within it, He rose in glory to heaven, yet did not leave us orphans· Now, in the third volume, we shall come to know the infinite Me11cy of the Holy Spirit, who, ever since His Descent on the Apostles at Pe.ntecost, has remained, and will remain for ever in the Church, guiding it, and ceaselessly pouring out His graces on the faithful. To know God, and adore Him in His infinite Mercy, is the highest duty and chief end of man: ''Now this is ever.lasting life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and him whom thou bast sent, Jesus Christ" (John 17: 3). Of all God's perfections, the easiest to know ls His Mercy; and, by knowing it, we come to love and worship Him, and to become happy ourselves: for His Mercy "gou bifor, NJ" (Ps. 58: 10), always accompanies us (Ps. F· : 18) and follows me •'all th, day.r of fl!J lif," (Ps. u : 6). The knowledge and worship of God in His Mercy is especially necessary today, when the conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan rages with unprecedented intensity. It is true that the struggle between good and evil, between truth and lies, has been going on fot ceoto.rles, but lt bas nevor reached such dimensions. On one side, Michael the Archangel unfurls bis banner, with the battle-cry, "Who is like God?"; on the othe,:, we heat the hissing of the serpent from hell: "Yo11 .rha/J b, like Gods" (Gen. 3 : ,). ''Materialism has again nailed Ghrist to the cross, and for this reason darkness has covered the whole earth" (Enc. of Pius XIl, "Summl Pontificatus"). And thus today there is especial need of a great and universal ideal We need a rallying-,ay to call all men of good will to the standard of Christ, who said in His last discourse to the Apostles: "Take &ourage, I have overcome the world" (John 16: 33). This ideal is the In6.n.ite Mercy of God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And ow: response to the Saviour's call should be a swift prayer addressed to the one Mediator between ourselves and God: "Jesus, I trust Theet•• And so, to open «the bowels of Divine Mercy" to suffering man, in all his many miseries. and to teach all men to be merciful, even as the Father in Heaven is merciful, here is a battle-cry, to ·conquer the Kingdom of Satan; a battlo-cry, an ideal capable of uniting all those who have at heart true progress and the harmonious relations of society, of states, and of nations. Such is the aim which inspired the author as he wrote this work, in exceptionally difficult circumstances, yet with the firm conviction ::z:
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