# Day 10 – I’m Only One Person: Walking in Praise with Pope Francis
*2015-10-05*

> Bill reflects on St. Faustina Kowalska’s humble life and Pope Francis’ call to hope, urging listeners to see how a single person filled with hope can make a difference for our common home.

## St. Faustina Kowalska – A Small Life, Great Faith

Good morning, I’m Bill Young. Today is Monday, October 5, the feast day of St. Faustina Kowalska, the Polish mystic born in 1905 who died of tuberculosis in 1938 at the age of 34. Faustina’s life was simple—cooking, cleaning, and ordinary work—but she prayed constantly. Through her prayer, Jesus revealed His merciful heart, showing that He does not wish punishment for humanity but wants to extend mercy. When she was canonized in the year 2000, Pope John Paul II declared the Sunday after Easter a “Divine Mercy Sunday” in her honor. Her example reminds us that even a single, humble person can have a profound impact.

## Pope Francis on Hope and Our Common Home

Turning to Pope Francis’ message for our “dirty days,” the central theme is: “I’m only one person, but if one person is filled with hope, they can make all the difference.” The Pope acknowledges that the environmental crises—deforestation, loss of species, climate change—can feel overwhelming. Yet he urges us to look beyond the problems and recognize the power God has given us. He reminds us that hope is a grace, a gift that enables us to act fruitfully for creation.

## Ponder and Prayer

Ponder: Do I view the problems facing our planetary home as distant, not involving me, or too big to contemplate? How can I change this perspective?

Prayer: “God of creation, fill me with hope so that I may embrace your creation and work to heal it in whatever way I can. Amen.”

## One Person, One Prayer, One Action

Remember, each of us is an individual, but the power of prayer leads to action. One person, empowered by hope, can indeed do a great deal for our common home.

*A single person, filled with hope and prayer, can make a real difference in caring for God’s creation.*