The experiences of Saint Faustina Kowalska are of endless fascination. Not only in the Easter season, in conjunction with her Feast, are they relevant. Her proximity to Christ while still of this earth—in all His forms—was almost without known precedent.

Amazing it is to think that she came close to being rejected by the Church.

Her great champion: Saint John Paul II.

The very image at the center of devotion to Divine Mercy includes what we focus on this month: the Precious Blood (represented by the red ray).

“The rays represent the Blood and Water which gushed forth from My Heart as a fountain of Mercy for the world,” Jesus told her.

July is the Month of the Precious Blood.

It takes only a random turn of pages in her Diary to find the touch of Heaven. For example, May, 1935.

“During Forty Hours’ Devotion I saw the Face of the Lord Jesus in the Sacred Host which was exposed in the monstrance. Jesus was looking with kindness at everyone.

“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 penetrating. But when the priest broke the Host, Jesus was once again on the altar, and was broken and consumed by the priest.

“After Holy Communion, I saw Jesus in the same way in my heart and felt Him physically in my heart throughout the day. Unconsciously, a most profound recollection took possession of me, and I did not exchange a word with anyone. I avoided people as much as I could, always answering questions regarding my duties, but beyond that, not a word. (June 9, 1935. Pentecost.)

“As I was walking in the garden in the evening, I heard these words: ‘By your entreaties, you and your companions shall obtain Mercy for yourselves and for the world.’ I understood that I would not remain in the Congregation in which I am at the present time. I saw clearly that God’s will regarding me was otherwise.

“But I kept making excuses before God, telling Him that I was unable to carry out this task. “Jesus, You know very well what I am” [I said], and I started enumerating my weaknesses to the Lord, hiding behind them so that He would agree that I was unable to carry out His plans.

“Then I heard these words: ‘Do not fear; I myself will make up for everything that is lacking in you.’ But these words penetrated me to my depths and made me even more aware of my misery, and I understood that the word of the Lord is living and that it penetrates to the very depths.”

[resources: The Diary of Saint Faustina]