The Image of Divine Mercy
One
Jesus gave us many special ways to receive his Mercy. Today we reflect on the Image of Divine Mercy, Confession and Eucharist.
On Feb 22nd, 1931, Jesus appeared to Faustyna. She writes, “In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside at the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In silence I kept my gaze fixed on the Lord: my soul was struck with awe, but also with great joy. After a while, Jesus said to me, Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: “Jesus I trust in You.” 47
Later Jesus said, “By means of this Image I shall be granting many graces to souls; so, let every soul have access to it.” 570
I encourage you to place the Image of Divine Mercy in a prominent or central place in your home.
Two
The Meaning of the Two Rays
Her confessor told Faustyna to ask Jesus the meaning of the two rays in the image, she answered, “Very well, I will ask the Lord.” Then, during prayer, she heard these words within her, “The two rays denote Blood and Water. The white ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous (Baptism and Confession which cleanse the soul). The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls (The Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist). These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross…Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter…” (299)
Then Jesus said to her that whoever approaches the Fount of Life - the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist - on the Feast of Divine Mercy will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment. Jesus concluded by saying, “Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy.” 300
Three
Jesus wants to pour His Mercy into our soul by means of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Jesus said to Faustyna, “Write, speak of My mercy. Tell souls where they are to look for solace; that is, in the Tribunal of Mercy (the sacrament of Reconciliation.) There the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated. To avail oneself of this miracle, it is not necessary to go on a great pilgrimage or to carry out some external ceremony; it suffices to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to reveal to him one’s misery, and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated. Were a soul like a decaying corpse so that from a human standpoint, there would be no hope of restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full. Oh, how miserable are those who do not take advantage of the miracle of God’s mercy! You will call out in vain, but it will be too late.” 1448
Even though Faustyna was a great saint, she struggled with telling her sins to a man in confession. But then Jesus reassured her saying, “Daughter, when you go to confession, to this fountain of My mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flow down upon your soul and ennobles it…When you approach the confessional, know this, that I myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I myself act in your soul…” 1602
Four
The Eucharist
Jesus desires to pour out an ocean of Mercy into our soul by means of the Eucharist. In the Diary Jesus said to Faustyna, “My great delight is to unite Myself with souls. Know, My daughter, that when I come to a human heart in Holy Communion, My hands are full of all kinds of graces which I want to give to the soul. But souls do not even pay any attention to Me; they leave Me to Myself and busy themselves with other things. Oh, how sad I am that souls do not recognize love! They treat Me as a dead object.” 1385
Jesus wants to increase His presence, His power, and His life in us precisely through the Eucharist. St. Faustyna knew clearly the difference between living from Jesus or from her own limited power. She writes, “I find myself so weak that were it not for Holy Communion I would fall continually. One thing alone sustains me, and that is Holy Communion. From it I draw my strength; in it is all my comfort. I fear life on days when I do not receive Holy Communion. I fear my own self. Jesus concealed in the Host is everything to me. From the tabernacle I draw strength, power, courage and light. Here, I seek consolation in time of anguish. I would not know how to give glory to God if I did not have the Eucharist in my heart.” 1037
Five
Day Seven of the Novena to Divine Mercy
Jesus said, “Today bring to me the souls who especially venerate and glorify My mercy, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over My Passion and entered most deeply into My Spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death.”
Faustyna Prayed, “Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy. These souls are united to Jesus and carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life. A soul who praises the goodness of her Lord is especially loved by Him. She is always close to the living fountain and draws graces from Divine Mercy.”
“Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their spirit, overflowing with joy, sings a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them, I Myself will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy.”
Divine Mercy Chaplet
“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
Amen.”
Our Father
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.”
Hail Mary
“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
On the Our Father beads pray:
“Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”
On the Hail Mary beads, you will pray:
“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
In conclusion, three times you will recite these words:
“Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”