Our Lady started appearing to the three little children (Lucia, Francesco and Jacinta) on May 13 through October 13, 1917. Before Our Lady’s apparition, an Angel had first appeared to them and taught them this prayer: “O my God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love thee. I beg pardon of thee for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not believe and do not love thee.”
Franceso was 9. As with most 9 year olds, concentration was hard for him at times until our Lady showed them the vision of hell. That changed him. He became serious.
Luke 1:39 speaks of how our Lady went in haste to help her cousin Elizabeth. Our Lady desires deeply to help all of us her children. She said that many of her children are going to hell because there is no one to pray for them.
In Revelation 12, we read: “The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born” The devil is still going after us- God’s children (children of Mary). Our Lady doesn’t want to sit in heaven while her children suffer. Hence she appears
to us.
Her main message was to remind the world of what matters most – that we were made for eternity. Her message is meant for each person to ask himself a personal question: where do I want to spend eternity: in heaven with God or in hell?
Our Lady was saddened by the widespread atheism in the world. And she asked that our world be consecrated to God, that we return to God and live for Him alone. She asked the little children to pray, do penance and make reparation for the sins of the world.
Franceso’s life (and that of Lucia and Jacinta) was completely changed. They prayed and did a lot of penance for the world. Only true love for the world kept them on their knees. When Franceso was asked whether he wanted to be an engineer, doctor or a priest when he grew up? He said: “I don’t want to be
anything. I just want to die and be with God.”
Yes, Fatima’s Message is still very relevant today: more than ever, many have wandered away from God; the seeking of God’s Kingdom is no longer paramount, denial of God’s existence is widespread, love for neighbour is diminishing.
However, there are still men and women who today are able to say: it is God or nothing! In all things they remind themselves of the one thing necessary – seeking first the Kingdom. On their knees, they cling to their Rosary, they deny themselves the pleasures of this world, they make sacrifices of love, they meditate on the law of God night and day, they seize every opportunity to do good to their neighbour, they look forward to spending eternity with God.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
In our Rosary, may we continue to pray for one another.
Your brother,
Fr. Obi