Saint Faustina"s lesson in building intimate realationship with GOD.

Lesson No. A DEEPER KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND THE TERROR OF THE SOUL.

Words of Saint Faustina: In the beginning, God let Himself be known as Holiness, Justice, Goodness- that is to say MERCY. The soul does not come to know this all at once, but piecemeal, in flashes; that is to say, when God draws near. And this does not last long. because the soul could not bear such light: During prayer the soul experiences flashes of light which make it impossible for it to continue to pray as it did before. Try as it may to force itself to pray as it did before, all is in vain; it becomes completely impossible for it to prau as it did before it received this light. This light which has touched the soul is alive within it, and nothing can either quench or diminsh it. This flash of the knowledge of God draws the soul and enkindles its love for Him.

But this same flash, at the same time, allows the soul to know itself as it is; the soul sees its whole interior in asuperior light, and it rises up alarmed and terrified. Still, it does not remain under the effect of terror, but it begins to purify itself, TO HUMBLE and abase itself before the Lord. These light becomes stronger and more frequent; the more the soul is crystalized, the more this light penetrate it. However if the soul has responded faithfully andcourageously to this first graces, God will fill it with His consolations and give Himself to it in a perceptible at a certain moments with the soul, as it were to enter into intimacy with God and greatly rejoices in this; it belives that it has aldreadt reach the degree of perfection destined for it, because it defects and faults are asleep within it, and this make it think that they no longer exsist. Nothing seems difficult for it, it is ready for everything. (specially the deeds of mercy) It begins to plunge it self into God and taste the divine delights. It is carried along by grace and does not take account of the fact that the time of trial and testing may come. And in fact, this state does not last long. Other moments will soon come. I should add here, however, that the soul will respond more faithgully to Divine grace it it has a well informed confessor to whom it can confide everything.

Watch for Lesson Number 2: ON TRAILS SENT BY GOD TO A SOUL WHICH IS PARTICULARLY LOVED BY HIM. TEMPTATIONS AND DARKNESS; SATAN.