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(Please see below Thesis Section II A.13 (13.4), “Satan Tempts a Suffering Soul to Shun
Going to Confession,” vignette on the Sacrament of Penance, based on Diary, # 1715).
II A.7 The Least Venial Sin Offends Christ Causing Him to Suffer Greatly 122
(7.1) During His Passion, Christ Suffered Deeply for the Least Sin (Diary, # 1016)
Sr. Faustina wrote in her Diary that on March 15, 1937, she entered into the “bitter”
Passion of Christ, in her own body and soul. But the intense suffering was a “purely spiritual”
one. She came to understand “how horrible sin was;” for even the smallest sin produced untold
suffering on Christ’s “soul.” Thus, she resolved that she would rather undergo the evils of “a
thousand hells" than to offend the good and the Thrice-Holy God with the least venial sin (Is 6:3;
Diary, # 1334). lii
(7.2) Sr. Faustina Offers a Lesson when God Made Her Aware of Her Venial Sins
( Diary, # 851-852): On December 28, 1936, with the closing of the year, Sr. Faustina
began making the Novena to the Divine Mercy for the intentions of Archbishop [Jalbrzykowski]
and Fr. Sopocko, her Confessor. She prayed that the Lord may “inspire the Archbishop to
approve the Chaplet, which (was) so pleasing to God, and also the Image, and that he may not
put off or delay this work” (Diary, # 851). To pray the Novena, she put herself “in spirit” before
the Divine Mercy Image and she recited the Chaplet as Jesus instructed her. On the second day
of the Novena, she saw the Image of Jesus as if it seemingly came alive; looked at her, as well as
revealed to her, her least venial sins. Sr. Faustina then responded with a prayerful, humble, and a
repentant heart. Then, she petitioned the Lord’s help for “purity of heart and soul” (Diary, #
852) . She wrote in her Diary:
122
Ibid., Faustina, Diary, # 1016, 851-852, 1183, 71, 1334.
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