Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

mercy when M y agonized Heart was opened by a lance on die Cross. ‘These rays sh ield souls from the wrath of M y fa th er. Happy is the one who w ill dw e ll in their shelter, fo r the ju s t hand o f (jo d sha ll not lay hold of him." (Diary, Notebook I, para . 299). In th is revelation, Je su s repea ts His reques t th a t the f irs t Sunday a fte r E a s te r is to be the F ea s t of Mercy. This is the f irs t request in th e m a t te r which is made directly to F a the r Sopocko. S is te r F au s tina is he re only the medium through which Je su s tran sm its . Here a re the fu r th e r words of Jesus: 7 desire that the f ir s t Sunday after Taster Be the fe a s t o f Mercy, Ask^of M y fa ith fu l servant that, on this day, he te ll the whole w orld o f M y great mercy ; that whoever approaches the fo u n t o f L ife on this day zvill 6e gran ted complete remission o f sins and punishment. Mankind zv ill not have peace un til i t turns zvith trust to M y mercy. Oh, how much I am hurt By a sou l’s distrust! Such a sou l professes that I am Holy and Just, But does not Believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in M y (joodness. ‘Even the devils glorify M y Justice But do not Believe in M y joodness. M y -‘Heart rejoices in this title o f Mercy. (Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute o f jo d . A l l the works o f M y hands are crozvned zvith mercy.’ (Diary, Notebook I, para. 299-301). The explanation of Je su s concerning the role and significance of His Mercy was th e answer given to F a the r Sopocko for h is doubts and hesitations. Jesus tried to tu rn the a tten tion of His p r ie s t to the import­ 166