MARY MOTHER OF GOD Archives

FATIMA MIRACLE OF THE SUN OCTOBER 13, 1917

ANGEL OF PEACE

BACKGROUND

Some months before the Blessed Mother appeared to the children, an Angel of Peace appeared to them with this plea to the playing children: ‘What are you doing? Pray! Pray much!…Constantly offer prayers and in every way you can, offer a sacrifice to the Lord as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and for the conversion of sinners…As the Angel of Peace gave them Holy Communion she taught them the prayer: ‘My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee.

FATIMA CHILDREN LUCIA, JACINTA AND FRANCISCO

Beginning May 13, 1917, the Blessed Mother appeared, six different times, to these three children in Fatima Portugal. The message of Fatima may be lost sometimes in the mysterious and the spectacular: The simple message is the Blessed Mother asks for prayer, reparation, and sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world…..an abandonment of sin.

These entreaties of Our Blessed Virgin Mary concern our day to day activities as we make our way to our eternal home. They are as valid today as they were in Fatima 105 years ago.

APPARITION AT FATIMA

The everlasting consequence of un-repented mortal sin is Hell; knowing this, we should live our lives according to the laws of God, not according to latest trends in secular society. This world is temporary and transitional, very small compared to the eternal spiritual world that awaits us all. The central message of Fatima was an urgent plea to stay on the narrow path to Heaven.

In each of the six apparitions, Mary instructed the children to pray the Rosary every day, especially for peace in the world and an end to war. During the apparition on July 13, Mary encouraged the children to make sacrifices for sinners and requested that the children add a simple phrase after each mystery of the rosary: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need.”

To this day we add that phrase while saying the rosary keeping in mind our salvation and the salvation of others especially those most in need of forgiveness and mercy. We must never forget pursuit of salvation is NOT a game of solitaire but a communal activity, a mystical body of Christ. No one gets to heaven alone.

THE MIRACLE OF THE SUN

What occurred on Oct. 13, 1917, the final public apparition, validated the apparitions in the eyes of many. At the designated time, Mary revealed herself as Our Lady of the Rosary. Afterward, as she began to ascend back to heaven, St. Joseph appeared with the Christ Child and Mary. Then Jesus appeared with Our Lady of Sorrows and lastly Our Lady of Mount Carmel. And then the great solar miracle happened,

Nearly 70,000 people witnessed this miracle, when it seemed the sun was plunging toward the earth, only to return to the sky. Not everyone reported the same thing; some present claimed they saw the sun dance around the heavens; others said the sun zoomed toward Earth For the onlookers, this confirmed what the Fatima children claimed. The whole event took about 10 minutes.

REFLECTION

In one of her apparitions, Mary confirmed the existence of hell. She gave the children a very brief glance but it was enough. The children saw the suffering of those detained there. Today so many want to deny sin, the devil, and the existence of hell. With those consequences swept away why are we surprised at the evil in this world? So many say what difference does it make what I do. They ignore the evil consequences of their sinning on others…no one is an island to themselves. Our acts have consequences.

Fatima calls us to conversion, and a daily turning away from sin. Mary told the children that our prayers can help save souls, “Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.” Are we doing our part?

As faithful disciples, we are called to be holy, and to be intercessors for each other. Fatima is a wake-up call. In the midst of a passing world, we need to get right with eternal things: penance, Confession, the Eucharist, prayer, especially the Rosary for Mary’s intercession.

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.

MATTHEW 7:13-14

Jesus, lead the way!

EPILOGUE

Francisco and Jacinta Marto were canonized by Pope Francis. The brother and sister died of pneumonia two years after the apparitions at the ages of 9 and 11. Lucy, their cousin, died in 2005 is awaiting Beatification

The children say the Virgin Mary appeared to them six times above an olive tree in 1917 and told them three secrets.

The first secret was a vision of hell confirming its existence. “It revealed a very terrifying scene as the children were shown a vision of hell! It was only for a brief moment that they saw the fires of hell, the ugliest demons, and the poor charred and transparent burning souls of people suffering tremendously.

Lucy said later she was thankful the Blessed Mother had promised in her first visit the children would be going to Heaven or we would have died of fright.

The second secret was request of devotion to Mary’s Immaculate Heart in prayer in reparation for sins, peace in the world, and conversion of Russia. Our Blessed Lady said to the children, “You have seen hell where souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace.”

The third secret was to remain a secret at the Blessed Mother’s instructions, and it did for decades until Saint John Paul II revealed it after the assassination attempt on his life in 1981. Lucy who later became a Carmelite nun wrote the secret in her diary and described a vision of many threats and attacks on Church figures including the Holy Father.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA

“I am the Lady of the Rosary.

I desire that people continue to recite the Rosary every day.”

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES

CATHOLIC FEAST DAYS, MARY MOTHER OF GOD

I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

PROLOGUE

Today, February 11, we celebrate another Marian Feast Day, Our Lady of Lourdes. In 1858, Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous. 14 years old, in Lourdes, France. Bernadette was doing her family chore of collecting fire wood near a cave.

Near the opening of the grotto, Bernadette glanced and noticed the cave was suddenly filled with golden light. Lifting up her eyes, she saw a lady of great beauty, dressed in a pure white robe with a blue sash, a veil over her head, a rosary clasped in her hands and yellow roses at her feet. Bernadette rubbed her eyes. What a beautiful lady! But where did she come from? And what was she doing here? The Lady looked at Bernadette and immediately smiled and signaled her to advance, in a way that a mother motions her child to come near.

Bernadette took out her rosary and knelt before the Lady, who also had a rosary on her right arm. As Bernadette prayed the rosary, the Lady passed the beads of her rosary between her fingers. When the recitation of the rosary was finished, the Lady returned to the interior of the rock and the golden cloud disappeared with her.

BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS

Our Blessed Mother appeared eighteen times to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Her messages to Bernadette are ageless and apply to all of us today…. A call to conversion, praying for sinners, acts of reparations for our sins and the sins of others. Penance, Penance, Penance, pray, pray, pray for sinners

The third time Bernadette went to the grotto, the lady spoke to her. The beautiful lady asked Bernadette to come here every day for fifteen days. The Lady instructed Bernadette to scrape the mud of the Grotto until a stream appeared. She said that she wanted Bernadette to tell the priests to build a chapel here.

Pretty amazing that only four years after Pius IX (1854) declared the Immaculate Conception of Mary a dogma of the Church, Mary herself confirmed the dogma to Bernadette at Lourdes. The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin.

From the first instant of her existence Mary was in the state of sanctifying grace and free from the corrupt nature original sin brings. Mary was redeemed by the grace of Christ, but in a special way—by anticipation. Mary received grace merited by her Son’s death and resurrection applied to her before she was able to become mired in original sin and its stain.

Mary is our model of faith and commitment. The Blessed Virgin Mary is also our greatest intercessor with God. At Cana, the Queen Mother asked her Son, Jesus, the King of Kings, to perform His first public miracle. Who can say no to their Mother? Go to Mary, ask her to intercede with her Son, but be patient, God is in a different time zone (eternity)

EPILOGUE

Bernadette, at the age of 22, entered the convent of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Nevers, France, serving our Lord with dignity, grace, and love, praying for the conversion of sinners and to the service of God. She passed away from tuberculosis on April 16, 1879 at 34 years of age and was canonized as a saint in 1933.

To this day her body remains incorruptible (that is to say, it shows no signs of decomposition or decay), another sign of the miracles associated with her. The sacred relic (Bernadette’s body) was placed in a coffin of gold and glass and can be viewed to this very day in the Chapel of Saint Bernadette at the motherhouse in Nevers, France.

Lourdes has become a place of pilgrimage and healing, but even more of faith. Church authorities have recognized over 60 miraculous cures, although there have probably been many more. To people of faith this is a continuation of Jesus’ healing miracles—now performed at the intercession of his mother. Lourdes water is brought home by pilgrims and shared with thousands in need. Would you believe this spring still provides 27,000 gallons of water every day!

Many of the sick and afflicted who go to Lourdes and are not healed but leave there stronger spiritually. They know that their various ailments still have a redemptive character, much like our Lord’s did at Calvary in His Passion and, as long as they do not lose faith in Him, their sufferings will not be in vain!

MARIAN PRAYER

MEMORARE

REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary,

that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,

implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided.

Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee,

O Virgin of virgins, my Mother;

to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,

but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

OUR LADY OF LOURDES I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

MARY MOTHER OF GOD

INTRODUCTION

Tomorrow, February 11, we celebrate another Marian Feast Day, Our Lady of Lourdes. It is ironic that only four years after the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX, 1854, Mary appeared to a young woman of Lourdes and confirmed she is, “I am the Immaculate Conception”

I suppose the unique message of Lourdes is the heavenly confirmation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Other messages are consistent with other Marian apparitions. A call to conversion, praying for sinners, and acts of reparations for our sins and the sins of others. Mary tells Bernadette the important thing is to be happy in the life to come by attaching ourselves to the crucified Jesus and His cross. Mary over and over again stresses prayer, especially the rosary. Today, Lourdes, is a favorite shrine of Christian pilgrims for its miracles of healing. Lourdes water is brought home by pilgrims and shared with thousands in need.

The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin. From the first instant of her existence she was in the state of sanctifying grace and was free from the corrupt nature original sin brings.

She was redeemed by the grace of Christ, but in a special way—by anticipation. Mary received grace merited by her Son’s death and resurrection applied to her before she was able to become mired in original sin and its stain. Mary is totally inhabited by God. She is our model of faith and commitment. Turn to Mary and ask she help you to always say Yes to Jesus!

(SEE MY POST IN CATEGORY OF MARY FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION)

I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION LOURDES 1858

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

APPARITIONS OF MARY AT LOURDES 1858

In Lourdes, France, on January 7, 1844, a baby girl named Bernadette was born to Francois and Louise Soubirous. Bernadette’s family was very poor, and Bernadette was responsible for looking after and caring for her brothers and sisters. Bernadette suffered many illnesses including asthma which prevented her from attending school and was schooled at home.

The only education Bernadette received was the Catholic teachings which she studied faithfully in the evenings. At the age of 13, Bernadette was preparing for her First Holy Communion. One of Bernadette’s chores was to collect wood for the fire.

On a cold day in February 1858, Bernadette and 2 companions headed off to the Gave River to collect pieces of wood. Near the river outside a grotto/cave, Bernadette heard a great noise like the sound of a storm, but nothing was moving. She turned her head towards the Grotto of Massabieille and saw in the opening of the rock a rosebush, one only, moving as if it were very windy. Bernadette looked up towards the grotto and the caves on the riverbank. Near the opening of the grotto, Bernadette glanced and noticed the cave was suddenly filled with golden light.

Lifting up her eyes, she saw a lady of great beauty, dressed in a pure white robe with a blue sash, a veil over her head, a rosary clasped in her hands and yellow roses at her feet. Bernadette rubbed her eyes. What a beautiful lady! But where did she come from? And what was she doing here? She looked at Bernadette and immediately smiled and signaled her to advance, in a way that a mother motions her child to come near.

In the beginning the Lady spoke no words to Bernadette. Our Blessed Mother appeared eighteen times to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Her messages to Bernadette are ageless and apply to all of us today.

BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS

The third time Bernadette went to the grotto, the lady spoke to her. The beautiful lady asked Bernadette to come here every day for fifteen days. In Bernadette’s day, the Grotto was a dirty, hidden, damp and cold place. The Grotto was literally called the “pig–sty” because that was where pigs feeding in the area took shelter.

The Lady instructed Bernadette to scrape the mud until a stream appeared. She said that she wanted Bernadette to tell the priests to build a chapel there. She told her to drink water from the stream. The lady also told Bernadette to pray for the conversion of sinners,“Penance, Penance, Penance, pray, pray, pray for sinners.”.

Bernadette’s parish priest asked her to ask the Lady’s name. On March 25, 1858, the day of the sixteenth Apparition, Bernadette went to the Grotto, and asked the Lady for her name. Three times Bernadette asked the question. On the fourth request, the Lady responds in dialect of the area, ‘Que soy era Immaculada Councepciou’ (I am the Immaculate Conception). Bernadette does not understand the meaning of these words but the parish priest does. He understands that it is the Mother of God who has appeared at the Grotto of Massabielle.

On March 25, the Lady finally told Bernadette that she was Mary, the mother of Jesus, and that her purpose in appearing to Bernadette was to warn her to pray and make sacrifices for sinners. Bernadette’s daily visits to the grotto caused quite a stir in the countryside. Crowds of people began to gather. They watched Bernadette scrape away soil beside the grotto until a spring of water started to trickle out. Would you believe this spring still provides 27,000 gallons of water everyday!

At first, the priests, the town’s folk, and the families doubted Bernadette’s visions and the purpose in her activities. But Bernadette was stubborn and determined to follow Mary’s plans for her. Eventually everyone did believe Bernadette and the grotto at Lourdes became a place of worship and the Lourdes holy water was sacred for performing miracles.

CHURCH SHRINE AT LOURDES

EPILOGUE BERNADETTE POST APPARITIONS

At the age of 22, Bernadette joined the order of the Sisters of Charity, devoted her life to Mary, to praying for the conversion of sinners and to the service of God. Throughout her life she remained sickly, but attended patiently to her duties as infirmarian and sacristan. She died a holy death on April 16, 1879.at 34 years old.

Bernadette was buried on the convent grounds. Her body was exhumed thirty years later on September 22, 1909, in the presence of two doctors, several appointed officials, and nuns from the local convent. When Bernadette’s coffin was opened, there was no odor, and her body was completely untouched by the laws of nature. The sacred relic (Bernadette’s body) was placed in a coffin of gold and glass and can be viewed to this very day in the Chapel of Saint Bernadette at the motherhouse in Nevers, France.

BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MODEL OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, MARY MOTHER OF GOD

October is one of two months of the year particularly dedicated by the Church to honor Mary. It is the month of the Holy Rosary and also includes the last apparition at Fatima, the miracle of the Sun, October 13. It is good to ponder Mary’s role in Salvation History.

For our Protestant brethren, let me say right up front that the Catholic Church does not worship Mary or make her an idol. We honor her as the Mother of God, Jesus. It is Mary’s flesh that Jesus took on to share in our humanity. All covenants failed until the New Covenant of Jesus. Man could not save himself under the law. Constantly man was breaking the law of the Covenant. It took a human and Divine human being to atone for our sins.

Mary did not just drop from the sky. Her part in the salvation story had been predicted in the Old Testament book of Genesis, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, ,and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel.^”

Genesis 3:15.

In the Prophet Isaiah, a sign of the awaited Messiah is given, “The Lord himself will give you a sign, the young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son…” Isaiah 7:14. Even the place is predicted in Micah, “But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathaha least among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel” Micah 5:2

Mary is foreshadowed in the person of Eve. Both are mothers of all the living, yet in different ways. Eve is the mother of all those living with natural life, while Mary is the mother of all those living with supernatural life,

Without Mary, no Jesus, without Jesus, no salvation. Some will say I don’t need Mary, I pray directly to Jesus. Fine, but don’t we need all the help we can get. Why not ask His mother to intercede on our behalf too. After all Jesus performed His first miracle at His Mother’s request although His time had not come yet.

When we are having upcoming surgery we don’t just ask one friend to pray for us but we ask for all the prayers we can get. Praying to Mary can’t hurt anything but can only help.

Mary is the model of faith and obedience. At the Annunciation, Mary’s fiat, “let it be done to me according to your word…,” Luke 1:38 demonstrates her complete obedience to God and to His will for her. Church Father, St. Irenaeus, says, Mary “being obedient, became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.”

.The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith. Our obedience of faith must be given to God as He reveals Himself, to us. It involves a complete submission of one’s self to God’s will.

We must have a humble faith, which means that we recognize it as an unmerited gift from God. Recall when Mary’s cousin Elizabeth greeted Mary as singular blessedness, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

Mary immediately turned the attention away from herself to magnify the Lord. Mary’s hymn of praise, known as the Magnificat, is a shining example of the humble being exalted.

Mary’s perfect humility constantly leads her to point to her divine Son. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness… Luke 1:46.

We, too, who have been baptized into eternal life must magnify the Lord through our very lives. Like Mary, our “humble faith” must lead us to bear witness to the great things God has done for us. We must proclaim Christ at every opportunity in a way that invites others to “come and see.”

In Luke 1:29 and Luke 2:19, Mary is pictured as a woman of faith who pondered all things, Jesus, in her heart. Mary’s “recollected faith” teaches us the importance of listening to God’s word, pondering the truths of our faith, and praying daily that our faith be preserved and strengthened.

Faith is a gift that is received or revived at any given moment in history. Faith is also a virtue. Like a muscle, it will go flabby if it’s not exercised but it will also grow stronger if we actively strive to grow in holiness.

Mary advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, from the Annunciation to Calvary, then to Pentecost. Mary never ceased to “wonder” in awe all that faith had revealed to her. Are we still awestruck in our faith at all that God has done for us or have we become indifferent and lukewarm? Mary, now assumed into heaven, is no longer on a pilgrimage herself, but continues to be a beacon of light for those of us still on the journey home.

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