Confidence in Jesus Christ

The Divine Mercy is like a vast fountain from which he who has brought the largest vessel of confidence carries away the richest abundance of graces. This is according to what the Psalmist says: Let thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, according as we have put our trust in thee (Ps. xxxii. 22). Let us go with confidence, then, to the feet of Jesus Christ, and there we shall find mercy and pardon.

I. Wonderfully great is the mercy of Jesus Christ to us; but for our greater good He desires that we should put our trust in His mercy with a lively confidence, trusting in His merits and His promises. Therefore St. Paul recommends us to preserve this confidence, saying that it has a great reward from God. (Heb. x. 35). When a fear, then, of the Divine Judgment seems to diminish this confidence in us, we ought to cast it away, and say to ourselves: "My heart, dost thou tremble? Knowest thou not how to hope? Banish thy fear, and tremble not. Why wilt thou trouble me? Hope in the Lord that we may one day sing His praise and His glory."

The Lord revealed to St. Gertrude that our confidence so constrains Him that He cannot possibly refuse to hear us in whatever we seek of Him. The same was said by St. John Climachus: "Prayer exerts a holy violence upon God." Every prayer offered with confidence, as it were, forces God; but this force is acceptable and pleasing to Him. Therefore, St. Bernard writes that the Divine mercy is like a vast fountain from which he who brings a larger vessel of confidence carries away a richer abundance of graces. And this is according to what the Psalmist wrote, Let thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, according as we have put our trust in thee (Ps. xxxii. 22).

God has declared by the Royal Prophet that He protects and saves all who trust in him (Ps. xvii. 31; xvi. 7). And again: Let all them be glad that hope in thee: they shall rejoice for ever, and thou shall dwell in them (Ps. v. 12). The same Prophet said: Mercy is round about all who trust in God (Ps. xxxi. 10). He that trusts in God shall ever be so guarded and encircled around that he is safe from all danger of perishing. Oh, what great promises the Holy Scriptures make to those who trust in God! Are we lost through our sins? Behold the remedy at hand! Let us go with confidence, says the Apostle, to the feet of Jesus Christ, the throne of grace, and there shall we find mercy and pardon (Heb. iv. 16). Let us not wait to go to Jesus Christ until He sits upon His throne of Judgment; let us hasten at once while He sits on His throne of grace.

II. But, says the sinner, if I beg for pardon I do not deserve to be heard. I reply, though he does not deserve pardon, his confidence in the Divine mercy will obtain grace for him; for this pardon is not dependent upon his merits, but upon the Divine promise to pardon those who repent; and this is what Jesus Christ says: Every one that asketh receiveth (Luke, xi. 10). A certain author commenting on the words every one, says that they mean every one, whether just or unjust. It is sufficient that they pray with confidence. Let us, then, learn from the lips of Jesus Christ Himself what great things are done by confidence: All things whatsoever ye seek when ye pray, believe that ye shall receive, and they shall come unto you (Mark xi. 24).

Whosoever, then, fears that through infirmity he shall fall again into his old sins, let him trust in God, and he shall not fall, as the Prophet assures us: None of them that trust in him shall offend (Ps. xxxiii. 23). Isaias says that they who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength (Is. xl. 31). Let us, then, be strong, not wavering in our confidence, because God has promised, as St. Paul says, to protect all who hope in Him; and when anything seems especially difficult to overcome, then let us say, I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me (Phil. iv. 13). And who that ever trusted in God was confounded? Yet, let us not search after some constant sensible confidence, a confidence we can feel. It is enough if we have the will to trust. This is true confidence, the will to trust in God, because He is good and desires to help us, is powerful and can help us, is faithful and has promised to help us. Above all, let us strengthen ourselves with the promise made by Jesus Christ: Amen, amen, I say to you: if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it you (John xvi. 23). Thus let us seek grace from God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, and we shall obtain what we wish.

O Eternal God, I know that I am poor in all things; I can do nothing, I have nothing, save what comes to me from Thy hands; all I can say to Thee is: O Lord, have mercy upon me! My misery is, that to my poverty I have added the sin of having responded to Thy graces with the sins I have committed against Thee. But, notwithstanding, I would hope from Thy mercy for this twofold blessing: first, that Thou wouldst pardon my sins; and then, that Thou wouldst give me perseverance, together with Thy holy love and grace to pray to Thee constantly for help even until death. I ask it all of Thee; I hope for it through the merits of Thy Son Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. O my chief advocate, help me with thy prayers.