Devotion for today: a vision of mercy

We continue today with a look at God’s inspiration through a vision to a simple Polish nun.

Scripture for meditation: John 20:19

On the evening of that first day of the week, even though the disciples had locked the doors of the place where they were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood before them. “Peace be with you,” he said.

Christ tells us: John 20:20-21

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. At the sight of the Lord, the disciples rejoiced. “Peace be with you,” he said again.  “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

St. Faustina’s vision: diary entry Feb. 22, 1931: 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 awhile, Jesus said to me, “Paint an image according to the image you see, with the signature: Jesus I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and then throughout the world…. I desire that there be a Feast of Mercy. I want this image, which you will paint with a brush, to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; that Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy.” Spiritual Counsel given me by Father Andraz, S.J.:

First: you must not turn away from these interior inspirations, but always tell everything to your confessor…. Second: if these inspirations are not in accord with the faith or the spirit of the Church, they must be rejected immediately…. Third: if these inspirations do not refer to souls in general, nor specifically  to their good, you should not take them too seriously….But you should not make this decision by yourself, either one way or the other, as you can easily be led astray despite great favors from God. Humility, humility, and ever humility, as we can do nothing of ourselves; all is purely and simply God’s grace. You say to me that God demands great trust from souls; you be the first to show this trust. And one more word – accept all this with serenity. (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 47, 49, 55)

 My thoughts: I do not think that many of us are going to hear from the Lord in quite this way. Yet this did happen, and because of Blessed John Paul II we now celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy. St. Faustina met with great opposition to the implementation of this vision, and it did not occur until April 30, 2000, 69 years after the first request from Jesus. Notice that the advice her confessor gives her applies to us today. If we think we hear God calling us in a special way, we need to share our thoughts with a spiritual director or confessor. When Christ appeared to the disciples, he wished them peace, and they were filled with joy. St. Faustina was filled with awe and joy. Why? Because they recognized the Lord. They knew who He was. That is why, in humility, if we feel God is calling us to a specific vocation or action, we must be humble enough to seek advice after great prayer time. Also, no calling is complete without action. St. Faustina did get the portrait painted, and the disciples did go into the world to preach the good news. If we are called, and we know this is from God through confirmation from prayer and counsel, then we must respond. Remember, none of us is too small in the eyes of God to do great things for Him.

 Our prayer to God: The Three O’clock Hour Prayer (to be said every day, preferably before a picture of Divine Mercy):

You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us… O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You (Diary, 1319, 187).