Sister Josefa journal notes in the beginning

I have read the Way of Divine Love once before and I am still in awe of how much Our Lord loves each of us and how we can please Him even in the most simple tasks as Sister Josefa did. I want to be able to impart at least some part of the lessons Our Lord and Our Lady taught Sister Josefa in the book. Sister Josefa detailed as much as she could in her journal which she was instructed by Our Lord to do. Sister Josefa was given many incredible gifts, spiritually and visually, that I will never truly comprehend. She also received many prayers to offer for the salvation of souls, comfort for Our Lord.

Josefa wrote in her journal "Jesus, I have but one desire-that the whole world may know Thee, but especially the souls of religious whom Thou hast chosen for Thy adorable Heart. If they know thee, they will love Thee, for Thou art the One and Only Good. Inflame me with Thy Love and that is enough for me....Inflame all hearts and this, too, will suffice, for where there is love, we run to Thee by the shortest way. As for myself, I ask only to love Thee daily more and more, only Thee! Everything else will be but a path to lead me to Thee. Would that I could bring the whole world to the Divine furnace of Thy Heart, even if it cost me my life. Jesus has given me such a thirst to make all men love Him that I am ready to offer all, to undertake all that costs me most, to please Him and obtain that others may know and love Him.
"I promised Him to do except what Holy Obedience prescribes, and I understand that it will please Him very much if I am simple and very open with Superiors, so as to allow to be guided as a little child" {pg31}

Novena to Sister Josefa

If you want to experience the miraculous power of Sister Josefa, turn to her with tender confidence! She can console you almost instantly in little things if would take some time, and quietly recollect yourself in a spirit of prayer to her. In a sweet and gentle voice, she can console you with an answer, or grant you peace. If your case is more desperate, your prayers must be more serious and diligent. You might compose a Novena of your own, offering prayers, or Chaplets, or Rosary's in Josefa's honor. (A novena is a way of praying of the same prayers of supplication for 9 consecutive days, in remembrance of the 9 days the Apostles waited for the descent of the Holy Spirit after the Ascension of Jesus into heaven.) You might ask the other saints in heaven to greet Josefa with kisses of love in your name. Or, you might pray the wonderful Novena provided below, which was composed with great love by someone who was miraculously touched by Josefa's power. He then, sent that prayer to me. I had no specific prayer to Josefa posted on this site. In a similar way, a Mexican girl who had been helped by Josefa, contacted me via the Internet years ago. She translated the early version this article into Spanish. Her Spanish version of this page has been viewed many times.


Sister Josefa ALWAYS grants a signal grace at the end of any Novena said in her honor. The answers she will provide for your prayers are truly amazing! She really will help any time ... all the time! Like Jacinta of Fatima, she is EXTREMELY POWERFUL against the temptations or torments of the devil. Turn to Josefa if you are being tempted or tormented, tell her that the devil is attacking the kingdom of her Lord Jesus, (your soul). She will provide help for you almost immediately. Just threatening to call upon Josefa causes the devil to flee!


Sister Josefa can help in every area of life. There is only one way to find out how powerful she really is: send up a prayer! You can click on the above picture of Josefa, to get a slightly larger image of her. You might print out that picture, secure it in some way to a stronger backing, have that image blessed, and talk to Josefa like you would to a dear friend. Her spirit is kind, gentle, and very compassionate. She really will help you in miraculous ways! Please, remember, to fittingly thank her for any favor she obtains for you!


NOVENA PRAYER


O Jesus, full of Grace and Charity, Victim for sinners,
So impelled by Love for us that You willed to die on the Cross,
I humbly beseech You to glorify in heaven and on earth
The Servant of God and Victim Soul,Sr. Josefa Menendez,
Who faithfully participated in Your Passion
And shared Your Sufferings, to prepare the way for
The Devotion to the Divine Mercy,
For the salvation of souls,
And for the Glory of Your Heavenly Father.
With confidence I beg You to grant me,
Through her intercession, the Grace of: ______________.


One decade of the Rosary, or one decade of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
& 3 Glory be's in honor of Sr. Josefa.

Our Lady gave Josefa a Lesson

"My daughter, I will give you a lesson of very great importance; the devil is like a mad dog, but he is chained, that is to say, his liberty is curtailed. He can, therefore, only seize and devour his prey if you venture too near him, and that is why his actual tactics are to make himself appear as a lamb. The soul does not realize this and draws nearer and nearer, only to discover his malice when in his clutches. When he seems far away, do not relax your vigilance, child; his footsteps are padded and silent, that he may take you unawares" {pg 100 in the Way of Divine Love} Jesus says "My Heart takes comfort in forgiving, I have no greater desire, no greater joy, than when I can pardon a soul. When a souls returns to Me after a fall, the comfort she gives Me is a gain for her, for I regard her with a very great love. Have no fear whatsoever. As you are nothing but wretchedness, I wish to make use of you, I will supply for all your deficiencies....Let me act in you" {pg107}

Jesus appeals to the souls of His Children

The Message of the Sacred Heart to the World -- The love of the Sacred Heart for men was revealed to St. Margaret Mary three hundred years ago, and now He has again made known that today His Heart awaits only a confident turning towards Him in order that He may pour out fresh treasures on the world. The young Spanish sister to whom these revelations were made died after a short religious life of great suffering and great fidelity. This book was written by one who has the best right to record what happened, as she was the guide and support of Sr. Josefa in the experiences which were almost too great for human nature to bear. Yet this book is something more than an account of extraordinary graces granted to a humble soul: it is the Message which Our Lord Himself desired to be made known to the world. It is His own words.

"Tell them . . . My Heart is not only an abyss of Love; it is also an abyss of Mercy."

The Same Spirituality

It was in a Congregation dedicated to the Heart of Christ that Josefa spent four years of her religious life, first as a novice and then as a professed sister. Even if the Message is marked by Josefa’s personality and by the time during which it was given, it is firmly rooted in the spirituality of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Whether it be the original Constitutions drawn up by St. Madeleine Sophie in 1815 or the new Constitutions revised during the Chapter of 1982, we find the same principal ideas as those found in the Message, an identical inspiration going beyond differences of language and culture... The experience Josefa lived through is essentially one of love: it was granted to her to be immersed in that fire of love which is the Heart of Christ and where she lived intensely her union with the Risen Jesus. He had called her to « a personal encounter with Him »; He wanted « to reveal to her the feelings and the preferences of His Heart ». Josefa responded freely to this grace letting herself be guided and transformed through it. She accepted to live in conformity with Him who loved her and whom she loved – and this unto the cross. From Him she learned to give her life in meekness and humility. The « Constitutions » have traced for the Congregation a « way » along which the Lord has conducted Josefa and every religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a unique manner. In our days, the Congregation’s commitment to serve in the world entails most certainly a more social and more political dimension than that which existed in Josefa’s life. Nevertheless, her insertion in the workplace, before she entered religious life, has certainly helped her to « contemplate reality and to experience it with His Heart». Following the example of Jesus, she committed herself and gave her life for the salvation of souls, to « the service of the Kingdom », as stated in our present Constitutions. Her life and the Message attached to it remind us that the building of the Kingdom is primarily the Work of Christ before being a human undertaking. In the Constitutions of 1982, the religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus often express their conviction as follows :

« The pierced Heart of Jesus opens our being to the depths of God and to the anguish of humankind. Jesus draws us into His movement of adoration of the Father and love for all, especially those who are poor »

. « The love of the Heart of Jesus and the desire to make Him known « animate all our activities ». For them, as for Josefa, the experience of a personal love of Jesus comes first; it orientates their mission. This experience is the source of their commitment to serve in the world. Inspired by the 1815 Constitutions, those of 1982 define the vocation of the Religious of the Sacred Heart in these terms:

« By our charism, we are consecrated to glorifying the Heart of Jesus : we answer His call to discover and reveal His love letting ourselves be transformed by His Spirit so as to live united and conformed to Him, and through our love and service to radiate the very love of his Heart»

. Extract from: The Introduction to the 2004 edition

http://www.oeuvre-du-sacre-coeur.be/?lang=en

Basic information about Sister Josefa Sister Josefa Menendez was born on February 4, 1890 in Madrid, Spain. Being of Spanish descent, she initially sought to enter the religious life in Spain, but God’s Providence lead her elsewhere and eventually, after many trials, she entered a French Convent and became a Sister of the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1920 at age 29. But the story of her spiritual journey describes the action of God and of His love in a heart that is wholly given. The Lord very quickly and very frequently manifests Himself to Josefa and her associates with His Work of Love. With Him she has constantly to struggle against the forces of evil. Besides being a witness of His infinite love to the world, she will also witness His redeeming “passion”. During her earthly life she had received visions from the Lord that spoke of His unfathomable love for the world. Everything in Josefa's life is grace giving and profoundly moving. Her writings and her life confirm each other, as evidence that all that took place in her was divine in origin. Even the most extraordinary happenings have an aim and significance. There are no useless details, no record of revelations that do not bring out in clearer light and force some dogmatic truth, giving us deeper insight into the Heart of Our Lord, His love, the value of souls, the happiness of heaven, the irreparable loss of the damned. Jesus to Josefa “I want to use you to make people know still more the mercy and love of my Heart .. Help me in this work of love!”

My intention with this blog is to not only post her relationship with Jesus but also the beautiful prayers He and His Mother gave her to reflect on. She also was attacked by the devil on many occasions and she was taken to hell

Cause for beautification for Sister Josefa Menendez

I had sent an email to the society of the Sacred Heart inquiring about the Cause of beautification of Sister Josefa and they sent me the attached card in French with permission to translate and distribute to further the cause. Please ask for Sister Josefa's intercession in all your daily tasks.