 attributed to Joshua Benoliel [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons It is amazing to believe that only 100 years ago, our Blessed Mother appeared to the children of Fátima for the sixth and final time. Mary would appear to Lucia for a seventh time years later.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, who is also known as Our Lady of Fátima and The Lady of the Rosary as she told the three children, had very simple yet poignant requests for the children. Among these requests from the Blessed Mother were “to continue saying the Rosary every day,” and for people to “amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend our Lord any more, for He is already too much offended!” “There is nothing more.” As a mother, my heart bursts with happiness when my son listens to what I ask him to do, especially when he does so without protest. We would also make our Blessed Mother very happy if we listened to her requests and fulfilled them without protest. Why is the Rosary so important to our Blessed Mother? I don’t think that I could put it as eloquently as Pope Pius XI did, so I will refer to the quote below: “The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.” -Pope Pius XI It has been a little over two years since I have been praying the Holy Rosary each day. Since then, my life has radically changed. In many ways because of the birth of my son and in many ways because of my shift in focus. Before I focused too much on this life, whereas now, I focus much more on everlasting life. Prayer and following God’s will has made my life entirely better and in turn, I have become a better person for my family. Learn how to pray the Holy Rosary and find out the 15 Promises the Blessed Virgin Mary will grant to those who recite the Holy Rosary each day. An important prayer to add after each mystery is one given to us directly by the Blessed Virgin Mary: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell. Take all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need of thy mercy. A Mother’s Warning The Blessed Mother warned that "The sins of the world are very great ... If men only knew what eternity is, they would do everything in their power to change their lives." In addition to this warning, Our Lady showed the three children visions of hell. The children were told that there were many souls in purgatory that had no one to pray for them. “Make sacrifices for sinners, and say often, especially while making a sacrifice: O Jesus, this is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for offences committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” Father Riccardo Lombardi, founder of the Better World Movement and author of The Salvation of Those Who Have No Faith met with Lucia in 1954. Father Lombardi said that the meeting and Lucia’s “words disturbed me. I returned to Italy with that grave warning impressed on my heart.” In speaking with Lucia, Father Lombardi remarked, "It is true that the world is full of evil, but there is always a hope of salvation.” To this Lucia responded, “No, Father, many, many are lost.” "What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26) A Mother’s Fear of Losing Her Children One time when my son and I were playing outside, for a split second he disappeared. While these events only took a matter of 10 seconds or so, it was torture. I thought he ran around the corner and when I followed, he wasn’t there. My heart stopped and I felt myself panic. Where was he? Did he race into the street? I turned around ready to start shouting his name and calling the police to seal off the town (just kidding!) When I turned back, of course, there he was, playing with his ball in the opposite way than I initially thought he had gone off to. I imagine that our Blessed Mother also feels these fearful and panicked thoughts when she witnesses us, her children, putting our souls in danger. So what do I do to ease our Blessed Mother’s fears and try to save my soul from eternal damnation?
To read more about the final apparition to the three children and the Miracle of the Sun, which is also known as the Miracle of Fátima, visit The Eternal Word Television Network’s website devoted to 100 Years of Fatima. How are you celebrating Our Lady of Fatima? Please share with us on Facebook. As always, thank you for reading and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always. Sources: Borelli , Antonio. “What Our Lady Said at Fatima on October 13, 1917.” The American TFP, 8 Sept. 2017, www.tfp.org/what-our-lady-said-at-fatima-on-october-13-1917/. Pronechen, Joseph. “On July 13, 1917, Our Lady of Fatima Showed a Vision of Hell and Taught Us How to Avoid It.” National Catholic Register, 13 July 2017, www.ncregister.com/blog/joseph-pronechen/fatima-july-13-apparition-ways-to-overcome-a-frightening-vision. “Rosary Quotes.” The Power of the Rosary, www.thepoweroftherosary.com/rosary-quotes.html. “During the Night of 12-13 October It Had Rained throughout, Soaking the Ground and the Pilgrims Who Make Their Way to Fátima from All Directions by the Thousands.” Fatima 100th Anniversary - Sixth Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, EWTN, www.ewtn.com/fatima/sixth-apparition-of-our-lady.asp. Francis Johnston, Fatima, The Great Sign (Rockford, IL:Tan Publishers, Inc., 1980) p. 36. For more information see www.wafusa.org Zimdars-Swartz, Sandra L. Encountering Mary: From La Salette to Medjugorje. Princeton University Press, 2014.
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