Jesus, Mercy Incarnate

Again and again, the Christ Child revealed to Sr. Faustina His real presence in the Bl. Sacrament. In diary entry no. 406 she wrote of another experience at Holy Communion: After a short while, I saw the little Jesus who came out from the Host and rested in my hands. This lasted for a moment; immense joy flooded my soul. Again, in entry no. 1346 she wrote: During Holy Mass...I saw the Infant Jesus who, with hands outstretched toward us, was sitting in the chalice being used at Holy Mass. After gazing at me penetratingly, He spoke these words; “As you see Me in this chalice, so I dwell in your heart.” In short, for St. Faustina the Christ Child was not just an exam- ple from the historic past for her to follow, but a living presence at Holy Eucharist, and often this truth was unveiled to her through supernatural visions. One of the most remarkable visions in this regard is recorded in diary entry no. 434. In this vision, as in several others, she discerns a link with the death of Christ, such that in some mysterious way, both the Infancy of Christ and His crucifixion are made present in the Blessed Sacrament at one and the same time: I often see the Child Jesus during Holy Mass. He is extremely beautiful. He appears to be about one year old. Once when I saw the same Child during Mass in our chapel, I was seized with a violent desire and an irresistible longing to approach the altar and take the Child Jesus. At that moment, the Child Jesus was standing by me on the side of my kneeler, and He leaned with His two little hands against my shoulder, gracious and joyful, His look deep and pene- trating. But when the priest broke the Host, Jesus was once again on the altar, andwas broken and consumed by the priest. Compare this with a similar and disturbing vision recounted in diary entry no. 312: 30 Jesus, Mercy Incarnate