Our Lady of Fatima
As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima many are still unaware of the message Our Lady gave to each of us.
Many are side tracked by the secrets she reveled to the three shepherds and are not familiar with the true message and request of Our Lady to the world.
What does she ask of each of us? Four simple things:
- That we pray the rosary daily in her honor.
- That we do penance. Our Lord explained to sister Lucia what form of penance:
“The sacrifice required of every person is the fulfillment of his duties in life and the observance of My law.
This is the penance that I now seek and require.”
- Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
- And Communions of reparation on the first Saturdays*.
In the words of Our Lady:
“I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to Confession and receive Holy Communion, recite the Rosary and keep me company for 15 minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to me.”
Through this devotion she promised not only the graces necessary for salvation of those that observe the first five Saturdays but also the conversion of sinners and to atone for the sins of the world.
Our Lord explained to sister Lucia why 5 Saturdays, in May 29, 1930.
My daughter, the reason is simple. There are five types of offenses and blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
1. Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception;
2. Blasphemies against her virginity;
3. Blasphemies against her divine maternity, in refusing at the same time to recognize her as the Mother of men;
4. Blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the hearts of children, indifference or scorn or even hatred of this Immaculate Mother;
5. Offenses of those who outrage her directly in her holy images.
*How to fulfill the request of the first five Saturdays devotion:
- Spirit of reparation
The spirit of reparation is a loving desire to make reparation to and console the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Our Mother. One should make this intention before carrying out Our Lady’s requests. A renewal of the actual intention at the time is best.
- Confession in the spirit of reparation
If one cannot go to confession the first Saturday of the month, one can go within eight days. Even one’s monthly confession would be sufficient, which would need the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
- Reparatory Communion
This is the essential act of this devotion. If a just reason prevents the Communion on a First Saturday, with the priest’s permission it may be received the following Sunday.
- Recitation of the rosary. To comply with the request of our Blessed Mother, it must be offered in reparation for the offenses committed against her Immaculate Heart and said properly while meditating.
- 15-minute meditation
Also offered in reparation, the meditation may embrace one or more mysteries; it may include all, taken together or separately. This meditation should be the richest of any meditation, because Our Lady promised to be present when she said “…those who keep me company….”
FIAT!
