The Image of The Divine Mercy
In 1931, our Lord appeared to St. Faustina in a vision. She saw Jesus clothed in a white garment with His right
hand raised in blessing. His left hand was touching His garment in the area of the Heart, from where two
large rays came forth, one red and the other pale. She gazed intently at the Lord in silence, her soul filled
with awe, but also with great joy. Jesus said to her:
Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I
promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory
over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend
it as My own glory (Diary, 47, 48). 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 (327). I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and
[then] throughout the world (47).
At the request of her spiritual director, St. Faustina asked the Lord about the
meaning of the rays in the image. She heard these words in reply:
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. These two rays issued forth from the depths
of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance
on the Cross. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the
just hand of God shall not lay hold of him (299). By means of this
image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the
demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail
without works (742).
These words indicate that the Image represents the graces of Divine Mercy poured out upon
the world, especially through Baptism and the Eucharist.
Many different versions of this image have been painted, but our Lord made it clear that the
painting itself is not what is important. When St. Faustina first saw the original image that
was being painted under her direction, she wept in disappointment and complained to Jesus:
"Who will paint You as beautiful as You are?" (313).
In answer, she heard these words: "Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush lies the
greatness of this image, but in My grace" (313).
So, no matter which version of the image we prefer, we can be assured that it is a vehicle of
God’s grace if it is revered with trust in His mercy.
How To Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Optional Opening Prayers:
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.
(Repeat 3 times) O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a
fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!
Our Father, Hail Mary and the Apostle's Creed
For each of the five decades (On each “Our Father” bead of the rosary, pray)
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved
Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
(On each of the 10 “Hail Mary” beads, pray)
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Concluding prayer (Repeat 3 times)
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Optional Closing Prayer
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible,
look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might
not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your
holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
