VENERATION OF THE IMAGE OF THE MERCIFUL CHRIST Written by Rev. Ignacy Rozycki, S.T.D., and translated by Katherine Stackpole, the following text is taken from the book, "Pillars Of Fire In My Soul", edited by Robert Stackpole, S.T.D., Director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy

In 1965, the then Archbishop of Cracow, Karol Wojtyla, asked Fr. Rozycki to prepare a critical analysis of the Diary and letters of Sister Faustina as part of the Informative Process concerning her life and virtues. He went on to provide the most thorough theological analysis ever written on The Divine Mercy message and devotion as revealed to the world through St. Faustina Kowalska. - Robert Stackpole, S.T.D.

Below are passages from Fr. Rozycki's writings copied from pages 107-111 of "Pillars Of Fire In my Soul".

Christ began the revelation of the Devotion [to Divine Mercy] to Sister Helen Faustina and to the world on February 22, 1931, with an evening apparition in her convent cell in Plock [I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand 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 and one pale. After a while, Jesus said to me: “Paint an image according to the pattern 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 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 47-48)].

Jesus demanded that the Image, as the object of veneration in the Devotion, bear the inscription "Jesus, I Trust in You! [Jezu Ufam Tobie]" and that it be placed under and not above the painting. Christ did not, however, place as an irrevocably necessary condition that the inscription repeat the three words [Jezu Ufam Tobie] exactly and literally. After all, Christ offered the Devotion to The Divine Mercy to the whole world, to all nations who speak in diverse tongues. Consequently, Jesus was certainly concerned with the meaning and not the number of words. He was concerned that the same idea be expressed, even if the words varied. Revelation 21 suggests that an image representing the crucified Christ with two rays emerging from His pierced side with the inscription, "Jesus, I Trust in You," would be equally acceptable as an object of veneration, in accordance with the intentions of Jesus Christ, and that it would enjoy the same promises as the Image at Lagiewniki. The salvific value of Christ's death, which is the source of Mercy, would be even more perceptible and its meaning more understandable.

Christ demanded public veneration of the Image of Mercy, in churches, and not only in the private dwellings of the laity, priests or religious. Christ did not explain in full detail what this public veneration of the Image should be. Given that Jesus desired that the Image be solemnly consecrated (blessed) and venerated by the faithful in church, and not beyond the enclosure, one can presume that He expects signs of veneration for this Image similar to the veneration given to other paintings in churches, chapels, and private homes.

The Image of the Merciful Jesus is to play a double role in the Devotion. First, for the Lord Jesus, it is an instrument through which graces are distributed. We know that it is not the Image giving graces, but Jesus through the Image. The Image does not have autonomous power. For the people, however, the Image is to serve as a vessel for drawing graces from the wellspring of Mercy.

Secondly, by the explicit will of Jesus, the Image is to be a sign which is to bring to mind Christ's demand for performing acts of mercy. Since this second function of the Image is often forgotten, and the veneration alone without deeds of mercy is not the Devotion required by Christ, worshipers of Mercy should conform to Christ's demand so that they let no day pass without performing at least one act of mercy: by deed, word, or prayer. A practical, clear and very important conclusion flows from the second function of the Image: Jesus awaits and demands that the prayer of trust before the image of the Merciful Jesus be combined with an examination of conscience, an examination of how we have fulfilled Christ's demands to perform at least one deed of mercy daily.

There are two components in the promises connected with this veneration: what Christ promised distinctly and what He promised indistinctly. In the inaugural revelation of February 22, 1931, Christ assured, "that the soul that will venerate this lmage will not perish.” Christ, therefore attached the promise of everlasting salvation to the veneration of this Image.

Christ promised that those who venerate the Image would achieve great progress along the road to holiness gaining victory in this life over the enemies of the soul and enemies of salvation. He promised a happy and holy death with the assurance that He personally would defend them as His glory at the hour of their death.

The range of promises not directly named by Jesus was defined by the first role of the Image, i.e., that of a vessel for drawing graces from the wellspring of Mercy, but subordinated to trust. Consequently, we will obtain more quickly and in a much greater degree all the saving graces and all the temporal benefits which it is possible to obtain through unwavering trust in Divine Mercy, if we express this trust in the form of veneration of the Image. If the Lord Jesus assured us that, “I wish to grant unimaginable graces to those who trust in My Mercy,” then this certainly, first of all, refers to the veneration accorded to the Image of Divine Mercy. Finally, Christ did not delineate any limits to the size of greatness of the graces and temporal benefits which we can expect through veneration, with unwavering trust, of the Image of the Divine Mercy.

© 2003, Marians of the Immaculate Conception