Book-Notes-720-x-340-dark-gold-outline-and-medium-blue-pen-_-Notes-light-blue-702x336 There's a lot more to the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina Kowalska besides the popular Divine Mercy chaplet. But for a long time I'd shied away from reading her writing, figuring that it would be complicated and intimidating. Aside from quotes in other spiritual books, I haven't read her Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul. Susan Tassone, well-known for her other writing on Purgatory, Adoration, and Divine Mercy, has taken St. Faustina's Diary and made it accessible in a new daily devotional from Sophia Institute Press. Day by Day with Saint Faustina: 365 Reflections is a page-per-day devotional that bridges the gap between the spiritual and the practical. Day by Day with St Faustina   While the monthly sections of the book are not organized by theme, Susan's choice of readings for each day of the year are often informed by the liturgical calendar. Each day's reflection is made up of three parts: a quote from the Diary, a short reflection (just a few sentences) that's instructional and also a call to action or sometimes a quote from Scripture, and a simple prayer to wrap it up. The simplicity of Susan's writing is an excellent foil to the more formal style characteristic of St. Faustina. Susan has the ability to get to the heart of the message in each selection and frame it in language that inspires, edifies, and motivates. For example, here's the closing prayer for Sunday, July 21's reflection:
Thank you, Lord, that I don't have to understand Your peace in order to receive it. Jesus, I trust in You.
Why are we talking about a daily devotional in the middle of the year? Why not? You can start praying with this devotional anytime you like (that's what bookmarks are for!), so there's no need to feel that you must wait until January to add Day by Day with Saint Faustina to your daily prayer time. Take a peek inside the book with Sophia Institute Press's preview feature.

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Copyright 2019 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS This article contains Amazon affiliate links; your purchases through these links benefit the author.

About the Author

Barb Szyszkiewicz

Barb Szyszkiewicz

Barb Szyszkiewicz, senior editor at CatholicMom.com, is a wife, mom of 3 young adults, and a Secular Franciscan. Barb enjoys writing, cooking, and reading, and is a music minister at her parish. Find her blog at FranciscanMom and her family’s favorite recipes with nutrition information at Cook and Count. Barb is the author of The Handy Little Guide to Prayer and The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours, available from Our Sunday Visitor.