The Image of Divine Mercy: On February 22, 1931, St. Faustina, while in her cell saw an image of Jesus unlike any other she had seen before. One hand of Jesus was raised in a blessing while the other hand touched his heart. From this hand emitted two pale rays; one blue and the other red. Jesus told St. Faustina to paint this image exactly as she saw it with the inscription on the bottom of “Jesus I trust in You”.
He promised her, “I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over its enemies already here on earth and especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory” (Diary, 48). Jesus instructed St. Faustina that this image was to be venerated in her chapel, then throughout the world.
He explained the symbolism of the rays. “The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale rays stands for the water that 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.
These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy”(Diary, 299).
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy: On Friday, September 13, 1935, St. Faustina while in her cell, saw an angel, the executer of Divine Wrath waiting to strike the earth for its sinfulness. St. Faustina, struck with terror began to plead with the angel offering to due penance for the world, but her prayers were ineffective to the divine justice.
Then she saw the Holy Trinity and her lips fell silent. Filled with the spirit, she began to utter this entreaty to God, Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us” (Diary, 474, 475).
After she repeated these words the angel was helpless and unable to carry out the punishment on earth. Jesus taught St. Faustina the importance of saying this Chaplet unceasingly. He implored her, “Say unceasingly the Chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priest will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if her were to recite this Chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy” (Diary, 687).
The Hour of Divine Mercy: The hour when Christ died, mercy opened up for the whole world. Christ promised, “At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion…” (Diary 1320). The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is frequently prayed during this hour, but may be said at anytime during the day.
Divine Mercy Novena: In March, 1937, Jesus commanded St. Faustina to make a Novena for nine days before the Feast of Mercy for the conversion of sinners and the promulgation of the devotion to Divine Mercy. Beginning on Good Friday, the novena was a call for all sinners to be refreshed and renewed by the grace of God’s mercy. Jesus said, “I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw therefore strength and refreshment and whatever grace they need in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death.
“On each day you will bring to My heart a different group of souls, and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy, and I will bring all these souls into the house of My Father. You will do this in this life and in the next. I will deny nothing to any soul whom you will bring to the fount of My mercy. On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My bitter Passion, for the graces for these souls” (Diary 1209).
Feast of Mercy Sunday: In 1934, Jesus commanded St. Faustina to celebrate the Feast of God’s mercy. It would be declared on the first Sunday after Easter. Jesus said, “Ask of my faithful servant (Father Sopocko) that, on this day, he tell the whole world of My great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment…Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy. Oh, how much I am hurt by a soul’s distrust! Such a soul professes that I am Holy and Just, but does not believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in My Goodness. Even the devils glorify my Justice, but do not believe in my Goodness. My Heart rejoices in this title of Mercy” (Diary, 300).
St. Faustina dutifully wrote down all that Jesus was asking her of this special feast day. He told her, “On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment…Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet…” (Diary, 699).
Jesus also commanded that the image should be venerated publicly, saying, “…I want the Image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it” (Diary, 341). In addition, to confession, Holy Communion and venerating the Image, Jesus instructed St. Faustina that works of mercy should be exercised in three ways, “I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy towards your neighbor; the first—by deed, the second—by word, and the third—by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy and I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the Image which is painted” (Diary, 742).