Francis Young:

I have been interested in Faustina Kowalska’s experiences ever since I first read about them when I was eighteen. I am not usually much of a fan of modern-day (or even early modern) devotions, and I was never sure what to make of things like Lourdes, Fatima, Medjugorje, and so on. But for some reason I never had this lurking suspicion when it came to Faustina’s visions of Divine Mercy…. The Divine Mercy, which at the time was an intensely popular devotion – especially among Poles but also well beyond the Polish community – also seemed to have substantial theological content, in contrast to the vacuous platitudes characteristic of some modern devotions: ‘I am Lord in My essence and I know neither commands nor needs’, declares Christ to Faustina, ‘If I call creatures into existence – it is out of the immeasurable depth of My mercy’.

This is cosmic stuff, and in fact Faustina’s theology (or the theology revealed to her, or however you want to interpret it) represents a refashioning of familiar theological themes with God’s mercy as its interpretative key. God’s mercy is the prerequisite for our being, as well as our redemption. What may seem obvious, but is easily lost today, is that this elevation of mercy presupposes a starting point of recognition of the awe-fulness of God – a holy fear that God may not, in fact, choose to be merciful.