Mary’s Eye of Mercy
In order to capture both the expressions of Juan Diego and the Bishop as well as the beautiful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, it was necessary to do two paintings. And with this came the opportunity to include the source of all glory and mercy, Jesus – The Divine Mercy, from who the Blessed Virgin receives her Queenship. It is He who makes her a channel, the Masterpiece of God’s mercy as the Immaculate Conception.
Out of the darkness the merciful light and grace of Jesus lights up the room and our world through our Blessed Mother. Juan Diego, Bishop Zumarraga and the interpreter are not even aware of our Lord’s presence. His merciful light bypasses them and pours through His Blessed Mother.
The particular image of Jesus represented here is “Jesus – The Divine Mercy.” This image was painted in 1934 by Eugene Kazimirowski under the direction of Saint Faustina Kowalska, a Polish religious who was granted a vision of Our Lord on February 22, 1931. Jesus explained to her that He wanted this vision of Himself painted according to the pattern she saw. He also explained to her the meaning of the most striking element of the image – the two rays emanating from His heart, one red, the other pale or colorless.
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 … The two rays issued forth from the very 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.1
Jesus, as the source of glory, lights up both paintings. From His lanced heart flows the light, which is reflected onto Mary and from her onto Juan Diego, the Bishop, and the world. It is Mary who is the Mediator of Jesus’ grace.
When Jesus requested this painting to be done of Himself, He asked that 3 words be clearly in evidence:
[in Polish] Jezu, Ufam Tobie” (“Jesus, I Trust in You”). He said, 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” (“Jezu, Ufam Tobie”).1
The artist chose the cross as the signature of Jesus, using the Polish words “Jezu, Ufam Tobie” which were spoken to Sister Faustina in her native language.
We are called to receive and proclaim God’s infinite mercy. We need it, the Church needs it, and the world needs it. Jesus told Faustina, “Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy.”1 And we are called to respond to His mercy with an outpouring of mercy towards others. He said:
You are to show mercy to your neighbor always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it. I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy towards your neighbor: the first – by deed, the second – by word, the third – by prayer. By this means a soul glorifies and pays Reverence to My mercy.1