|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Veneration of the Image of “The Divine Mercy”
On
February 22, 1931 in Poland, Jesus, dressed in
a white garment, appeared to St. Faustina as the
Risen Christ with the scars of the crucifixion
on His hands, feet, and side. He appeared in this
way because it is in the Passion, Death and Resurrection
of Christ that we have the fullness of Divine
Mercy revealed to us. For this reason this image
is called: “The Divine Mercy.” In
the Divine Mercy image everything has a spiritual
meaning. Jesus
with His left hand is opening His robe,
but we do not see His heart. We see that from
His pierced side two beautiful rays of light issue
forth: a pale and a red ray. He is reminding us
of the treasures that He has given us in the Catholic
Church through the Sacraments. |
|
|
|
| |
Jesus
with His left hand is opening His robe,
but we do not see His heart. We see that from
His pierced side two beautiful rays of light issue
forth: a pale and a red ray. He is reminding us
of the treasures that He has given us in the Catholic
Church through the Sacraments. He says,
“The
pale ray stands for
the Water which makes souls righteous. The red
ray stands for the Blood
which is the life of souls. 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. Blessed is the one who will dwell in
their shelter, for the just Hand of God will not
lay hold of him.” (Diary,
299) Jesus told St. Faustina, “Paint
an image according to the pattern you see, with
the words, ‘Jesus, I trust in You.’
I desire that this image be venerated first in
your chapel, and [then] throughout the world."
(Diary- Divine Mercy in My Soul,
47)
Jesus is in a walking
position. He is searching for the sinner
just like the Father of the Prodigal
Son was eagerly awaiting His son's return.
(Luke 15:20) He says, “With
My mercy, I pursue sinners along all their paths...
I am always waiting for them... I listen intently
to the beating of their heart... when will it
beat for Me? ... I am speaking to them through
their remorse of conscience, through their failures
and sufferings, through
thunderstorms,
through
the voice of the Church."
(Diary,
1728) "I tell you,
in just the same way there will be more joy in
heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine
righteous people who have no need of repentance."
(Luke 15: 7)
Jesus
attached graces
to
the veneration of the Image of the Divine Mercy.
He
said,
“I am offering people a vessel
with which they are to keep coming for graces
to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this
image with the signature: ~Jesus, I trust in You~.”
(Diary,
327) “By
means of this image I shall be granting many graces
to souls; so let every soul have access to it.”
(Diary,
570)
You know if you approach a
fountain and you want to draw water, you have
to have a container to draw the water with. Jesus
explains, “Tell
souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw
graces solely with the vessel of trust.”
(Diary, 1602) This is why the
words beneath the Image of the Divine
Mercy say, “JESUS
I TRUST IN YOU.”
Jesus tells St. Faustina,
“It is to be a reminder
of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest
faith is of no avail without works”(Diary,
742). Jesus has His hand raised
giving a blessing. Jesus has died for
us. He has shed his very last drop
of blood for us. Now we must do the same in service
to our neighbor. He
says, "I
demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise
out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your
neighbors always and everywhere."
(Diary, 742) We
are to be people of mercy always and everywhere
by the deeds we do, by the words we say, and by
our prayers. Everything about us is to reflect
His goodness, because on the Day of Judgment we
will be judged according to the good works we
show now.
The Catholic Church teaches
us seven works of
mercy pertaining to the body and seven pertaining
to the soul. We call them the corporal and spiritual
works of mercy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
