The Diary of a Soul – Part One (September-February) E-Book

Margherita Coralluzzo

• Herausgeber: Youcanprint
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The Diary of a Soul – First Part is a six-month spiritual journey, from September to February, designed to guide you in discovering yourself and God's love.Each day includes a Bible verse (CEI translation), reflective questions, and practical exercises to cultivate virtues such as forgiveness, faith, courage, hope, and gratitude.A heartfelt, authentic guide helping readers grow in spiritual life, strengthen daily prayer, and live God's Word in practice.Perfect for personal reading, prayer groups, catechesis, or spiritual retreats.Begin your journey today: your soul awaits.💫 Who this book is for Those seeking spiritual growth and daily prayer. Those wishing to develop virtues like faith, hope, and gratitude. Readers looking for practical tools to live God's Word daily. Those who enjoy guided spiritual journeys and introspection.Anyone wanting a deep, authentic inner-life path.

Leseprobe

Margherita Coralluzzo

THE DIARY

OF A SOUL

Your soul.

A diary that embraces your inner journey,

revealing the profound connection

with yourself and with God.

PART ONE

September / February    

Thank you for choosing this book.

Graphics and cover design:

Margherita Coralluzzo

"First, know thyself. Indeed,

nothing is more difficult than knowing oneself,

nothing is more laborious, nothing requires

greater effort. Yet when you have

known yourself, you will also know God."

Nilus of Ancyra, Patrologia Graeca, 79, 536 C    

Preface

"We cannot hide behind our fingers. In the mindset of our world and our time, superficiality is considered a positive value. Every person strives to maintain a highly 'polished' public image—always perfect, conforming to unattainable imposed standards. Naturally, all the tools that mask imperfections, from digital filters to surgical enhancements, are experiencing an incredible market boom with a growth rate that once seemed impossible to achieve. This fact gives much food for thought, especially when many pay lip service to 'body positivity' and self-acceptance of one's flaws. A veritable festival of ideological hypocrisy. While this is glaringly obvious on a visual level, the interior consequences are equally damaging. The coveted values of life are reduced to monetary success (not even professional achievement focused on dignity and fulfilment, but sheer bank balance) or fame at any cost—even at the expense of selling one's body and dignity. After all, dedicating time to nurturing the wholeness of one's person in a profound, transcendent sense is highly demanding and yields few immediate, marketable results by the world's standards. Instead, people prefer to spend time consuming excessive amounts of short, endlessly stimulating content to drown out the existential void screaming in our souls.

Through the journey proposed in this book, I glimpse the possibility of safeguarding oneself from all this negativity. A slow journey that demands a year of perseverance, day after day, investing in those matters no one sees—those that don't add zeros to your bank account but bear greater fruit for true happiness. I invite you to take advantage of these prompts, of this time you've chosen to invest in your present life and the eternal one to come. May the Lord accompany you and grant you the spiritual fruits that will fill your heart and help you grow as His child."      

Father Ambrogio Mazzai

"We are bombarded andoverwhelmed by countless inputs and infinite communication channels; news and fake news alternate on our screens, yet there is still room to hear a different voice—an authoritative voice, one that resonates with our inner life, guiding and accompanying us on an

original journey of life in the Spirit.

I came to know Margherita Coralluzzo through the internet, and from the very beginning, I felt drawn to her way of transmitting faith.

Margherita truly is this enchanting voice, in every sense. Indeed, beyond publishing several books, she is musically gifted: she writes and performs musicals based on the Word of God.

Margherita lives with the desire to make Love loved and constantly devises new strategies to achieve this goal.

An exemplary wife and mother, she is supported and upheld by an equally exemplary husband.

These pages, rich and dense with food for thought, are the fruit of her assiduous prayer and her love for God.

Seasoned with striking creativity, they allow us to savour and engage with biblical verses we can memorise and internalise, so they may shape us.

For every circumstance and sphere of life, Margherita lets the Bible speak to our hearts, making this Word of God timely and eloquent.

Above all, Margherita lives what she preaches—and so her words lead you to encounter the Word.

For every day of the year, she conjures from the hat of imagination all sorts of questions that compel you to move from theory to practice.

I believe one of the most common challenges facing Christians today is precisely that of uniting prayer with life.

How easy it is to keep them separate! People who go to Mass on Sunday but don't pay their taxes!

These pages will help you, the reader, in your process of transfiguration because they will convey not Margherita's words, but His Word that "penetrates to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow" like a two-edged sword.

The goal is sublime, the calling irrevocable, your response urgent."

Sister Tiziana Mazzei of the AVI.

Before you begin...

The Diary of a Soul, your soul, is a unique and unrepeatable journey because the protagonist of this book is you. It is a spiritual companion diary that helps you deeply know your own heart and God's love.

The Diary of a Soul spans twelve months, with a different theme each month – Forgiveness; The Body, Temple of the Holy Spirit; Knowing God's Love; Hope; Courage; Fear of the Lord; Obedience and Humility; Gratitude: Unity and Truth; Providence; Faith; Charity - each composed of thirty-one verses from the CEI Bible, one per day, with related questions that will help you know more about yourself (and which you can answer if you wish by writing in the diary itself), along with simple, practical daily exercises on the monthly theme, for continuous training and experience of God's love and His presence in your life.

Looking inward, engaging in sincere, authentic self-introspection, is a lifelong journey.

This diary is a guide to understanding your own fragility – those aspects difficult to welcome, love and admit about yourself, sometimes even complicated to discover – so you may rediscover the beauty the Lord has placed in every human being, in your heart, in your original image of God.

"If you wish to know God, first know yourself" (Evagrius Ponticus).

For there will never be another person besides you who can fulfil the mission that only you, in your unique way of being and doing, have been called to accomplish in this life and this world.

This path is designed above all to foster self-knowledge and enter into a more authentic relationship with the Lord, to awaken faith, to keep your gaze of love for the Lord lifted high, while providing you with tools that will help you approach God intimately.

Who is willing to care for their soul? You are the only one who, with your goodwill and the Lord's daily help, can become aware of the value of educating your spirit to love, to life, to understanding the motivations behind certain weaknesses that perhaps influence behaviours, choices, wrong decisions. Starting from knowledge of your inner baggage, by guarding yourself, everything outside will also begin to change – "As one learns to walk by walking, so one learns to love by loving" (St. Francis de Sales).

Once completed, the journey can be repeated from the beginning because, if you have done everything with the desire and determination of your heart – "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it..." (Isaiah 55:10-11) – you will certainly have received its benefits in spiritual growth – "Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21:5).

You will be the protagonist of this diary and it will always be you who completes it, deciding its fate and leaving – or not – a door open to eternal love.

To help you derive the greatest benefit from it, I suggest choosing each day a secluded place where you can withdraw alone and relax. Close your eyes, take long, deep breaths, then recite an opening prayer to invite the Lord to join you in reading your heart, invoke the Holy Spirit, or sing an invocation to the Holy Spirit, your preferred prayer as long as it helps you abandon yourself to listening to the Lord. Whether it's your room where you won't be disturbed, by candlelight, perhaps listening quietly in the background to classical or Christian instrumental music – whatever helps you concentrate. And when you can, do it before a tabernacle too. Exactly as I have done and still do to this day, walking the path that leads to the writing of my soul's diary.

Now it is right for me to step aside, making room for you and the Lord. God bless you and happy journey.

Forgiveness

The White Rose    

*How to prepare. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express the desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day's page.

Day 1

Lord, I ask for your help:

The eyes are the mirror of the soul. Why? The eyes are the filter through which everything I see – images, thoughts and emotions – builds up in the mind withoutever fading away.

Verse of the day: «Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do» (Luke 23:34)

❖What is the first thing that comes to mind when reading this verse? How do you feel when reading it? To whom in your life does it refer? What and how do you wish to forgive them?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: opening your heart to forgiveness means choosing to let go of the anger that torments us. To forgive, therefore, is to have compassion first for oneself, and to avoid living tormented by the past, by wrongs suffered and not fully forgiven. To forgive is to close the door to the darkness of resentment, to the fears triggered by past situations which, if left open, can condition one's present behaviour, sometimes without even being aware of it. Begin by searching your memories for who (including yourself) evokes in you a certain feeling of anger. Try to perceive the physical emotions of that memory, give a name to that emotion and feel in which part of the body it manifests. Now it's up to you to decide what you want to do: rename that emotion with a word that will make you feel good and bring you peace, such as peace, serenity, joy, happiness, forgiveness for example, and then permanently close the door to what was hurting you, flinging it wide open to the light of the present moment, the new word you've given that memory and its renewed emotion. If instead you have a past free of resentment, where everything has been overcome, that's a good starting point. In either case, from today onwards, focus on practising forgiveness consciously, maintaining a certain mastery over your emotions. Forgiveness is an inexhaustible wellspring you can draw from, and at any point in your life it may reappear in different forms, situations you perhaps haven't yet experienced, leaving you disoriented, destabilising your faith-based reactions. If during this day someone tries to make you lose your temper, or if you tend towards touchiness, towards somewhat uncontrolled emotionality, smile, take a deep breath and recall to yourself the name of your renewed emotion, thus managing to restore your peace. Practise this daily.

*How to prepare yourself. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long, deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day's page.

Day 2

Lord, I ask for your help:

Everything that passes through the eyes stays there forever, sometimes influencing thoughts andunconscious, illogical actions that occasionally make mesigh, "How did this even cross my mind— doing orthinking that?"

Verse of the day: «Bear with one another and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.»

(Col 3:13)

❖What is the Lord asking of you today? Have you had a disagreement, an argument, a minor clash with someone? With a family member? How are you reacting? Have you truly forgiven them and treated them with love afterward, or are you silently dwelling on what happened and, without realising it, avoiding them?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: today, focus on your weaknesses, fragilities, sins, and guilt (which I sincerely hope you do not have). For each of these, try to feel compassion. Make an effort to show compassion first to yourself. This does not mean justifying your mistakes, but rather not accusing yourself—instead, accuse the sin. Once you have made amends, or even when you haven’t been able to make amends as you would have liked, show compassion to "yourself." The Lord has mercy on you—are you greater than God? I believe you know the answer. If the Lord forgives you, you absolutely can too. Then close the door on those dark aspects of yourself and look toward your bright present.

*How to prepare. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, clearing your mind of any distractions; take long, deep breaths, focus on the present moment, and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord’s presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day’s page.

Day 3

Lord, I ask for your help:

Who, how, what can come to my aid? Lord Jesus, you know the answer: it is self-mastery.With God’s help and my own good will, I can achieve it.

Verse of the day: "I forgave you that entire debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?" (Mt 18:32–33)

❖Does this verse strike you? How? What does it evoke in you? A lived memory? Who or what does it refer to in your life today? What is the Lord asking of you? Who will you forgive?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: try to identify people you feel have disrespected you, and whom you might encounter again today. Have compassion for yourself, but also for those who disrespect you. How? Pause for a few moments, setting aside your anger, take a deep breath, and when you've found a deliberately calmer moment—encouraging greater objectivity within yourself—meditate on the other person's behaviour: reflect on all the words they used (which, if listened to carefully, might reveal more than what you initially perceived as mere offence) and on their gestures. Try to ask yourself why they acted that way and said those words. How did they come to behave like this? Put yourself in their shoes, look at the situation from their possible perspective, naturally forgetting yourself. Sense what they might have seen in you, what could have triggered those actions, those words—their undoubtedly different viewpoint on the situation. And perhaps you'll realise that, had we been in their place, we might have reacted "perhaps" in a more or less similar way, or simply refrain from judging them at all. You'll see that compassion towards these people will become easier to practise, and resentment will begin to fade until it dissipates entirely with God's help, in time.

*How to prepare. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, clearing your mind of any distractions; take long, deep breaths, focus on the present moment, and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day's page.

Day 4

Lord, I ask for Your help:

Do I dwell on past events, on life's pains, onoffences? Have I tried to welcome, to accept my pain,or do I clash with it? When this happens to me, have I ever tried to shift my attention to something else? No?

Lord, please, help me to try.

Verse of the day: «Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors» (Matthew 6:12)

❖Is there someone you haven't forgiven exactly as God has forgiven you? Would you like to make amends? And how? Can you still do something? Thinking of that person, of that forgiveness not fully genuine on your part—today, would you feel able to pray for this person without any reservations? That is, forgiving wholeheartedly? And you—how strongly do you feel the need to be forgiven by God?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: it's necessary to learn to control anger, even mild resentment, to make room for the light of forgiveness. So today, if someone or something should make you angry, strive to maintain the peace you have in your heart. Do you enjoy being angry? Regardless of whether someone or something might provoke this resentment in you, it isn't attributable to them, but to your choice to decide whether or not to get angry—whether you want serenity to be part of your inner and outer well-being. It's up to you to decide whether you want to live your life to the fullest. You can do it. You just need to practise it every day.

*How to prepare yourself. If possible for at least 15 minutes or even longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long, deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day's page.

Day 5

Lord, I ask for your help:

I understand that I findit difficult to accept certain situations, fragilities,preventing both reason and the heart from progressing, because I realise that wounded pride resists, raisingbarriers that obscure your healing light.

Verse of the day: "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:22)

❖Do you believe you could forgive more than seventy-seven times? Think of the first person who comes to mind, with whom you often have disagreements, who irritates you daily: do you forgive them seventy-seven times a day? That is, have you learned to love them without letting them overwhelm you? If someone has repeatedly wronged you, how many times have you managed to forgive them?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: How can you tell if you tend to hold grudges, or if sometimes you act with a hint of resentment? Resentment isn't an emotion that springs from one person's heart but not another's—rather, it is something taught, like hatred. Humans were undoubtedly born to love and be loved. There can be no love without forgiveness. This means that those who love with their whole being always keep the door open to forgiveness because they have learned to love, to forgive themselves and others. To forgive is to lack the desire for petty vengeance, to retaliate against someone for a wrong suffered, or to take great pleasure if the other person finds themselves in deep distress. True justice, however, means maintaining a forgiving attitude toward the other, whom it would be good to correct with love, as a brother or sister. Revenge, on the other hand, is accompanied by resentment—in extreme cases, by hatred—which, being incompatible with the benevolent nature of the human heart, create suffering in one's own life and hinder the path to personal happiness and healing. Is it worth it? Would you rather suffer more than the wrong you received, rather than embracing the pain and soothing your wounds with the merciful love the Lord wants to give you? So, train yourself not to feed any kind of vengeance, small or great, nor any satisfaction, small or great, toward the other—and love yourself by learning to forgive others.

*How to prepare yourself. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day's passage.

Day 6

Lord, I ask for your help:

Lord Jesus, I know that by welcoming you in others, I lower mydefences, my imperfections, allowing you to enter myheart and heal me. In silence, listen to the Lord.

Verse of the day: “If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

❖Is it easier to ask someone for forgiveness, or to forgive? What prevents you from forgiving? Try to recall the people who have hurt you most or still hurt you: what is in your heart that resists or refuses to let God's forgiveness pass through? What do you want to do to make amends and forgive?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: forgiving does not mean submitting to others, or justifying their wrongs, their bad actions, agreeing with them. To forgive means to free yourself from the pain that somehow keeps you chained to others without respite. It is important to understand this difference, and thus allow yourself to let go into forgiveness. And what if it were you who needed to be forgiven by others? Has this ever happened to you? What happened afterwards? Did that much-needed forgiveness change you and your outlook on life? Is it correct to say that the same could happen in the life of someone who needs your forgiveness? Remember this: no human being is born to hate, but to love. Today, train yourself to welcome the peace, compassion and serenity you desire by accepting God’s forgiveness, without letting your mind repeatedly dwell on any grievance you’ve had with someone, forgiving even the slightest discord and thus loving others as yourself.

*How to prepare yourself. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day's passage.

Day 7

Lord, I entrust myself to you:

Lord Jesus, my gaze can bedeceptive, byvirtueof whatIsee,have seenandfilteredthrough my eyes, creating conflicting thoughts and emotions.

Verse of the day: “Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him sharply; and if he repents, forgive him. Even if he sins against you seven times a day, and seven times comes back to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4).

❖Do you have the patience to forgive? Today, try to reflect on all the moments when someone tested your patience: did you correct them with love? Did you forgive them?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: when you learn to let go of anger and pride, as mentioned in previous exercises, you begin to see your daily present and even your future with a different approach: hope, joy, gratitude, and charity are the fruits of forgiveness, because over time and with practice, they dissolve the resentment that has grown in your heart from past events. Remember, only you can decide to close that chapter and not let it dictate your life anymore. Today, try to deepen your self-awareness—how you react internally and physically to wrongs, whatever they may be. Notice, for example, if certain people irritate you more with their behaviour towards you compared to others. Why is it that the same attitude from someone else affects you less? It’s important to understand why you suffer more with some people and decide to shut the door on the triggers from your past, ensuring that darkness no longer influences your attitudes and inner well-being.

*How to prepare yourself. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate today's passage.

Day 8

Lord, I entrust myself to you:

It may happen in my frailty,that I might overlook certain things, distorting the reality of some facts, likely confused by emotions stemming from certain memories, thoughts, experienceslived through the years which, without even realising it, haveescaped or may still escape my control.

Verse of the day: "Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord" (1 Samuel 15:25)

❖Is there something for which you'd like to ask the Lord's forgiveness but find particularly difficult to do? Whether a past or present event, is there something you haven't forgiven yourself for and would like God's help in doing so?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: are you practising self-compassion? You are the key that unlocks God's mercy. Without your will, your cooperation, your free choice to receive forgiveness from the Lord, it cannot endure as one might hope. Because to forgive is to free oneself from the snare of resentment, so that when the triggering event of our suffering comes to mind, there is no longer enslavement to the bitterness that binds us to a particular person who has wronged us – just as God the Father does, making our memory precious and less painful. The Lord does not forget our pain, nor what we think or do; He reads our hearts, our mistakes, our repentance, our conversion, measuring everything with love. Train yourself to be compassionate towards yourself, and learn to pour out the same feelings of care, charity, meekness and kindness even towards those who disrespect you. This is a truly laborious step, and as such, essential in pursuing forgiveness.

*How to prepare yourself. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express the desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day's scripture.

Day 9

Lord I entrust myself to you:

I mayconvince myself of untruthful events, making mistakesin recounting them,tellingdetailsthat are exaggeratedunfortunatelyalmost deceitful, embellishments, unflattering distortions that are notauthentic, or speaking disproportionately about someone.

Verse of the day: "After I went astray, I repented; after I came to understand, I struck my thigh. I was ashamed and humiliated,

because I bear the disgrace of my youth"

(Jer. 31:19-20)

❖Have you truly managed to forgive your entire past? Is there something still making you act conditioned by your mistakes? Do you feel free from all guilt?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you. Indeed, the Lord calls this "the golden rule". Why is this? Because learning to view situations through others' eyes teaches us to understand the reasons behind their behaviour towards us, and to discover some of our own shortcomings that may exist. Usually there are also unintentional ones that perhaps we hadn't yet realised. Behaving well and claiming "I'm a good person, what sins do I commit?" doesn't exempt anyone from making mistakes, because no human is infallible or superior to another human being - not even to one who has committed terrible crimes. I know, this is difficult to understand and accept. But if we wish to love others as ourselves, to be merciful as our Father in heaven, we must always do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Today, focus on repairing your inner home: examine your heart and sift through your memories. Do you have any unresolved matters with someone? Whether it's a mistake you haven't yet rectified or lingering thoughts about shortcomings toward someone dear to you (a person you never reach out to, never call, or have neglected, for instance). Dedicate this day to mending your heart and allowing forgiveness and peace to return within you. Of course, this isn't the end. For the repair to bear the good that comes from the Lord, you must do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Identify those who still stir resentment in you at the mere thought of them—people you may have stopped greeting or whom you tolerate with a forced smile while harbouring unrest in your heart. Consider their perspective and, with God's help, reach out to them through whatever means you have. Initiate an open dialogue, show through words and actions that you hold no grudge, and let them feel your love. Simply behave with the same attitude of forgiveness and love that you yourself have received from others and have allowed the Lord to grant you.

*How to prepare. If possible, for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place. Close your eyes, clear your mind of distractions, take long deep breaths, focus on the present moment, and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord’s presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day’s passage.

Day 10

Lord, I entrust myself to you:

PerhapsI’ve even believed I knew, convinced myself of whatsomeone else thought, substituting their true thoughts andfeelings with ones that were not theirs.

Verse of the day: “Cleanse me from my hidden faults” (Psalm 18:13)

❖Do you think you’ve done things that were not good, unaware of their harm? Do you recognise the Lord as the only one who can purify your heart? How do you know when your heart is innocent? Is it, or do you too need God’s purification today?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: Be gentle with yourself and practise forgiveness exercises daily, for the rest of your life. Learning to forgive, like any other virtue to be acquired through the Lord, requires constant practice. A diet doesn’t work if you achieve quick results only to regain the lost weight later; nor can years of study guarantee success without continuous application. Stepping into the field, taking action repeatedly, helps you grow in what you’ve learned and sets no limits to your experiences or to what you might still discover about yourself, others, and the ever-evolving world around you. Choose one of the exercises from previous days—the one you feel highlighted your difficulties or vulnerabilities most. Repeat it today (better still if you can repeat them all daily).

*How to prepare yourself. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express the desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate today's page.

Day 11

Lord, I entrust myself to you:

Lord, there are things I have looked at and thus thought about,experienced, or that I still find myself looking at and experiencing today, that arouse in me feelings of discomfort, of embarrassment.

Verse of the day: «It is I, yes, I who wipe out your transgressions for my own sake, and remember your sins no more» (Isaiah 43)

❖What does this passage evoke in you? Are you receptive to the words He is communicating to you? Do they leave you indifferent, or do they inspire you to sin less? Do you truly feel forgiven by God?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: Do you have an accurate perception of yourself? Do you undervalue or excessively overvalue yourself? Are you driven by insecurity or pride? Without inner balance, both will distance you from who you truly are. Who are you, and what do you wish to become? When insecurity is excessive—constantly underestimating yourself—you risk confusing this attitude with humility, which is entirely different. A humble person possesses great strength of spirit, allowing themselves to be loved by God and choosing to follow His will to learn how to love. We’ll explore this meaning further in upcoming themes. Returning to the habit of sincerely and excessively undervaluing yourself—maintaining this mindset creates a flawed pattern, a habit, an inauthentic self-perception. How does this perpetual attitude make you feel and live? Are you happy? Are you at peace? If your answer is no, as I suspect, you might reflexively fall into another misguided behaviour: judging yourself and others too harshly. What happens as a result? The grace of the Lord’s forgiveness may struggle to reach you, for He will find a wall of suffering before your heart. Conversely, overvaluing yourself leads to an attitude of superiority, feeling better than others, entirely losing sight of who you and others truly are. Who are you? Pride obscures the truth of what you are and what you can become over time. Overvaluation likely hides personal insecurities, fears of failure, or attempts to maintain control over others—often at your own expense—leading to scornful judgments of others and inner dissatisfaction. Today, try to discern whether you feel you belong, even slightly—only in certain circumstances—or greatly to these behavioural patterns, and if you wish, begin your transformation. Close these doors each day. Show compassion and love toward yourself. Discover yourself, see yourself anew and truthfully: love yourself and love others.

*How to prepare yourself. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long, deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express the desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day's passage.

Day 12

The Lord listens to you:

Lord, forgive me if I havefailed someone.

Verse of the day: "The one who is forgiven little loves little," says Jesus in the Gospel according to Luke (47)

❖Do you see yourself in this verse? Do you feel you've been forgiven too little by someone in your life? How much have you loved in your life? How much have you forgiven yourself and consequently others? Thinking of occasions when certain people forgave you little, do you believe you've since forgiven them? Do you love yourself and them too? (reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: are you practicing forgiveness through daily exercises? Don't rush. Because learning the art of loving and forgiving takes time - the necessary time to understand yourself and the people involved in situations that hurt you. Understanding is the beginning of compassion. Today, revisit the situations and people you still find difficult to forgive, those who remain close to you. Re-examine their actions, why they acted that way, how you reacted and why. Understand that the other person is different from you, with their own background, their own personal history distinct from yours. Perhaps you'll come to see they acted within a specific context, doing what came to mind or what they were capable of at that moment. Realise that a person acts according to the measure of love they've received and been taught to give - whether little or much. This is challenging inner work, but not impossible. Perseverance is your ally, and the Lord even more so.

*How to prepare yourself. Possibly for at least 15 minutes or even longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long, deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the page of the day.

Day 13

The Lord listens to you:

Lord, forgive me if I have pushed people away,ifIhavenotinvitedthemtoparticipateinmyconversations, if I have avoided listening to them, excluding them from mylife.

Verse of the day: "Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered" (Psalm 31:1)

❖Do you remember the first time you felt forgiven by the Lord? Do you also recall what it stirred in your heart? How did it change your life? Do you also remember how you felt the first time you forgave someone? And now, how do you experience forgiveness given and received?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: today, train yourself to consider the reasons why the people you will meet today, those you encounter daily, act or say things in a certain way. Why do they have certain types of reactions? Why does one person keep their gaze lowered? Why does another rarely smile? Why is someone always cheerful? Why is another preoccupied? Why does one throw themselves headlong into work? Why does someone seem present but with a distant gaze? Observe and try to understand, guess, intuit, or perhaps ask the person directly about the hidden reasons behind their behaviour. This will undoubtedly help you learn more about people and approach them with compassion.

*How you can prepare. Possibly for at least 15 minutes or even longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long, deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the page of the day.

Day 14

The Lord listens to you:

Forgive me if I have perhaps created or participated ingossipaboutsomeone,spreadingdoubtsaboutthem,exaggeratinginmy speech, thereby riskingeventheirreputationandtheirdignity.

Verse of the day: "There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance" (Luke 15:7)

❖Do you truly believe you are unique in God's eyes? Have you ever thought, "I am a great sinner" and don't deserve God's mercy? What do you think – when you allow yourself to be forgiven by the Lord, how does He react and what might He feel? And you? Do you feel like a righteous person or a sinner?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: another necessary practice is to internalise that there truly are people who do not realise what they are doing. That is, through daily practice in understanding others, by considering their life experiences and putting yourself in their shoes, you may come to recognise that certain behaviours can cause harm to themselves or others, entirely unintentionally. In other words, without deep self-awareness of the good and evil within themselves and the world, they may commit wrongs without any conscious intention to hurt anyone. Naturally, this doesn’t justify a mistake, because the nature of an error remains unchanged: a sin is always a sin. What changes is the "how" – how to view another human being justly and truthfully. Thus, choose "how" you wish to receive the pain inflicted upon you, accepting or rejecting a truth that might lessen its impact on your state of mind, ultimately coming to understand that you can forgive that person. Today, practice observing the people around you or those you encounter – if any of them hurt someone or hurt you. Scrutinise their heart, make an effort to understand whether they act (or fail to act) with deliberate intent to cause harm.

*How to prepare yourself. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, clearing your mind of all distractions; take long, deep breaths, focus on the present moment, and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord’s presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day’s passage.

Day 15

The Lord hears you:

Lord,forgive me for all the times I have betrayed afriend’s trust.

Verse of the day: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

❖How great is your measure of forgiveness? In what life circumstances do you find it hardest to forgive? Can you forgive and look to the present, remembering the triggering event without any resentment?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: today’s practice in understanding concerns you personally. The exercise involves learning to forgive yourself – that is, distinguishing sinning from identifying yourself with the sin, convincing yourself that you are the problem, blaming yourself as a wrong person rather than recognising the "wrong action committed" by you. It’s a trap many people fall into, gradually convincing themselves over time that they are flawed individuals. You are not your sin, but you are the one who may "commit" a sin. Committing it or not is a choice, a free action – sometimes, as mentioned earlier, even unconscious, because each of us is on a journey of inner and spiritual discovery that will never end, if we choose to pursue it. So today, carry out this exercise: think of the various sins, more or less grave, that you have committed, those you remember. Begin to speak and describe them. Try to notice your mistakes throughout the day, but pay attention to how you describe them. Don’t speak in a way that mortifies yourself with phrases like "I wasn’t able to do this," "I was stupid for doing this and that," "I’m a horrible person," just to name a few examples. When you make a mistake, acknowledge that you were wrong, that you "did" that thing, and make amends. Then shut the door on thoughts of insecurity, those dark thoughts that seek to influence your attitudes, and move forward by forgiving yourself.

How to prepare yourself. Ideally for at least 15 minutes or even longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long, deep breaths, focus on the present moment, and inwardly express the desire to be in the Lord’s presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day’s passage.

Day 16

The Lord listens to you:

Lord, forgive me if I have betrayed a promise.

Verse of the day: "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48)

❖Have you ever felt the desire for revenge against someone who has hurt you? Can you restrain the impulse to get angry at those who wrong you? If you can’t, do you know how to make amends afterward? How do you feel when you react by repaying a wrongdoing in kind?

(reflect and answer the questions)

❖Exercise: I want to remind you that no one in the world is a wrong person. Neither you nor anyone else. But mistakes are made. That said, dedicate today to trying to have compassion for your mistakes and, above all, to admitting that you’ve made mistakes—that is, acknowledging them. Recognising your own frailties, shortcomings, and wrongs helps you approach daily forgiveness while maintaining inner peace.

*How to prepare yourself. Possibly for at least 15 minutes or longer if you wish, try to gather yourself in silence, in a comfortable position, in a quiet place, closing your eyes, emptying your mind of any distractions; take long deep breaths, focus on the present moment and inwardly express your desire to be in the Lord's presence. Invoke the Holy Spirit and then contemplate the day's passage.

Day 17

The Lord hears you:

Lord forgive me if I betrayed confidences entrusted to me by another person who was living through life's fragilities,things I should have kept to myself, thereby jeopardising the dignity of another  human being.

Verse of the day: "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:20-26)

❖Have you ever realised you hurt someone so deeply that you humiliated them, perhaps making them feel dead inside? And you – have you been so offended by words that you felt humiliated? Have you ever denigrated someone to others, calling them a fool, a scoundrel, an idiot? If and when you've been wounded this way, did you lose self-respect? Now, becoming aware of this, will you try to be more careful about what you say to someone when angry?

(reflect and answer the questions)

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