Father of Mercy

Last weekend I finished reading "Father of Endless Mercy". Last year during the weekend of Divine Mercy Sunday at my parish we had a day of Reflection on the Divine Mercy. The author of this book, Jim Mattingly, was one of the speakers. I just got around to reading his book last week but it was beautiful.

Jim told his life story....all about the ups and downs of family and life. His parents marriage broke up due to alcholism; his mother kept the children from their father due to her words and accusations against him; then Jim became seriously ill in the early years of his marriage; his illness made him turn away from God and away from his marriage for a few years.

Then through the grace of God and our the intercession of the Blessed Mother he turned back towards God and began to follow God's plan for his life once again.

The book was all about the message of Divine Mercy that Jesus gave to Saint Faustina. How God forgives us NO MATTER the sins we commit as long as we turn back towards God with our whole hearts and a true feeling of repentence for having hurt Him.

I've read Saint Faustina's Diary (and am again using it for my spiritual reading right now), but it was beautiful to see the message applied in someone's real life. And Jim Mattingly did that beautifully. He talked about his reunion with his father only a few short years before his fathers death; about his reunion with God and how despite his past and what he did, how God is using him to spread this beautiful message of Divine Mercy.

It gave me hope that no matter what, if we allow God's grace to work in our lives He WILL make sure that we are "okay". And He will use us for great things. As long as we surrender to His will and His plan and put OUR "plans" aside in order to follow Him.