Lenten Journaling Ideas: Quiet the Noise with "The Way of Divine Love"

Lenten Journaling Ideas: Quiet the Noise with "The Way of Divine Love"

Lent is often synonymous with "doing." We do more penance, we do more almsgiving, we do more prayer. But in our modern, hyper-connected world, perhaps the most radical Lenten penance we can offer is stopping.

It is easy to let the 40 days rush by in a blur of fish fries and checklists. We can become so busy "keeping Lent" that we fail to meet the One for whom we are keeping it.

This year, I invite you to a different kind of Lenten discipline: The discipline of slowing down and listening.

Using the spiritual classic The Way of Divine Love—the revelations of the Sacred Heart given to Sister Josefa Menéndez—let’s explore how to use a journal not just to record our thoughts, but to enter into the "Chain of Love" that Jesus desires to wrap around the world.

First: The Saintly Case for Slowing Down

If you feel like you don't have time to sit and journal for 10 minutes, you are exactly the person who needs to do it. The saints fought the battle of "busyness" long before the smartphone was invented.

Before you open your notebook, breathe in these words of wisdom:

"Half an hour's meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed."

— St. Francis de Sales

"God is the friend of silence. See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls."

— St. Teresa of Calcutta

"There is much danger for those who work in the world... The danger is 'cursed activity'—that they will become so immersed in the work of the Lord that they forget the Lord of the work."

— St. Vincent de Pallotti

The Principles of The Way of Divine Love

Sister Josefa Menéndez (1890–1923) was a humble Spanish sister who received powerful revelations from Jesus. His message to her wasn’t about performing great miracles or harsh penances. It was about intimacy, trust, and the sanctification of the ordinary.

Jesus told her: "I do not ask for great things; I want only love and trust... I want to be the life of your life."

Applying this to your Lenten journaling means shifting your focus from "What did I achieve today?" to "How did I love today?"

4 Journaling Prompts for Your Lenten Walk

Grab a simple notebook. Date the page. Write "AMDG" or a small cross at the top. Use these themes to guide your writing during Lent.

1. The Offering of the Ordinary

In The Way of Divine Love, Jesus constantly reminds Josefa that even her smallest actions—sewing, sweeping, feeling tired—have infinite value if united to His Heart. He tells her: "My Heart gives value to the smallest actions... Nothing is small if it is done with love."

  • The Journaling Prompt:

    • What was the most mundane or tedious task I did today? (Washing dishes, a commute, a difficult email).

    • Did I do it alone, or did I invite Jesus into it?

    • Write a short prayer handing that specific task to Jesus retroactively, asking Him to use it for the salvation of souls.

2. The Exchange of Hearts (Reparation)

A central theme of Josefa’s revelations is reparation—comforting Jesus for the coldness of the world. But Jesus clarifies that this comfort doesn't always require grand suffering. He says: "I want you to be My rest."

  • The Journaling Prompt:

    • Jesus, what is weighing on Your Heart today?

    • (Pause and listen. Is it the division in the world? A specific person in your life who is struggling? Your own lack of trust?)

    • Write down one specific way you will be "His rest" tomorrow. It might be holding your tongue when angry, or smiling at someone who is difficult.

3. Overcoming the Fear of Weakness

We often hide from God when we fail. We think we need to be perfect to approach the altar. Jesus shatters this illusion with Josefa, telling her: "Your misery attracts Me... It is because you are so wretched that I have chosen you."

  • The Journaling Prompt:

    • What is the one fault or sin I am most ashamed of this Lent?

    • Instead of writing about how I will "fix" it by sheer will, write a dialogue where I simply show this broken piece to Jesus.

    • Imagine Him saying to you what He said to Josefa: "Give me that misery; it is the property of My Heart." How does that change your anxiety?

4. The Request for Trust

If you read only one thing in The Way of Divine Love, let it be the call to confidence. Jesus repeats it endlessly: "I do not look at the act, I look at the intention... I want souls to believe in My love, to believe in My mercy, to believe in Me."

  • The Journaling Prompt:

    • Where in my life am I acting out of fear rather than trust? (Finances, the future of my children, health?)

    • Write the sentence: "Jesus, I surrender [Specific Worry] to You."

    • Beneath it, write the promise He gave Josefa: "I will take care of everything. You have only to love Me and let yourself be loved."

A Closing Thought for Your Journal

Lent is not a performance review. It is a love story.

As you write this season, try to adopt the disposition of Sister Josefa: humble, attentive, and utterly reliant on Him. When the world tells you to hurry up, let your journal be the place where you slow down.

"Teach me, O Lord, to do Your will, for You are my God. Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground." (Psalm 143:10)

Have you read The Way of Divine Love? Which quote from the book speaks most to your heart? Let me know in the comments below!

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