33 Days to Merciful Love: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Consecration to Divine Mercy

Having read Fr. Gaitley's "Consoling The Heart Of Jesus" and his "33 Days To Morning Glory", a Marian Consecration book based on the thought of St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. John Paul II, and Blessed (soon to be St.) Teresa of Calcutta, I was excited to see that he had taken up the subject of a Consecration to Divine Mercy based largely on St. Therese's "Offering To Merciful Love" with a little bit of St. Faustina added. Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. I made Fr. Gaitley's "Prayer of Consecration to Merciful Love" on pages 134 and 135 and renewed my "Offering to Merciful Love" in the words of the Little Flower, on pages 135 and 136, which I first made on June 9, 1995, the 100th anniversary of Therese first making the Consecration. This book can best be summarized by some words on pages 55-57: "[T]he Little Way is all about the heart of the Gospel: Divine Mercy. It's all about remaining little and then arriving at the heights of holiness through the descending mercy of Jesus. ... It's about accepting that we are to put up with ourselves - with all the darkness of our weakness, brokenness, and sin, - without getting discouraged. It's recognizing, without giving up, that some struggles are chronic. It's realizing, without despairing, that they may be with us till our dying day. But it's also about realizing that this does not prevent us from becoming saints." I particularly liked and lingered on days 2 thru 7, which are about the importance of faith (trust) and the great faith and trust of our Mother in Faith, Mary, and our Father in Faith, Abraham. They believed God's promises would be fulfilled despite how humanly impossible those promises seemed. However little Faith one has had, however greatly one has sinned, one should never despair of God's Merciful Love as St. Therese tells us: "[E]ven though I had on my conscience all the sins that can be committed, I would go, my heart broken with sorrow, and throw myself into Jesus' arms, for I know how much He loves the prodigal child who returns to Him." (PP. 54,55) And St. Faustina: "Let our judgment of souls cease, for God's mercy upon them is extraordinary. ... Oh, how beyond comprehension is God's mercy! ... God's mercy sometimes touches the sinner at the last moment in a wondrous and mysterious way." (PP. 192, 193)

Since I was a young teen I was told that my spiritual gift was mercy (I have my mentor and friend Omer Young among others to thank for this understanding). Four decades later I'm finally coming home to an understanding of that gift. Much gratitude and thanks to Fr. Michael Gaitley and my Parish Priest Fr. Jim Chelich for shining light on this path, this way of being and understanding the Gospel that fits my soul. Today, April 23, 2017, Divine Mercy Sunday, was my first consecration to looking at life through this lens and I am joyfully dedicated to learning to grow in this little way. For anyone who wants to learn how to trust God more and follow His way of Divine Mercy I highly recommend this book as a starting point. Even non-Catholics can benefit from being taken through this little 'school of trust', as this spirituality is accessible to any Christian with an open heart and mind and explains much about the human condition and our basic problem of distrust in God's goodness. I want to be a missionary for Divine Mercy! May it start in a tiny way right here. May God bless you with His Mercy and Peace!

This book is thought provoking, powerful, inspiring and has opened my mind and heart to divine mercy in a new way. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to become closer to Jesus.

33 days to merciful love is so inspiring and beautiful! It’s very easy to understand and each day is not long at all, it’s very do able! You learn so many great things from the Author, St. Therese, and St. Faustina! Please read it! It changes you!

Father Michael E. Gaitley has a writing style that is very accessible. I enjoyed his sense of humor while reflecting on the very important message of Merciful Love. This book helped me to get through a difficult time in my life and helped me to refocus on what is most important. It was easy to read and easy to follow through with the daily meditations.

I am usually not a person who likes novenas or consecrations...but this was recommended by a close friend in faith and I felt inspired to take it up and I am deeply grateful I did. Although I have read other books about St. Therese I was not able to understand her too well let alone how to practice her "Little Way" in a genuine manner. I am amazed by the journey Fr. Gaitley took me through the Gospels, the heart of man and the Sacred Heart. It helped me become open to my sins and weaknesses, joyful in receiving God's merciful love and able to love others more easily and empathetically. I have and will continue to recommend these to many for years...

Simple, straightforward and beautiful. This book takes you behind the spirituality of St. Therese and helps you understand how all of us is worth of God's love and compassion. If you're afraid of suffering and don't think you are strong enough, then get this book! It will change you're perspective and help you realize how much love our Lord has for you! It's a very easy and engaging read, and it could just change your life.

Very easy to read, splits the readings into 2-3 pages each day and is easy to follow. This book takes beautiful, complex theology and breaks it down into simple bites that we can apply to our daily lives. Every day starts with and ends with a small prayer. After Day 3, I decided to buy 20 more of them and hand them out to close friends... that was 2 years ago. I've just bought the 30th one for my wife (whom I met shortly after reading this book). We're going to go through it together during Lent this year and can barely contain our excitement. Fair warning: this will definitely take your walk with Christ to the next level. Some people, such as my Protestant friends, were not ready for it because it dives a little bit into doctrine. Encourage them to pray as they read and to not let fear paralyze them, and let them know that the book's bigger lesson is so worthy of their time, even if they disagree with some of the smaller lessons.

This is a great book to do a retreat at home. Recomend this book

I absolutely love this book. Very easy to read and understand. For anyone who wants to become a Saint ( Who doesn't?) this book will absolutely change your Life. It is a "do it yourself retreat" By the Author of "33 days to Morning Glory". Based on the teachings of St Therese on the "Little Way". St Therese strongly believed that she would go straight to Heaven not because of her Merits but because she trusted so much in the MERCY of our Lord. She saw herself as a very LITTLE Soul...just like you and I but she asked Jesus to pour into her heart all the "rejected" Mercy that people didn't want to have. Look I can only recommend this book my sister, my brother. It will renew your mind and make you realise just how much we need the Mercy of God. And How much He is ready to Shower us with His Mercy!

The package arrived in absolutely perfect condition / Il pacco è arrivato in condizioni assolutamente perfette.

Good book to read