|
|
|
Day 1 of Our Lady of Fatima Novena During the first day of our Novena, you and I can reflect on the First Secret of Fatima, when Our Lady showed the shepherd children a vision of hell. There, she taught us which weapons to use to avoid the eternal fires.
Why is Our Lady important? Are you experiencing the same scenario that I am where the question above is asked multiple times within your sphere of influence? If so, let’s embrace this opportunity together. Allow me to share that to answer this question, I find leaning on a reflection from Cardinal Burke helpful where he depicts the relationship between Our Lord and Our Lady when Jesus performed His first miracle at the Wedding at Cana. Let’s recall Our Lady’s words, “Do whatever he tells you.” These insightful syllables communicate not only her maternal care for her children in need, but they also intimate her sublime intercessory power. She is unmistakably the mediator between God and man, the channel of graces which gush forth from Our Lord’s just, yet merciful heart. To see the continuity of instruction and intercessory prayer from our Heavenly Mother, fast forward to 1917 where she came to earth with an urgent message for us. With the supplication to “Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners…”, Our Lady asked us to make reparation for outrages, sacrileges, and indifference which greatly offend the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, and to pray for peace in the world. Our Lady gently but gravely reminds us of the truth that as the world cracks beneath the weight of secularism and impurity, so many souls fall like snowflakes into the eternal depths of hell because no one is praying and no one is making sacrifices for them. I ask you to join me in a Novena of prayer (which will also involve sacrifice!) to Our Lady of Fatima to begin on May 5th and end on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, May 13th. Over these nine days, you and I ‘with confidence’ will plead for the conversion of sinners and peace in the world while grasping at the essence of Our Lady’s requests during her apparitions. As we come together in our pleading, we will unveil the mystery of the Three Secrets of Fatima so that we and our loved ones can successfully overcome and defeat Satan along with our vices in this spiritually decrepit culture. The Message of Fatima was not intended only for the people of 1917. It is still pressingly relevant for you and me today. Along with storming Heaven during our daily Rosary, let’s rise up and fly to the patronage of Our Lady of Fatima with this Novena! If you have not already done so, please sign-up to receive a new e-mail every day with a link to the Novena. Sign-Up to Pray the Novena to Our Lady of Fatima! On May 5-13:
Your friend in Jesus and Mary, Thomas J. McKenna |
|