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One of my favorite scenes from the Bible (are we allowed to have favorites?) is after the angel stops Abraham from killing Isaac and God tells the very relieved Abraham that all the world has been blessed because of Abraham’s obedience.

It always seemed to me so much more legitimate than the cheerleader-style chant “YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!!!”.

Because whenever I heard that I always thought-

FALSE!

God changes the world, and He can use YOU to be His hands and feet and voice.

Which is still a huge deal, even bigger and better than you struggling through on your own.

So it really didn’t surprise me when this came up in St. Faustina’s diary.

It just surprised me HOW MUCH it was talked about!

Allow me to list out some of the parts the world or specific people are blessed through St. Faustina’s prayers and obedience to the Lord’s will.

(39) When I saw the kindness of Jesus, I began to beg His blessing. Immediately Jesus said, “For your sake I bless the entire country”. And he made a big sign of the cross over our country. Seeing the goodness of God, a great joy filled my soul.

(198) On one occasion the Lord said to me, “My daughter, your confidence and love restrain My justice, and I cannot inflict punishment because you hinder Me from doing so.” Oh, how great is the power of a soul filled with confidence!

(202) For no other soul did I bring so many sacrifices and sufferings and prayers before the throne of God as I did for her soul. I felt I had forced God to grant her grace. When I reflect on all this, I see that it was truly a miracle. Now I can see how much power intercessory prayer has before God.

(320) Jesus made known to me how very pleasing to Him were prayers of atonement. He said to me, “The prayer of a humble and loving soul disarms the anger of My Father and draws down an ocean of blessings.”

(570) “Out of love for you all I will avert any punishments which are rightly meted out by my Father’s justice. My daughter, I have inclined My heart to your requests.”

(719) Today, I heard these words: “Know, my child, that for your sake I grant blessings to this whole vicinity…For the sake of your gratitude, I will continue to bless them.”

(818) After Holy Communion, Jesus said to me, “I cannot suffer that country any longer. Do not tie my hands, My daughter.” I understood that if it had not been for the prayers of souls that are pleasing to God, that whole nation would have already been reduced to nothingness.

(961) PARAPHRASING: Faustina is told she can’t do great penances and mortifications for the time being. She starts crocheting and she decides to ask the Trinity that for every stitch with the crochet hook, a soul would be converted. Jesus points out this is quite a big request and she counters with He saved souls while doing the simple work of a carpenter. He agrees and grants her request.

(980) “My heart is pleased with you, and for your sake I am blessing the earth.”

(1078) “Host, dear to My Heart, for your sake I bless the earth.”

(1722) I heard these words: “If you did not tie My hands, I would send down many punishments upon the earth. My daughter, your look disarms My anger. Although your lips are silent, you call out to Me so mightily that all heaven is moved. I cannot escape from your requests, because you pursue Me, not from afar but within your own heart.”

AND THAT’S NOT NEARLY ALL OF THEM!

It’s so incredibly beautiful that the mighty heart of the Alpha and Omega, the Lion of Judah, the Savior, the Most Holy Trinity, is moved so greatly by the prayers of a simple, imperfect woman. She comes to Him in total love and is not afraid to ask great things of Him. For her acts of love, obedience, humility, and trust, He pours out blessings not only upon St. Faustina, but to the world. These times of blessings are not exclusive to St. Faustina, I believe it happens each time we choose to follow the will of the Lord and reach out to Him and others with unselfish love. We just don’t usually hear Christ tell us He’s blessing others through us. Often we never see or fully realize the fruits of our actions and prayers.

Always keep in mind that YOU are a blessing to the world. Your femininity, the unique beauty of the voice of your soul, these are gifts to the world, even if others do not recognize it.

I’m not going to give you a list with a headline of “WANT TO BE A BLESSING TO THE WORLD? HERE’S 10 EASY WAYS!!” That’s for you and the Lord to talk about together, because honestly He knows you and your life way better than I ever will.

So looking at your gifts and your vocation as a daughter of God and sister in Christ to all, ask yourself and the Holy Spirit every morning: How is God asking me to be a blessing today?

Then ask for ALL THE GRACES AND ALL THE BLESSINGS!!

Because you know you’re irresistible to Him.

When we go out and follow the will of the Lord unreservedly, the world cannot help but be changed forever.

Amen.

*I could/would love to talk forever about the beauty of women and how awesome we are, but Blessed John Paul II says it better than I ever could in Mulieris Dignitatem.

Add that to your reading list.*

*I came across this when going through the diary recently. Here’s a instance that just shows how cool St. Faustina is. Seriously.*

(320) After the adoration, half way to my cell, I was surrounded by a pack of huge black dogs who were jumping and howling and trying to tear me to pieces. I realized that they were not dogs, but demons. One of them spoke up in a rage, “Because you have snatched so many souls away from us this night, we will tear you to pieces.” I answered, “If that is the will of the most merciful God, tear me to pieces, for I have justly deserved it, because I am the most miserable of all sinners, and God is ever holy, just, and infinitely merciful.” To these words all the demons answered as one, “Let us flee, for she is not alone; the Almighty is with her!” And they vanished like dust, like the noise of the road, while I continued on my way to my cell undisturbed, finishing my Te Deum and pondering the infinite and unfathomable mercy of God.