My name is Mária Sluková. I come from Žilina, Slovakia, and I would like to share my testimony to glorify God.
On December 29, 2010, I received the grace of conversion. I encountered the Lord Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and felt a deep and powerful desire to offer myself to Him. From that moment on, my life changed completely.
I wanted to return God’s love for having lifted me out of the mire and saved me—but I did not know how. My spiritual director, Father Tadeáš, spoke to me about Luisa Piccarreta and the Gift of Living in the Divine Will. Little by little, I became more and more interested in Luisa and her writings.
In 2025, a priest, Father Ivan, invited me to take part in a pilgrimage to Italy to Luisa Piccarreta. At first, I did not want to go, because I wished to attend a celebration in honor of Saint Charbel, which I have been participating in for about eight years in Žilina. But through Father Ivan, I understood that the Lord Jesus was telling me not to do my own will and that I had to go to Luisa. So, at the very last minute, I signed up and went with the trust that I was fulfilling the Will of God.
I left for the pilgrimage without any health problems, and I admit that I was eagerly awaiting the moment when I would finally be with Luisa. However, already in Monte Sant’Angelo I began to feel unwell.
When we arrived in Corato, I was very sad because I thought I would not be able to see Luisa again. Instead, Luisa kept me in Corato for two weeks—I was in grave danger of losing my life. I underwent two surgeries, one in Bari and the other in Corato, where they removed my dysfunctional gallbladder. It was very difficult because I did not know a single word of Italian, and they could not understand me because of the language barrier. So I entrusted myself into God’s hands. I said to the Lord: “I do not understand them at all, I do not know what will happen to me, but I trust in You and I give You my FIAT.” I experienced such peace—the peace of God.
I felt the presence of God within me, His “dwelling in me.” Every night, the Lord would wake me to pray in the Divine Will.
I came to understand that the presence of Jesus in our lives is not something automatic or “magical,” nor can it be realized without the involvement of our freedom. We are free to choose. Even to us, as to the rich young man, Jesus says: “If you wish…” He loves us regardless, but in order to taste and live within this intimacy, Jesus asks us to open the door of our hearts: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Everything depends on our response. We can love Him only because He loved us first—only if we feel loved by Him and decide to make this experience of intimacy the daily style of our lives.
I thank God for having transformed me. I thank Luisa for helping me to understand the Word of God more deeply, and I pray that she may be canonized as soon as possible, so that the whole world may know her—because the Gift of living in the Divine Will is the only true path to God.
I praise You, God, I magnify You, and I give You all the glory that belongs to You.
With love,
Maria
In the photo: Mrs. Maria together with her son and daughter-in-law after her hospitalization at the hospital in Corato.