God desires YOUR love!

“Nothing is wanting in my heavenly beatitude, which is infinite, but I yearn for souls….I thirst for them, and want to save them.” – Jesus to Sr. Josefa Menendez

“Nothing gives Me so much delight as the heart of man, of which I am so often deprived. I have all good things in abundance. The heart of man is alone still wanting to me…” – Jesus to St. Gertrude

“I prefer an act of love and a Communion of love to any other gift which they may offer Me! … I’m thirsty of love, but of thorough love, the love of undivided hearts. Love me for all and every human heart that exists. I’m so thirsty of love. Quench my thirst. You can. You want to! Cheer up and forward!” – Jesus to Sr. Consolata Betrone

Sr. Benigna Consolata Ferrero said to Jesus, “My Jesus, one would say that Thou canst not live without me. What is it that attracts Thee to my soul? Then hast thou not the angels? Dost Thou not find Thy happiness in Thyself?” – “My Benigna,” He answered, “… it is true, all this is true; but it is also true that I have a human Heart, and that I love men… I have told thee this already, but I tell thee again that thou mayst write it, My little Secretary of Love; then I will cause it to be read, that souls may believe in My excessive love; men are My brothers.”

Remember: We cannot create love; we can only transmit God’s love, and in order to receive It, we must ask for it humbly.

**I could add many more quotes- just like these ones- about how much God desires each person’s love. Instead, I will direct you to a book. It is called ‘Words of Love’ by Bartholomew Gottemoller. It is absolutely heart-warming and inspiring! It contains the words of Jesus to Sr. Josefa, Sr. Consolata and Sr. Mary of the Trinity. The book has received an imprimatur.

Another similar book I recommend is ‘Jesus Appeals to the World’ by Fr. Lorenzo Sales, which contains the revelations of Sr. Consolata Betrone, as well as his [Fr. Lorenzo] own insightful writings, quotes from the saints etc. Lastly, the book ‘Consoling the Heart of Jesus’ by Fr. Michael Gaitley is a great book for everyone, but especially for those who- for whatever reason- have a hard time trusting in God. God Bless! +

Try: www.bookdepository.com for cheap books and free shipping!

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Hope Does Not Deceive.

We cannot save ourselves. God wants us to follow the inspirations of His Holy Spirit and hope everything from His mercy. He will not refuse mercy to those who ask sincerely, for this disposition is a work of God’s grace. Hasn’t Our Lord said, “All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will not cast out.”? (John 6:37) Hasn’t He also said, “Without Me you can do nothing.”? (John 15:5). So cast yourselves without fear into the arms of your loving Saviour. If you have this desire, you can be certain that He does too; though to a much greater degree!

“Merciful God… by Your grace alone, may we make our way to You.” – St. Francis of Assisi

“It is not the sinner who returns to the Father to beg His forgiveness, but God who runs after the sinner and makes him return to Him.” – St. John Vianney

“Since there is no doubt whatever that a man, if he is already old enough to have the use of reason, cannot believe, hope, or love unless he wills to do so, nor can he win the reward of God’s high vocation unless he runs it willingly, how can it depend not upon human will or exertion, but on the God who shows mercy unless the will itself is prepared by the Lord?… It remains for us to recognize that the words “So it comes not from the one who wills or runs, but from the God who shows mercy” are said truly, that all [glory] may be given to God, who makes the good will of man ready for His help, and helps the will He has made ready…. For in sacred scripture we read both “His mercy shall go before me” (Ps 59:10) and “His mercy shall follow me” (Ps 23:6): it goes before the unwilling that they may will, and it follows the willing, that they may not will in vain.” – St. Augustine

“From this divine heart, three streams flow endlessly. The first is the stream of mercy for sinners; it pours into their hearts sentiments of contrition and repentance.” – St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

“Conversion as well as perseverance is a grace of My mercy.” – (Diary)

“If anyone says they can repent as they ought, without previous inspiration of the Holy Ghost… let him be anathema.” – Church dogma

“Sooner would Heaven and Earth turn into nothingness than would My mercy not embrace a trusting soul.” (Diary, 1777)

“It is impossible that anyone should not receive all that he believed and hoped he would obtain. Therefore it gives me real pleasure when men hope great things from Me, and I will always grant them more than they expect.” – Jesus to St. Mechtilde

“Place all your hope in the heart of Jesus; it is a safe asylum; for he who trusts in God is sheltered and protected by his mercy.” – St. Bernard of Clairvaux

“…Each time thou wouldst pray for any souls, offer Me My most gracious Heart, in union with the love which made Me take this human Heart for the salvation of mankind, and in union with that special love with which I have given it to thee so often, and I will then grant thee whatever thou mayest ask for me. It will be as if the safe of a rich man were brought to him, that he might draw from it presents for his friends.” – Jesus to St. Gertrude

**One day when she [St Gertrude] was praying for praying for the salvation of a prodigious number of sinners, not daring to speak of reprobate souls, Our Lord first reproached her gently for having, by thus placing bounds to her confidence, put limits also to His divine mercy; then, after she had worded her petition according to the infinite mercy of His Heart, as she begged to know what she could do to obtain this immense grace, He answered her, “Confidence by itself can easily obtain all things,” and He granted all that Gertrude’s confidence had hoped from His goodness.**

“…hope confoundeth not.” – Romans 5: 5

“Whosoever believes in Him shall not be confounded.” – Romans 10:11

“No one has hoped in the Lord, and has been confounded” – Ecclesiastes/Sirach 2:11

“And thou shalt know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be confounded that wait for him.” – Isaiah 49:23

“They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.” – Psalm 22:5

“Tell them that no soul that has called upon My mercy has been disappointed or put to shame. I delight particularly in a soul which has placed its trust in My goodness.” (Diary, 1541)

“ Listen to me, O sinners who have had the misfortune of having hitherto [previously] offended God, and of being condemned to Hell: if the Devil tells you that but little hope remains of your eternal salvation, answer him in the words of the Scripture: “No one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded” (Eccl. 2:11). No sinner has ever trusted in God, and has been lost. Make, then, a firm purpose to sin no more; abandon yourselves into the arms of the divine goodness; and rest assured that God will have mercy on you, and save you from Hell. “Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee” (Ps. 54:23). The Lord, as we read in Blosius, one day said to St. Gertrude, “He who confides in me, does me such violence that I cannot but hear all his petitions.” – St. Alphonsus Liguori

“In God’s tribunal, those who return are always received, because God is a searcher of hearts, and knows those who return in sincerity.” – St. Thomas Aquinas

“In Christ there are two proofs of the gentleness of his nature. He patiently awaits the return of the sinner and he gently receives the penitent. This twofold mercy abounds in the heart of the Lord Jesus – his long-suffering in waiting for the sinner and his readiness in granting pardon.” – St. Bernard of Clairvaux

“Oh! With what tenderness does God embrace a sinner that returns to Him!” – St. Alphonsus Liguori

“I set neither limit nor measure to My gifts of grace for those who seek them in My Heart.” – Jesus to St. Margaret Mary (I think)

“Place all your trust in the heart of sweet Jesus……Never abandon your faith and renew it always. Faith has never abandoned any man, and far less so will it forsake a soul that yearns to love God.” – St. Padre Pio

“Place your heart gently in Our Lord’s wounds. Have great confidence in His mercy for He will never abandon you.” – St. Padre Pio

Divine Mercy: Hope for the despairing.

Our Lord told St. Faustina to speak to “sinful souls drowned in despair”, encouraging them to trust in His Mercy. The following quotes/stories are especially directed at such souls:

“**Conversations with the Merciful God: Conversation with a Despairing Soul**” from St. Faustina’s Diary:

**Jesus: O soul steeped in darkness, do not despair. All is not yet lost. Come and confide in your God, who is love and mercy.

-But the soul, deaf even to this appeal, wraps itself in darkness.

Jesus calls out again: My child, listen to the voice of your merciful Father.

– In the soul arises this reply: “For me there is no mercy,” and it falls into greater darkness, a despair which is a foretaste of hell and makes it unable to draw near to God.

Jesus calls to the soul a third time, but the soul remains deaf and blind, hardened and despairing. Then the mercy of God begins to exert itself, and, without any co-operation from the soul, God grants it final grace. If this too is spurned, God will leave the soul in this self-imposed disposition for eternity. This grace emerges from the merciful Heart of Jesus and gives the soul a special light by means of which the soul begins to understand God’s effort; but conversion depends on its own will. The soul knows that this, for her, is final grace and, should it show even a flicker of good will, the mercy of God will accomplish the rest.

Jesus: My omnipotent mercy is active here. Happy the soul that takes advantage of this grace.

Jesus: What joy fills My Heart when you return to Me. Because you are weak, I take you in My arms and carry you to the home of My Father.

Soul (as if awaking, asks fearfully): Is it possible that there yet is mercy for me?

Jesus: There is, My child. You have a special claim on My mercy. Let it act in your poor soul; let the rays of grace enter your soul; they bring with them light, warmth, and life.

Soul: But fear fills me at the thought of my sins, and this terrible fear moves me to doubt Your goodness.

Jesus: My child, all your sins have not wounded My Heart as painfully as your present lack of trust does – that after so many efforts of My love and mercy, you should still doubt My goodness.

Soul: O Lord, save me yourself, for I perish. Be my Saviour. O Lord, I am unable to say anything more; my pitiful heart is torn asunder; but You, O Lord… Jesus does not let the soul finish but, raising it from the ground, from the depths of its misery, he leads it into the recesses of His Heart where all its sins disappear instantly, consumed by the flames of love.

Jesus: Here, soul, are all the treasures of My Heart. Take everything you need from it.

Soul: O Lord, I am inundated with Your grace. I sense that a new life has entered into me and, above all, I feel Your love in my heart. That is enough for me. O Lord, I will glorify the omnipotence of Your mercy for all eternity. Encouraged by Your goodness, I will confide to You all the sorrows of my heart.

Jesus: Tell me all, My child, hide nothing from Me, because My loving Heart, the Heart of your Best Friend, is listening to you.

Soul: O Lord, now I see all my ingratitude and Your goodness. You were pursuing me with Your grace, while I was frustrating Your benevolence. I see that I deserve the depths of hell for spurning Your graces.

Jesus (interrupting): Do not be absorbed in your misery-you are still too weak to speak of it-but, rather, gaze on My Heart filled with goodness, and be imbued with My sentiments. Strive for meekness and humility; be merciful to others, as I am to you; and, when you feel your strength failing, if you come to the fountain of mercy to fortify your soul, you will not grow weary on your journey.**

“As long as a soul has confidence, her return is easy; but if the demon succeeds in closing the heart with distrust, O how I have to struggle to reconquer it!” – Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata Ferrero (Let God’s mercy conquer your heart! Don’t live by feelings! Trust is an act of the will!)

“**Conversations with the Merciful God: Conversation with a Sinful Soul (excerpt)**” from St. Faustina’s Diary:

**Soul: Lord, I doubt that You will pardon my numerous sins; my sisery fills me with fright.

Jesus: My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of My goodness? For you I descended from heaven to earth; for you I allowed Myself to be nailed to the cross; for you I let My Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come, then, with trust to draw graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My mercy. Do not argue with Me about your wretchedness. You will give me pleasure if you hand over to Me all your troubles and griefs. I shall heap upon you the treasures of My grace.**

From ‘St. Michael the Archangel’ booklet: “Among the writings of St. Alphonsus Liguori, we find the following account of St. Michael’s assistance at the hour of death. A certain Polish gentleman had for many years led a wicked life. When the hour of death approached, he was filled with terror and tortured by remorse of conscience over his former recklessness, so that he was reduced to a state of utter despair. No amount of exhortation or encouragement had any effect upon him; he refused every spiritual consolation. This unhappy man, however, still had some veneration for St. Michael, and God in His mercy permitted the holy Archangel to appear to him in his last struggle. St. Michael encouraged him to repentance and said that he had prayed and obtained for him sufficient time to regulate the affairs of his soul. Shortly afterwards, two Dominican priests came to the house, saying that a stranger had sent them. The sick man recognised this as the work of St. Michael. He confessed his sins amidst tears of repentance, received Holy Communion with touching devotion, and breathed forth his soul with every indication of being truly reconciled with God.”

“God showed me two kinds of illness we tend to have. One is impatience… The other is despair, which comes from the fear that originates in our lack of confidence in God. God wants us cured of both of these. He most wants us to have confidence in His happiness and in His love. Love makes us accept power and wisdom humbly because we realize God in His kindness forgets our sins when we repent and wants us to do the same ourselves, too. The Lord wants us to forget our sins. He wants us to forget every bit of our depression. God wants us to forget each doubt and every fear.” – Julian of Norwich

A criminal asked St. Joseph Cafasso, “Don Cafasso, do you think that with so many crimes on my head I can still save my soul?” Cafasso answered, “I believe it is certain, for who is it that will be able to take you out of my hands? Even if you were in the vestibule of Hell, and if there remained outside but one hair of your head, that would be sufficient for me to drag you from the claws of the devil and transport you to Heaven.”

Showing prisoners a Crucifix, St. Joseph Cafasso would say, “This is a friend who will not terrify you, who will not abandon you. Hope in Him and Heaven is yours!”

“Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls, I trust in You!” – St. Faustina

“Mother of Mercy, hope of the despairing, pray for us.” – From the litany to the Sorrowful Mother

A sinner complained to Padre Pio that his sins were “too great” to be forgiven. Padre Pio recalled to this individual the infinite mercy of God, reminding him with the most tender words that God not only desires to forgive us when we are living in sin, but He takes delight in our trust when we wish to be rid of our sinful habits. (This beautiful story can be found in the book, ‘Prophet of the People: A Biography of Padre Pio’ by Dorothy M. Gaudiose).

The Immense Value of an Act of Love!

“One act of love alone will repair a thousand blasphemies.” – Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata Ferrero

“One ‘Jesus, Mary! I love You! Save souls!’ repairs a thousand blasphemies!” – Jesus to Sr. Consolata Betrone

“One just soul can attain pardon for a thousand sinners.” – St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

“One faithful soul can repair and obtain mercy for many ungrateful ones… Every soul can be instrumental in this sublime work [saving souls]… Nothing great is required, the smallest acts suffice: a step taken, a straw picked up, a glance restrained, a service rendered, a cordial smile… all these offered to Love are in reality of great profit to souls and draw down floods of grace on them.” – Jesus to Sr. Josefa Menendez

“Souls are not saved if nothing is done for them. I died on the Cross to save them—I ask of thee no great thing—only a word withheld, a look repressed, a pleasant thought banished, in a word all that restrains and mortifies nature. These little things, united to My infinite merits, acquire a great value. If thou knewest how those souls please Me who immolate themselves in silence!” – Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata Ferrero

“If only you knew how many souls can be saved by those little acts!” – Our Lady to Sr. Josefa Menendez

“To pick up a pin for Love can convert a soul. It is Jesus alone who can give such value to our actions. Let us then love Him with all our heart.” – St. Therese of Lisieux

A beautiful meditation from the Heart of Jesus

“If the hands of a robber were nailed, even though he wished to rob again, could he do so? If the hands of an assassin were nailed, even though he wished to still murder another, could he do so? Well, My Benigna, I Myself let My Hands be nailed as if to render Myself unable to punish poor sinners. I love these souls so tenderly! Write this to give me pleasure: I wish they could see how much I love them! I suffered so much pain in My Head from the Crown of Thorns, and also from the Blood which trickled into My eyes, that I was scarcely able to open them; yet from time to time I unclosed them to look with tenderness upon My executioners.”

– Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata Ferrero

“The Secret of Sanctity!”

“The whole secret of sanctity lies in these two words: Distrust and Trust. Distrust always in thyself, but no pausing there, rise instantly to trust in God; for if I am good to all, I am bountiful (buonissimo) to the souls that trust in Me… If thou wouldst please Me, trust in Me; if thou wouldst please Me more, trust still more; if thou wouldst please me immensely, trust in Me immensely; by thy trust can never equal the desires of My Heart. An act of confidence pleases Me so much because it honours my dearest attributes, goodness and Mercy.”

– Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata Ferrero

 

God does not “get angry”

Dr. Robert Stackpole:

“People reading the Diary of St. Faustina for the first time are sometimes surprised to find passages in which Jesus tells her about God’s “wrath” and “anger,” and not just about His mercy.

For example, speaking of the rays pouring forth from His Heart in the Image of The Divine Mercy, Jesus said to her (entry 299): “These rays shield the soul from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him.”

…If God is so merciful and loving, why does He speak to St. Faustina about His wrath and anger? One of our readers… sent me a question about this that sums up the problem very well: “Can you elaborate more on the concept of ‘God’s anger’? I want to understand what it means for God to be angry at us sinners. … I don’t blame Him, and I believe He has every right to be angry at us … but how do we reconcile the idea of an angry God with one who has infinite mercy for His children? Especially since, if I am not mistaken, it is Jesus who is mentioning this term to St. Faustina.”

First, let’s try to clear away any clouds of confusion. Let’s start by defining what God’s anger is not, and could never be. Holy Scripture and the Catholic Tradition do not mean by God’s “wrath” and “anger” that He has a bad temper that needs to be appeased before He can be merciful to us, or that He “feels” angry with us at times, and needs to be “calmed down” by our repentance!

God does not have changing feelings or attitudes. If there are passages in Scripture that seem to imply that He does, these need to be understood as metaphorical ways of speaking about God’s total opposition to evil and total support of all good. The First Vatican Council stated clearly that God is “almighty, eternal … infinite in intelligence, in will, and in all perfection … absolutely simple and immutable … of supreme beatitude in and from Himself.”

“Immutable” means unchangeable, in that He radiates every “perfection” at every moment, and dwells in infinite “beatitude” or, in other words, infinite joy. This also means that God does not have a strict and vengeful side to His personality that needs to be “bought off” before He can be merciful to us. God has no “sides” to His character at all. Hard as this may be for us (as finite creatures) to understand, God is always infinitely perfect in every way, perfectly merciful AND perfectly just in everything that He does. In fact, all his perfections are manifest in His every action.

Now that we know what God’s anger is not, let’s try to define what it is: the divine perfection of “justice,” a justice by which He permits the self-destructive effects of sin and evil to run their course, thereby rendering to the sinner his due. In other words, God’s “wrath” means that if we are stubbornly evil and impenitent, He will permit our sins to have their inevitable destructive (and especially self-destructive) effects upon our bodies and souls.

It’s all there in the first chapter of St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans. If we insist on going our own way, following the “I did it my way” philosophy (made famous in Frank Sinatra’s hit song!), then God’s anger means that He will respect the freedom He gave to us, and say to us, in effect: “OK, do it your way, if you insist. I will not compel you to turn away from your sins and be sanctified…
… God is totally opposed to all evil, and sends His lightning bolts to oppose it (so to speak), yet we cling by our sins to the lightning rod of evil, and then complain that He is a God of wrath!

Clearly, God does not want us to suffer His wrath and indignation. As Jesus once said to St. Faustina (Diary entry 1588): “I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart. I use punishment when they themselves force Me to do so; My hand is reluctant to take hold of the sword of justice.” Another time He said to her (entry 1728) that when sinful souls “bring all My graces to naught, I begin to be angry with them, leaving them alone and giving them what they want.”

Thanks be to God… His mercy is so much greater than our sins! We do not need to be afraid at all, for as He said to St. Faustina (entry 1485): “Do not be afraid of your Savior, O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to come to Me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish His graces on you. … My Mercy is greater than your sins, and those of the entire world.”

St. Faustina’s prayer of repentance/trust

“I fly to Your mercy, Compassionate God, who alone are good.  Although my misery is great, and my offences are many, I trust in Your mercy, because You are the God of mercy; and from time immemorial, it has never been heard of, nor do heaven or earth remember, that a soul trusting in Your mercy has been disappointed.  Oh God of compassion, You alone can justify me, and You will never reject me when I, contrite, approach Your merciful heart, when no one has ever been refused even if he were the greatest sinner.”

-St. Faustina

10 Inspiring spiritual books!

These books are completely beautiful and are somewhat related. They are an “easy read” too, suitable for any individual with scrupulosity etc.

1. “Consoling the Heart of Jesus” by Michael Gaitley

2. “Story of a Soul” by St. Therese of Lisieux

3. “My Sister St. Therese” by Sister Genevieve of the Holy Face

4. “Everything is Grace: The Life and Way of Therese of Lisieux” by Joseph F. Schmidt

5. “Words of Love” by Bartholomew Gottemoller (THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE! It consists of private revelations to three holy women. Each revelation expands on God’s tenderness, mercy, gentleness…)

6. “Jesus Appeals to the World” by Fr. Lorenzo Sales (THIS BOOK IS LIFE-CHANGING! It contains the words of Our Lord to Sr. Consolata Betrone. They are all words of sweetness).

7. “Padre Pio’s Words of Hope” by Eileen Dunn Bertanzetti

8. “Mercy Minutes with Jesus” by Rev. George Kosicki (Contains words of Our Lord plus a small prayer at the bottom of each page).

9. “Mercy Minutes” by Rev. George Kosicki (Words of St. Faustina from her diary, plus a small prayer…)

10. “The Wonders of the Mass” (booklet) by Fr. Paul O’Sullivan (Small, concise and inspiring)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perseverance in Prayer.

“If you want all your prayers to be answered without fail and oblige God to meet all your wishes, the first thing is never to stop praying. Those who get tired after praying for a time are lacking in either humility or confidence, and so do not deserve to be heard. You would think that they expected their requests to be obeyed at once as if they were orders. Surely we know that God resists the proud and shows His favors to the humble. Won’t our pride allow us to ask more than once for the same thing? It shows very little trust in God’s goodness to give up so soon and take a delay for an absolute refusal.

Once we have really understood just how far God’s goodness extends we can never believe that we have been refused or that He wishes to deprive us of hope. Rather, the more He makes us keep on asking for something we want, the more confident we should feel that we shall eventually obtain it. We can begin to doubt that our prayer has been heard only when we notice we have stopped praying. If after a year we find that our prayer is as fervent as it was at the beginning, then we need not doubt about the success of our efforts, and instead of losing courage after so long a delay, we should rejoice because we can be certain that our desires will be all the more fully satisfied for the length of time we have prayed. If our first attempts had been quite useless we would not have repeated them so often and we would have lost hope; but as we have kept on in spite of this, there is good reason to believe we shall be liberally rewarded.
In fact it took St. Monica sixteen years to obtain the conversion of Augustine, but the conversion was entire and far beyond what she had prayed for. Her desire was that her son’s incontinence might be checked by marriage, and instead she had the joy of seeing him embrace a life of holy chastity. She had only wanted him to he baptized and become a Christian, and she saw him a bishop. She asked God to turn him aside from heresy, and God made him a pillar of the Church and its champion against heretics. Think what would have happened had she given up hope after a couple of years, after ten or twelve years, when her prayers appeared to obtain no result and her son grew worse instead of better, adding avarice and ambition to the wildness of his life and sinking further and further into error. She would have wronged her son, thrown away her own happiness, and deprived the world of one of the greatest Christian thinkers.”

-St. Claude de la Colombiere (taken from ‘Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence’)

“But,” someone may say, “I am a sinner, and do not deserve to be heard.” But Jesus Christ says, Every one that asketh, receiveth. [Luke, xi. 10.] Everyone, be he just, or be he a sinner. St. Thomas teaches us that the efficacy of prayer to obtain graces does not depend on our merits, but on the mercy of God, Who has promised to hear everyone who prays to Him.” [2. 2, q. 178, a. 2.] And our Redeemer, in order to remove from us all fear when we pray, said: Amen, amen, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it you. [John, xvi. 23.] As though He would say: Sinners, you have no merits of your own to obtain graces, wherefore do in this manner; when you would obtain graces, ask them of My Father in My name; that is, through My merits and through My love; and then ask as many as you choose, and they shall be granted to you. But let us mark well those words, “In My name;” which signify (as St. Thomas explains it), “in the name of the Saviour;” or, in other words, that the graces which we ask must be graces which regard our eternal salvation; and consequently we must remark that the promise does not regard temporal favours; these our Lord grants, when they are profitable for our eternal welfare; if they would prove otherwise, He refuses them. So that we should always ask for temporal favors, on condition that they will benefit our soul. But should they be spiritual graces, then they require no condition; but with confidence, and a sure confidence, we should say: “Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ deliver me from this temptation: grant me holy perseverance, grant me Thy love, grant me Heaven.” We can likewise ask these graces of Jesus Christ in His Own name; that is, by His merits, since we have His promise also to this effect: If you shall ask Me anything in My name, that I will do. [John, xiv. 14.]”

-St. Alphonsus Liguori