Jody’s Thoughts on the Painting, Divine Mercy

Fourth week of Lent 2022

Dear Friends,

I hope this finds you all well. Spring has arrived announcing herself with blustering wind and lots of rain. It is a good time to write.

Last week I thought I might talk about the painting, Divine Mercy, a painting that Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska had painted from her visions of Jesus. This was after Jesus, Himself, asked her to paint an image according to the “pattern” she saw for the whole world to see. Jesus said to her, “Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature, “Jesus I trust in You”.- From the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska.

This painting is well known amongst Catholics, especially those who have been Catholic their whole life, or for several years. For me, the painting is fairly new and it wasn’t until recently, when I began learning about the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, that I have discovered how very important this image is to our world. I had no idea that the painting came from Saint Maria Faustina’s vision of Jesus or why I see so many signs of this image in yards, on doors, and along the highways.

The first time I saw this image, or rather, that I really noticed this painting of Jesus, was on my pilgrimage to Fatima, back in 2015. The picture was on a pendant on a necklace and on the back was written, “Jesus I trust in You”. I was very drawn to it and so purchased it, wearing it beneath my clothes. At that time I was not ready to share what I did not understand. Up until then, I had always shied away from images of Jesus because I felt like nobody knew what He looked like. How could they? We were conditioned to think He looks a certain way. However, even after seeing the painting, and hearing the story of the vision, I am still not convinced this is how Jesus looks. I do, though, believe this is how He showed Himself to Saint Maria Faustina because I believe that when we see Him we see Love, and so for her, this image is what He showed her.

Putting that aside, though, the physical appearance, from Saint Faustina’s own vision, I don’t think is what is important. What is important is what comes through the original image. An image that Saint Maria Faustina herself said did not fully capture Him. She even cried when the painting was finished because human work can not capture the true likeness of Him. Yet, through the original painting, there radiates mercy. You can see this in Jesus’s eyes looking down on us, in the way He is holding his hands and in the red and light-colored rays coming from his heart.

You may be wondering why I say the “original painting”. This is because the original painting is different from most of the Divine Mercy signs you see along the highway and in people’s yards. They are different because for fifty years the original painting was hidden away in Lithuania, during the time of the German and later, Soviet Union occupations. This was because of the persecution of Catholics, and the painting was in danger. It was hidden during a time when the message of Divine Mercy was sorely needed, and so Father Michal Sopocko, Saint Maria Faustina’s Confessor, who had escaped to Poland, asked that the painting be painted again so that the people around the world could see and take hope in the vision of Jesus.

This is when the painting was changed. Each artist decided to paint Jesus’s image according to his own design. Even after Father Michal Sopocko explained to them, the image had to be painted a certain way, they took matters into their own hands and various images of Divine Mercy were circulated amongst the people. One of these images is the mage we see most often on the signs and indeed, the image seen on the title page of this letter. I wish the original was more readily available! Some of the differences are these: In the original, Jesus is looking down in mercy at us, like He is looking down from the cross. Saint Maria Faustina was incessant about this. She related to the artist that Jesus must be painted as though He was looking at us in love and mercy from the cross. This is how she saw Him in the vision. Many of the paintings now show Him looking directly outward at us. I find this very indignant that these artists changed, by their own will, this direct request from Saint Maria Faustina, who was the one carrying this message from Jesus, Himself. The message is in the pattern. “Paint an image according to the pattern you see.” This is what Jesus told her. In the vision, He is looking down at us from the cross.

Another difference is that in the original painting His right hand, that He is blessing us with, is not raised above His shoulder, but is level with His shoulder. This was another very specific instruction from Saint Maria Faustina. In many of the new images, His hand is raised above His shoulder, blessing us.

Yet, another difference is that in the original, Jesus is slightly pulling back his garment, giving us a glimpse of where His heart would be, and radiating from the place are two rays of color, one red and one “pale”. Saint Maria Faustina did not write “white” or “blue”, but “pale”. This is to help us to know that Jesus is pouring athoms of His blood and water, like a fountain of mercy and love, over us, and the whole world. The blood also is to “stand for the life of souls” and the water is to “make souls righteous”. These quotes are out of Saint Maria Faustina’s diary. The newer paintings often show red and blue.

In this original painting, the image we see flows outward with mercy. It is in every line in the painting. Jesus, Himself, seems to show humility, which is love for us, showing us how to be humble in Him and to love one another. I believe this, and His endless mercy for us is the “pattern” that Jesus spoke of.

To learn more about this painting I recommend the DVD, The Original Image of Divine Mercy- The Untold Story of an Unknown Masterpiece. It is very good. also recommend reading, Divine Mercy in My Soul, Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska.

Usually, the idea of reading someone’s diary does not appeal to me, but Saint Maria Faustina’s words are so simple, yet carry such honesty and beauty they are powerful. Her simple devotion and incredible inner strength speak directly to the reader. I have found the diary hard to put down.

It has been good sharing my thoughts with you on this beautiful gift from Jesus, the painting, Divine Mercy. I hope that by sharing this I have opened up your curiosity to know more about this beautiful masterpiece. Enjoy your day and until next week-

Yours in Christ Light- Jody