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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, july second, nineteen hundred, volume three. Let us begin in the will and name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Heavenly Father Through the Cross of your Son you have conquered sin, death, and every power of darkness. As we enter this time of reflection, grant us the grace to embrace every cross you permit with confidence and love. May our sufferings, united with those of Jesus, become instruments of mercy for souls and channels through which your divine will reigns more fully in our lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord, amen. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul writes in chapter twelve verses seven to nine. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. I will rather boast more gladly of my weaknesses in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches in paragraph seventeen eighty eight. The Holy Spirit enables us to discern God's will in concrete situations. He leads the Church into all the truth. As we continue reading the Book of Heaven, may the Holy Spirit illuminate our minds and hearts to receive the gift of living in the divine will. Today we witness how a cross, embraced in obedience, becomes a source of protection and mercy for many. Louisa writes I continued to be embittered and afflicted, as though dazed. This morning he did not come at all. The confessor came and placed the intention of the crucifixion. At first blessed Jesus did not concur, but then after I prayed him to deign to let me obey, he just barely made himself seen and told me What do you want? What do you want to do violence to me by force when it is necessary to chastise the peoples? And I Lord, it is not I it is obedience that wants it so and he Well then, since it is obedience, I want to share with you my crucifixion, and in the meantime I want to refresh myself a little bit. While saying this, he shared with me the pains of the cross, and while I was suffering, Jesus placed himself near me and seemed to refresh himself quite a bit. Now, while I was in this position together with him, he showed me a pitch black cloud approaching from one point in the air, such that it struck terror and fright at the mere sight, and everyone was saying, This time we die. While all were terrified, a refulgent cross rose between Jesus and me, and advancing toward that storm, put it to flight in great part, so much so that the people seemed to calm down. I cannot tell for sure, but it seems to me that it was a hurricane accompanied by bolts of lightning and by hail so violent as to have the power to sweep factories away. And the cross, which dispelled it in great part, seemed to be my little suffering, which Jesus has shared with me. May the Lord be blessed, and may everything be for his glory and honor. One of the most amazing images in today's reading is the appearance of the violent storm. It's dark, frightening, and seems unstoppable. Everyone believes destruction is imminent. Yet between Jesus and Louisa rises a radiant cross that drives much of the storm away. Jesus first resists sharing his sufferings because, as he explains, chastisements are necessary. Yet when obedience is invoked, he consents. This reminds us that obedience is not merely submission to authority, it's participation in the divine will itself. Louisa does not seek suffering for its own sake. She seeks only to do what God desires through holy obedience. Because of that disposition, Jesus allows her suffering to become united with his own. Then comes a great lesson. Jesus refreshes himself while Louisa bears the pains of the crucifixion. At first this may seem surprising, but it reveals something beautiful about love. Whenever a soul freely accepts suffering in union with Christ, love responds to love. The heart of Jesus finds consolation because his redeeming work continues to bear fruit in willing souls. The radiant cross that disperses this storm teaches us that suffering united with Christ is never wasted. We often think our hidden sacrifices accomplish very little. We endure illness, disappointment, misunderstanding, family struggles, or spiritual dryness, and we wonder whether they have any purpose. Yet in the divine will, no suffering offered in love remains merely personal. United with Jesus, it becomes an act possessing his own infinite value. Living in the divine will changes the way we view every cross. Rather than asking only how can I escape this? We begin asking, Jesus, how do you wish to use this? That simple change of intention transforms suffering into cooperation with redemption. Notice also that the storm is not completely eliminated. Much of it's dispersed, but not all. God's mercy often lessens trials rather than removing them entirely. His wisdom always knows what is necessary for souls. Our role is not to control His providence, but to unite ourselves with it. Today, if some storm enters your life, don't lose peace. Instead, place it within the divine will. Tell Jesus that whatever He permits, you desire to unite it with His own cross for the salvation of souls and the coming of His kingdom. Hidden acts of love may accomplish far more than we will ever know this side of eternity. The cross is not simply the sign of our salvation, it's also the place where God's divine will and human freedom meet in perfect love. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, you transformed the cross from an instrument of suffering into the greatest sign of love the world has ever known. Teach us not to fear the crosses you permit in our lives, but to embrace them with confidence in your divine will. When storms gather around us, preserve our peace. When we feel weak, remind us that your strength is made perfect in our weakness. When obedience asks something difficult of us, grant us generous hearts that desire only what you desire. May every sacrifice we offer become united with your eternal sacrifice, bringing consolation to your sacred heart and mercy to souls throughout the world. Jesus, we surrender every trial, every concern, every hidden suffering into your divine will. May your cross rise over our lives as the radiant sign of hope, protection, and redemption. We ask this all in your holy name, Jesus Christ our Lord, amen. Thank you for joining your faith anew today. May today's reflection remind us that every cross embraced in union with Jesus can become a source of grace, not only for ourselves, but for countless souls. Until tomorrow, stay in his will, and your faith will be made anew.