Saint Faustina

“Jesus, I Trust in You” is a devotional hymn celebrating Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, the Polish religious sister whose life became closely associated with the message of Divine Mercy. Born Helena Kowalska in Poland in 1905, Faustina came from a humble and deeply Catholic family. From childhood she felt drawn toward religious life, but she first worked to help support her family. At twenty, after experiencing a profound call to surrender herself to Christ, she entered the religious life in Warsaw and received the name Sister Maria Faustina. For thirteen years she served in simple and hidden occupations, including working as a cook, gardener and porter. Her ordinary duties became part of her extraordinary spiritual life. The central message of the hymn comes from the words associated with the image of the Divine Mercy: “Jesus, I trust in You.” On February 22, 1931, Faustina recorded a vision of Christ dressed in white, with rays of red and pale light flowing from His Heart. She understood the Lord to be asking for an image bearing the words: “Jesus, I trust in You.” From this spiritual experience grew the worldwide devotion to Divine Mercy, including the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Hour of Mercy at 3:00 p.m., and the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday. Faustina described herself as a “secretary” of Divine Mercy, recording what she understood Christ to be revealing about God's merciful love for humanity. The message at the heart of her spirituality was not fear, but trust. God's mercy is offered to sinners, to the wounded, to those who feel lost and to those who believe they are beyond forgiveness. The familiar image of Divine Mercy presents Christ with one hand raised in blessing and two rays flowing from His Heart, traditionally understood as representing the blood and water associated with Christ's Passion. Faustina's own life was marked by suffering, prayer and physical illness. She died in 1938 at only 33 years of age, after suffering from tuberculosi