Theology of the Image of Merciful Jesus – part II
Elements of the Extraordinary Painting of the Image of Divine Mercy
According to Fr. Michał Sopocko, who was present at the creation of the first painting of the Divine Mercy, so that it would be consistent with the revelation to St. Faustina. “In the vision, there was a dark background; the person of Jesus was dressed in a pure white robe, moving and coming towards her, then He stopped. His left foot forward, His right hand was at shoulder level, held there as if blessing, His left hand touching the robe at the point of His wounded heart from where the red and pale rays fell downwards spreading out over the ground beneath, His eyes gazing down, as from the Cross. Under the image must be the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You” (Diary off Blessed. Michael Sopocko)
Two revelations - from Good Fridays 1935 and 1936, during which Faustina saw Jesus stretched on the cross at 3 p.m., provoked more thorough reflections. In the first of these revelations, the Savior expressed His will: "I desire that the image be publicly honored “(cf. Diary 414), and Faustina saw rays of mercy coming from the Heart of Jesus. A similar vision was in the following year: “Good Friday. At three o’clock, I saw the Lord Jesus, crucified, who looked at me and said, I thirst. Then I saw two rays’ issue from His side, just as they appear in the image”. (Diary 648)
It seems that the words of Jesus, spoken in the first of these revelations, do not constitute a sufficiently convincing argument to be considered as an indication to celebrate the image of the Savior on the cross with two rays sprouting from His Heart. However, it should be emphasized that the death of the Redeemer and its saving value, which is the strongest evidence of God's mercy, would be more noticeable in this image. Hence, the image of the Lord Jesus stretched on the cross with two rays of mercy coming out of His chest, along with the signature Jesus, I trust in You, could be the object of worship and would probably enjoy the same promises as the image painted from the inspiration of Sister Faustina.
Rays
In the apparition of June 20, 1935, the Savior gave the rays of the image of Divine Mercy the name of the rays of mercy: “These rays of mercy will pass through you, just as they have passed through this Host, and they will go out through all the world” (Diary 441). Explaining their meaning in another revelation, he said that they meant the Blood and Water that flowed from His Heart after opening his side on the cross: “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 “(Diary 299). In order for the image to reflect this truth, the color of the rays should be the same as described in the Diary of St. Faustina, i.e., one red ray and the other pale. It is a mistake, both verbally and artistically, to call the second ray as white. The revelation and the biblical context clearly speak of a pale ray.
In the Summa Theologica, Thomas Aquinas interpreted the Blood and Water, symbolized by rays, referring them to the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist: “The sacraments of the Church take power from the passion of Christ and its power is united with us [and works in us] when we receive the sacraments. As a sign of this, water and blood flowed from the side of Christ hanging on the cross, one of which signifies Baptism and the other the Eucharist: the two most important Sacraments."
Water and Blood are not just baptism and the Eucharist, but also extend their symbolic meaning to the other sacraments of the Church. Pale ray - means not only baptism, but also penance, called the sacraments of the dead, while the red ray means not only the Eucharist, but also Confirmation, Anointing of the sick, Priesthood and Marriage, called the sacraments of the living.
In the above context, Jesus' explanation of the rays becomes understandable: “The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls” (cf. Diary 299). The rays, expressed the value of Christ's redemptive death and have a special place in the Devotion. They symbolize the Blood and Water, which, according to Fr. Sopocko are thematerial object of the Devotion. Its worship and adoration are expressed in the act “O Blood and Water”, which Jesus taught Faustina and attached a promise to reciting it, although it was addressed only to the Trustee of Divine Mercy.
Signature
According to the will of Jesus, already expressed in the inaugural revelation, the painting should be signed with the signature Jesus, I trust in You! Fr. Sopocko suggested that it would be better to place under the painting the words: Christ, King of Mercy. The Savior, however, wanted the image to be signed with a signature, Jesus, I trust in You, although he did not make it an indispensable condition. The essence of the signature does not require these three specific words (Jezu, ufam Tobie), but a formula that would express the meaning of trust. Because the devotion is directed to the whole world, it is also necessary to definitely exclude the obligation to use the mentioned formula in Polish, which would in no way be in harmony with the spirit of the devotion.
The signature of the image of Jesus, I trust in You, is to be a source of comfort and peace for all those who suffer and are tormented. However, it insistently emphasizes the need for trust associated with the practice of the Devotion. “The sentiment‘ Jesus, I trust in You’ is a way of God’s attention, even this utterance be a source of healing for suffering and souls. It strongly emphasizes the necessity of trust associated with practicing thedevotion to Jesus on the Cross, and because as His followers, Jesus also places His trust in us, offering prayers to the Father appealing for Mercy on the world.” (Fr. Michael Sopocko)
A Gaze from the Cross
In the first vision of 1931, Jesus described His gaze in the image to be the same as His gaze from the Cross. In the revelation of 1934, the Savior confirmed that His gaze on the image of Divine Mercy to be as a gaze from the cross: “Once, Jesus said to me, My gaze from this image is like My gaze from the cross” (Diary 326). Fr. Sopoćko, who, together with Sister Faustina, initiated the painting of the first image of the Divine Mercy, interpreted this term literally, i.e., downwards. Such a gaze really has the figure of Christ on the first image and in the next ones, which were related to the suggestions of Fr. Sopocko. Another interpretation of the term looking from the cross was given by the second spiritual director of Sr. Faustina - Fr. Józef Andrasz. In his opinion, the term should be understood as a gaze full of merciful love towards all people whom Jesus redeemed on the Cross. Based on this interpretation, a Krakow painting by Adolf Hyła and hundreds of other canvases around the world werecreated.
Hands
The left hand of the Savior, according to the inaugural revelation from Płock, lifted the robe on the breast, from which came out two rays of mercy, while the right hand was raised in a gesture of blessing. However, this case was not without controversy. In the first image, the Lord Jesus has his hand raised to the height of his shoulder. This is how Fr. Sopocko blessed to the end of his days. In the Łagiewniki painting by Hyła, Christ raises his hand to the level of his forehead, which for Fr. Sopoćko was unacceptable.
Background
The first painting has a uniform, dark background. At the suggestion of Fr. Sopoćko, a painting of Christ against the background of the Cenacle door would be equally acceptable, which would be in line with the pericope about the appearance of the resurrected Jesus and with the vision of Faustina from Płock. According to Fr. Andrasz, the Merciful Jesus goes through the world as a heavenly physician to heal sorrowful humanity. Based on this interpretation, over two hundred images of Divine Mercy by Adolf Hyła were created, depicting the Redeemer against the background of fields, meadows, mountains, sea, factories.
This image will protect your home and cities from destruction
During the Second World War, another promise was spread, related to the veneration of the image of Divine Mercy, which Jesus was to say to Faustina: "When punishments for sins shall come upon the earth, and your native land shall be in extreme abasement, the only salvation will be hope in Divine Mercy. I shall preserve the cities and homes in which this image shall be found; I shall protect likewise those persons who shall venerate and have confidence in My Mercy.” (Our Lords words to Saint Faustina not written down in her diary but was given to her spiritual director Father Sopocko. /Recent Revelations on the Mercy of God Devotion including the Novena to the Mercy of God booklet, Copyright 1945 by the congregation of Marian Fathers Eden Hill, Stockbridge, Mass/). The above text could not be found in the writings of Sister Faustina. The literary criticism of the text also confirms that the above promise was not recorded by the Saint.
Conclusion
The Image of Divine Mercy is one of the most unusual images in the history of the world. Christ's request to the simple nun, St. Faustina, to paint an image with the signature Jesus, I trust in You, found the way to fulfillment. Although she was not delighted with the resulting work, Christ pointed out that the greatness of the image is not in the beauty of the paints, but in God's grace; “Once, when I was visiting the artist [Eugene Kazimirowski] who was painting the image and saw that it was not as beautiful as Jesus is, I felt very sad about it, but I hid this deep in my heart. When we had left the artist’s house, Mother Superior [Irene] stayed in town to attend to some matters while I returned home alone. I went immediately to the chapel and wept a good deal. I said to the Lord, “Who will paint You as beautiful as You are?” Then I heard these words: Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace”. (Diary 313) Another desire expressed by the Savior was also fulfilled. The image of Divine Mercy that was venerated in the Sisters' Chapel is known all over the world today and touches the hearts of millions of believers. Let this image remind us of the call to be witnesses of mercy towards others, and to be able to trust God in every situation of life, always saying: Jesus, I trust in You!
Until Tomorrow
fr. george