our journey through the Book of Heaven, let us remain attentive to the truths Jesus reveals through Louisa, allowing these lessons to deepen our understanding of life in the divine will. In today's reading, Louisa witnesses the power of intercession joined to surrender before the will of God. Louisa writes This morning most loving Jesus would not come. In my interior I kept thinking how is it that he is not coming? What is new now? Yesterday he came so often, and today the hour is getting late, and he has not yet showed himself at all. What heartbreak What patience it takes with Jesus. It seemed to me that my whole interior was taking up arms, for it wanted Jesus, and it waged such a war against me as to give me pains of death. My will, superior to everything, tried to put peace by persuading my senses, inclinations, desires, affections, and all the rest to calm down, for Jesus would come. So, after prolonged suffering, Jesus came, carrying a cup in his hand, full of coagulated blood, putrefied and stinking, and he told me, Do you see this cup of blood? I will pour it over the world. While he was saying this, Mama came, the most holy virgin, and my confessor together with her. They prayed to Jesus that he would not pour it over the world, but have me drink it. The confessor said to him, Lord, why keep her as victim if you do not want to pour it over her? I absolutely want you to let her suffer and to spare the people. Mamma was crying and insisted with Jesus and with the confessor that he would not give up praying until Jesus would be content with accepting the exchange. Jesus insisted that he wanted to pour it over the whole world, and at first he almost seemed to frown. I saw myself all confused. I was unable to say anything because the sight of that cup full of blood so ugly was so horrifying as to cause my whole nature to tremble. What would it be to drink it? However, I was resigned. If the Lord would give it to me, I would accept it. Who can say then the chastisements contained in that blood if the Lord would pour it over the world? It seems that from this very day he keeps the hail prepared which will cause great damage, and it seems that it must continue in the following days. But then Jesus seemed a little bit more calm, so much so that he seemed to embrace the confessor because he had prayed to him in that way. However, without coming to any conclusion on whether he would pour it over the world or not, so it ended, leaving me in indescribable pain because of what may happen. This passage reveals a deep spiritual reality. God invites souls to participate in his work of mercy through prayer, sacrifice, and surrender. Louisa experiences intense suffering because Jesus delays his coming. Yet even in that absence, her longing becomes a prayer. Her entire being cries out for union with him. When Jesus finally appears, he presents a frightening image, a cup filled with blood representing the consequences of sin and the justice due to it. Yet immediately we see the intercession of the Blessed Mother and Louisa's confessor. They plead for mercy. They stand between humanity and the chastisement that threatens to fall upon the world. The reading reminds us that prayer matters. The prayers of Mary matter. The prayers of the church matter. God allows human cooperation in his plan of salvation. While he remains perfectly just, he is also infinitely merciful and listens to the petitions offered in love. What is especially striking is Louisa's response. She does not rush forward with confidence in her own strength. In fact, she trembles. The cup horrifies her. She knows she's incapable of bearing such suffering on her own. Yet she remains resigned to God's will. If the Lord asks it of her, she will accept it. Living in the divine will does not mean enjoying every circumstance. It means choosing God's will even when it's difficult, mysterious or frightening. It means trusting that His wisdom sees what ours cannot. For us, this may take the form of accepting daily inconveniences, offering up illness, praying for those far from God or persevering through uncertainty. Every act surrender to God becomes a prayer for souls. Every sacrifice united with Jesus becomes an act of love. Today, let us remember that our prayers are never wasted. United with Jesus and Mary, even our hidden sufferings can become instruments of mercy for the whole world. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, when your presence seems hidden, give us the grace to persevere in faith. When our hearts are troubled and we do not understand your plans, help us to trust in your goodness. We thank you for the example of Louisa, who remained resigned to your holy will even when faced with suffering she could scarcely imagine. Teach us to surrender our fears, our anxieties, and our desires into your hands. Blessed Mother, you who intercede continually for your children, pray for us. Help us to join our prayers to yours for the salvation of souls and the triumph of God's mercy. Jesus, we place our lives, our families, our joys, and our crosses into your divine will. May every prayer we offer and every sacrifice we make become an act of love for you and a source of grace for others. We abandon ourselves completely to your holy and adorable will, trusting that all you permit is ordered toward a greater good. Amen. Thank you for joining your faith anew today. The central lesson of today's reading is that God invites us to cooperate with His mercy through prayer, sacrifice, and complete trust in His will. Until tomorrow, stay in His will, and your faith will be made anew.