Faith Filled Friday: St. Faustina’s Prayer to be Made Merciful

I ran across this prayer taken from the diary of St.Fautina Kowalska, recommended by Pope Francis at last year’s World Youth Day, and posted on the online Catholic magazine, Aleteia.  It is so astonishingly beautiful that I can’t help but share it here. 

“Help me, O Lord,

… that my eyes may be merciful, so that I will never be suspicious or judge by appearances, but always look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and be of help to them;

… that my ears may be merciful, so that I will be attentive to my neighbors’ needs, and not indifferent to their pains and complaints;

… that my tongue may be merciful, so that I will never speak badly of others, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all;

… that my hands may be merciful and full of good deeds;

… that my feet may be merciful, so that I will hasten to help my neighbor, despite my own fatigue and weariness;

… that my heart may be merciful, so that I myself will share in all the sufferings of my neighbor”     (Diary, 163).

I have never read St. Faustina’s Diary, but it is on my wish list.  Perhaps when I focus a year on Polish literature, I’ll include it in my reading.