Presently only the path of childlike trust can protect people from Satan’s attacks.
A. Lenczewska
I can’t sleep. I can feel heat emanating from my hands — they’re burning, even though the rest of my skin is cool. It feels like the need to act, to release pent up emotions, or maybe it’s simply a sign from God that He wants to use me for something.
Today I’m going to Warsaw to pick up the painting of Lord Jesus with a tiny baby, painted by Małgorzata Ujma. I wanted to have such a painting for many months, since I saw beautiful Lord Jesus with my mind’s eyes. I wanted to ensure that the memory of His face would not fade and would stay me for ever.
I described this story in The Crystal Gift. I will quote the main part here:
And just in one of these moments, when nobody else was moving, I suddenly started to sway. Moving rhythmically, I felt I was immersing into some kind of a blessed state. I closed my eyes and saw Jesus standing in front of me, with a baby child in his right arm. He seemed to be rocking the baby to sleep. It was an authentic, living person, not an image, not a shadow or a hazy ghost. Jesus was so handsome, manly, and at the same time more subtle and gentle than I’ve ever seen Him on any painting. He reminded me most of the image from the painting of the Merciful Jesus with the inscription “Jesus, I trust in Thee” painted by Adolf Hyła. He was tall and slim; His beautiful face was radiant. I don’t recall facial hair. His long, dark blond hair fell in waves onto His shoulders. He was dressed in white robes, with a cloak over His shoulder – I can’t remember what colour. It is strange, but this vision didn’t surprise me at all, I accepted it as a normal event. I didn’t fall to my knees or do anything else to praise Jesus. I just thought that something was wrong there: “Why is it Jesus with a baby in His arms? Shouldn’t it be Mary with the Baby?” After a while I realised that Jesus is rocking the baby in the same rhythm in which I was swaying. He shifted His weight from one foot to another, right and left, gently and gracefully, as I was doing. I started looking closer at the baby held by Jesus. To my surprise I saw myself: all grown up, only tiny, curled up to sleep. I was dressed in a brown suit which I used to wear many years ago, when I was the most lost and in need of faith. Then, fully aware of what I was doing, I hugged my beloved Father. I felt unspeakable warmth and softness on my left cheek. My happiness was overwhelming. I had dreamed of this moment so much, for so many years. “Thank You, Lord, for taking me into Your arms!” It was a truly beautiful and unforgettable experience.
I ordered the painting almost a year ago. Despite promises that it would be ready within three months, due to many adverse circumstances, it took much longer to complete First the painter had some personal problems, then she left the country. Then after last year’s accident of her brother and his family they needed her help minding the children. I remember praying fervently for the healing of her younger nephew, only 6 months old at the time. I was also asking other charismatic people for spiritual support. God listened to our prayers and everyone survived, although some had been very badly injured. Later Malgosia’s mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer — she’s been in hospital for the last four months and her condition is still poor despite four surgeries. After leaving the hospital she needs round-the-clock care, so Gosia was visiting her often. With all these problems it was obvious that the work on the painting would need to be delayed. I reminded her of it from time to time, but without rushing her — I had told her once that I understood that all great works need time. I believed that when the time is right, the Holy Spirit would lead Małgosia’s hand. After all, talents are God’s gifts and Małgorzata Ujma, even though she considers herself only an art renovator, has according to me and many others a real talent. I member meeting Małgosia in Karol Boromeusz Church in Żyrardow, where she’d been painting the Station of the Cross on the walls — they were beautiful. But her real mastery showed in the painting of St John Paul II in the left nave of the same church. Our Pope looks like on his best photos. It inspired me to order from this artist a painting – I felt she would do it exactly right.
Małgorzata Ujma graduated from the academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, in the faculty of Art Conservation and Restoration. She works mainly in churches, restoring wall polychromies. She also went a couple of times to conserving and archaeological missions in Egypt, in Marina el-Alamain and Deir el-Baharu. She’s a deeply religious Christian from a Catholic family.
First I sent Małgosia a copy of the Divine Mercy painting by Adolf Hyła, on which Jesus looks similar to what I saw in my vision. Then Father Lesław Witczak sent me a photo of an image of Jesus’s face which once made a great impression on me and strongly resembled my mystical vision when I saw it first, in the sacristy of the Church o God’s Mercy in Wieniec-Zdrój, a year after my healing.
We agreed what the baby should look like. I also sent her a photo of Jesus the Good Shepherd, with a little lamb resting in Lord’s arms, to show the position of his arms. Although we were advised by a nun that Jesus’ image should be of natural size, Małgosia and I agreed that for our house a smaller one will be better: 1 metre high and 55 cm wide.
Just when I accepted that the painting wouldn’t be ready anytime soon, during my visit in Krakow I received through Messenger a photo of the finished painting. It was a really nice surprise and I felt like celebrating all day. We had agreed that adjustment could be applied if needed, so I sent her a list of things I would like to change. The most important was to highlight the radiance of Jesus’ tanned face. Also, the baby was initially wrapped in a pink cloth and its face was hidden — I asked for this to be changed also. When I asked my friends for advice, one of them surprised me by saying:
“There’s a fault in logic. Jesus should be the Baby. There’s a risk that someone asks who He had the baby with — these are the times we’re living in.” We decided therefore to include a writing to explain the baby’s presence. Our brainstorm resulted in the following suggestions:
• Jesus, help me
• Jesus take care of me
• Hold me, O Lord
• Jesus, my Father
• Jesus, save me
• My Lord and my God
• Father of Children
• Jesus, I hold unto you
• Jesus, I am Your child
• Jesus, come to my aid
• Jesus, take my life into Your hands
I asked the artist for a couple of days to think over and pray and to be enlightened by God. I never thought that my painting would from the start be so controversial.
Ewelina, my assistant, found on the internet paintings of Jesus with little babies, and I stopped my friends’ brainstorming. I decided that if Jesus appears with babies on other paintings, why couldn’t He do so on mine, why would it be controversial? I think it could have been the Evil One’s works to discourage me from my work. Halinka wrote from Canada:
Jesus is holding a baby: born, aborted, small, big, old man and people who have already passed away; always by His heart. Even without the title everyone who kneels in front of this painting will name it themselves, and names will be as many as the people who see it and intentions of their prayers.
A couple of days later I drove to Małgosia to see the panting. When I saw it I kneeled to praise Lord Jesus. It is much more beautiful in reality than it is on the photo — Gosia made His image almost emanate from the canvas, and His eyes follow the observers. But in my vision Jesus was even more beautiful, so I was telling Małgosia what to change and she kept applying corrections. His eyebrows got darker, His eyes turned from dark to light blue, His lips grew fuller and his beard shorter, making Jesus’ face more masculine, but also gentler and more radiant. We added a cream, almost yellow cloak over the left arm and corrected the halo surrounding his head. Małgosia added one element that was her own — she painted the baby holding Jesus’ thumb, as babies do when they want to feel safer. I liked it a lot. My joy increased every minute. After a couple of hours I decided that the painting was right, that it reflected in 90% the vision I saw in my heart. I had to wait for over an hour in icy conditions to get a train and I only got home after midnight — but I was truly happy.
Before bringing the painting to Warsaw I wondered what God thought about all this. I opened at random A word of advice by Alicja Lenczewska and read:
Every received blessing and gift from the Holy Spirit should make you more grateful and humble, because you will never be worthy of them and of being My instrument to other people, your brothers.
Do not have pride in what you do through My blessing and My Will, but in humbleness feel your nothingness and My Mercy, which chose to use you for My glory and to testify My work in the world.
Tell people that it’s not you, but My Grace which makes things possible. Do not ever claim responsibility for good things but assign all to My Mercy.
On the 22nd January 2020, at 3 p.m., my husband and I went to Małgosia to pick up the finished painting. It was rainy and dark, but smile did not leave my face for a moment and joy was filling my heart. We made sure to protect the painting from the pain and put it in our care. Marek shared my joy.
Unfortunately our joy did not last for long. I was hit with a wave of criticism coming from my well-wishers. I heard:
“What is that?”
“This painting should not have been made!”
“You can’t pain t sacred images like this!”
“The artist should have known better than to agree to this!”
“Who knows where it all leads to!”
“Everyone’ll abandon you; you just wait and see!”
“You’ll curse the day you ordered this painting!”
I felt like crying. I couldn’t sleep. I think the Evil One stood behind these painful comments to destroy my work. I have heard that it is often the case when a new image of Lord Jesus or the Holy Mother is painted- the Evil One goes mad and directs hate towards people who create them.
When my 8-year-old granddaughter Wiktoria saw the painting on our bedroom wall, she said: “Grandma, this picture is so pretty, why does everyone say it’s ugly? “The child saw me being upset and did not understand the source of the problem.
My beloved St Sister Faustina also faced difficulties when trying to make a painting base on her vision, and yet everything ended well in praising God’s glory; although it was a different story, as she was ordered by Jesus Himself to have the painting made, and all that urged me was my own heart.
My close friends Ewunia and Bożenka cheered me up; especially Bożenka, supporting me every day with prayers and advice, and even ordering Mass in Jasna Gora for my family. I know that she’d also asked her charismatic friends for a prayer. I am very grateful to her and I feel she’s my real spiritual guide. I feel that her wisdom and knowledge come directly from the Holy Spirit.
On the day after I’d brought the painting home I brought it to photographer Beata Heidinger to have a god quality photo made. I also asked to print one copy on canvas. When I picked up the photo, the photographer noted the strange three-dimensional appearance of the image. “That’s strange, usually photos don’t show depth so well”, she noted. The photo shocked us with its radiance, depth and uniqueness. Like a miracle.
I put the painting n a simple silver frame, 6 cm wide. It fits perfectly. Every time I enter my bedroom I feel the presence of living Jesus looking at me wherever I go. Now I know I’ll never be alone at home again.
On the day the paining was finished, Małgosia sent a photo of it for her charismatic friend, who was at a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The woman wrote back:
The painting is beautiful! Małgosia, its uncanny that you were painting it just when I was in the Holy land — it’s like a parallel story. It shows exactly how a feel — like a baby in Jesus’ hands. Sometimes a baby, sometimes a toddler and sometimes a lamb. It shows Jesus’ tenderness to take care of someone so insignificant, a financial bankrupt, and to give me this vision of love in complete freedom.
I know from other charismatics that other people react to my painting in a similar way — that looking at the painting they feel embraced by Jesus Christ. Edward Anioł wrote:
The painting is beautiful, you had a wonderful vision and the artist captured it, creating a timeless work of art. Congratulations.
When I read it I immediately thought that this was it — the painting was timeless: Jesus Christ has been carrying us, His children, in the biblical times, He carries us now and will continue to do so until the end of the world and beyond it.
When Tonia, the Ukrainian woman who helps me around the house, stood in front of the painting, she couldn’t take her eyes off Jesus, amazed by His beauty. She said that no other painting had ever made such an impact on her. When I told her in the evening that I was going to Mass as it was the first Saturday of the month — the Feast of Holy Mary – she asked me where the church was. I told her it was behind the corner and suggested we go there together and she could complete her work afterwards. She quickly put on her jacket and we set off. On the way she was telling me that many bad things had been happening in her life, making her feel anxious and helpless. I suggested she asked God for help. After the Mass Tonia said that her anxiety was gone and all she felt now was peace and joy. Such are the things God is capable of! She said the she was a Russian Orthodox and hadn’t been in an Orthodox Church for a long time, she hadn’t even been attending prayers in the Ukraine. She asked me to check what time are the morning Masses in churches nearby as she’d like to go every day.
The painting was blessed in our house by Father Tomasz, in the presence of the parish priest, Father Krzysztof. When they saw it, they both said the painting was beautiful and meaningful. When it was blessed with holy water, I couldn’t stop the tears. The priests praised the artist who created this timeless work. They also explained that only paintings displayed in churches needed to be painted according to specific canons, and for the needs of private worship we can paint whatever our heart suggest.
Asked if they’d like a photo of the painting printed on canvas, they agreed enthusiastically. Father Tomasz admitted that he would not have dared ask for it. I promised to bring two copies to the parish house, each 50 cm high — half the size of the original. It was a wonderful day. Now I am calm and my heart is filled only with joy.
• Kaja from Ireland, the translator of my books, said: There’s beauty and wisdom in this painting. Jesus’ young face gives us hope for the future and the baby holding His finger is a symbol of trust. Nowadays, when many people do now know whom to trust, they can look at this pointing and doubt no longer.
• Young widow Natalka said: the painting has a depth everyone wants to dive into.
• Marek from Peloponnese said that a baby is always a beginning of something new.
• Małgosia Ujma, when I read her these comments, wrote: I’m very happy that the painting is so well received, that it moves people and speaks to them. I hope that through this painting Jesus will reach their hearts also.
Some friends asked me for a photo of the painting on canvas. They all say what I had said a year ago, that it is their wish to have a painting of Jesus with a tiny baby. They also say that they’d never seen a painting like this before.
I already know that the painting wasn’t created for myself only. My wish that everyone who looks at it would feel like a baby cradled by Merciful Jesus can be fulfilled — if Lord wishes it so.
In the evening, looking at Jesus’ beautiful face, I asked the Lord for the purpose of this creation. I took up Swiadectwo by Alicja Lenczeska and opened it at random on page 417. I read the words spoken by Jesus Christ:
Presently only the path of childlike trust can protect people from Satan’s attacks as he’s expanding his power over the world. That’s why I showed people this path. In earlier times, long trials of ascetism were more needed, now there is neither time nor conditions for them. You need to throw yourself in my arms -and I will slowly transform you, protect you, lead you. There is no time for your own, much slower efforts and exercises. Every path I give humanity is designed for a specific time only, then I show a new, more appropriate one. You shouldn’t hold tight to what used to be perfect some time earlier, it’s better to recognise the signs of changing times and submit to My inspiration. My Church has done much wrong by its schematic and conservatist approach. Sometimes I have to forcefully break old, rigid forms, no longer useful. A new time is coming. What is currently happening, thanks to the power of My Spirit, is just a seed, an embryo living within old frames — and as it grows, they become too tight. A pain of birth will come The pain of purification and emergence of a new, more perfect relationship between Me and the humanity. Many are preparing for it and many of My directions have been written, My Word to the world.