St. Stephen of Hungary . Image via Wikipedia
August 16, 2011
Saint Stephen of Hungary
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! Today I call you to be born anew in prayer and through the Holy Spirit, to become a new people with my Son; a people who knows that if they have lost God, they have lost themselves; a people who knows that, with God, despite all sufferings and trials, they are secure and saved. I call you to gather into God's family and to be strengthened with the Father's strength. As individuals, my children, you cannot stop the evil that wants to begin to rule in this world and to destroy it. But, according to God's will, all together, with my Son, you can change everything and heal the world. I call you to pray with all your heart for your shepherds, because my Son chose them. Thank you." (August 2, 2011)
"Dear children! Today I call you to be born anew in prayer and through the Holy Spirit, to become a new people with my Son; a people who knows that if they have lost God, they have lost themselves; a people who knows that, with God, despite all sufferings and trials, they are secure and saved. I call you to gather into God's family and to be strengthened with the Father's strength. As individuals, my children, you cannot stop the evil that wants to begin to rule in this world and to destroy it. But, according to God's will, all together, with my Son, you can change everything and heal the world. I call you to pray with all your heart for your shepherds, because my Son chose them. Thank you." (August 2, 2011)
One last thing about this wonderful message of August 2, 2011. Our Lady asks us to pray for our shepherds with all of our hearts. This is a plea straight from her heart. She knows something we do not know. She sees how very important each priest and bishop is to the plan of God. She understands how much the salvation of souls hangs in the balance, and that our shepherds are crucial in the battle for those souls.
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St. Faustina was made aware of this very reality in regards to Fr. Sopocko, her spiritual director and collaborator in the spreading of Divine Mercy. Here is what Jesus told St. Faustina about Fr. Sopocko:
[August] 30. Reverend Father Sopocko left this morning. When I was steeped in prayer of thanksgiving for the great grace that I had received from God; namely, that of seeing father, I became united in a special way with the Lord who said to me, He is a priest after My own Heart; his efforts are pleasing to Me. You see, My daughter, that My will must be done and that which I had promised you, I shall do. Through him I spread comfort to suffering and careworn souls. Through him it pleased Me to proclaim the worship of My mercy. And through this work of mercy more souls will come close to Me than otherwise would have, even if he had kept giving absolution day and night for the rest of his life, because by so doing, he would have labored only for as long as he lived; whereas, thanks to this work of mercy, he will be laboring till the end of the world. (St. Faustina's Diary, 1256)
We learn something here. Fr. Sopocko was a very holy priest. He would have done great good if he had just done his normal duty as a priest. But the Lord had a plan for him. Jesus wanted Fr. Sopocko to help Sister Faustina in her work of promoting the Feast of Divine Mercy and devotion to Divine Mercy. Fr. Sopocko responded to Jesus' desire and worked tirelessly to spread the devotion, no matter what it cost him. As a result, millions of souls have been saved through Divine Mercy, and many more will be saved. Fr. Sopocko could never have reached those souls, one by one. But now, through this great devotion, he is helping them, even from heaven!
So we are not just praying for protection for our shepherds, we should be praying for their participation in the plan of God for our times! Our prayer of the heart could make the difference for them, so that they will recognize the call from God for each of them, and respond with generosity to that plan. Who knows what great works they could do! But they need our prayer so that they will hear and respond to the call of God. St. Faustina prayed for Fr. Sopocko. We each can pray for our shepherds. It could make a great difference in the battle for souls!
In Jesus and Mary!
Cathy Nolan
Cathy Nolan
© Mary TV 2011
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