She came to you Catholics

(Photo from https://maryourmother.net/Fatima.html)

“You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If people do what I tell you, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecution of the Church and of the Holy Father. (Our Lady to Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, Fatima, July 13, 1917)[i]

 I once listened to a speaker who was considered an expert on Our Lady of Fatima. One of the many stories she shared was of a Catholic dignitary in conversation with the Japanese ambassador of his time. Referring to the horrors occurring in the world, the ambassador told him it is the fault of the Catholics. The Catholic dignitary inquired as to why, and the Japanese ambassador explained that Jesus’ mother Mary had told us if we prayed, this (WWII and other violence) wouldn’t happen. The Catholic responded pointing out that peace was the responsibility of the whole world, to which the ambassador said “But Mary didn’t come to the Buddhists. She didn’t come to the Hindus. She didn’t come to the Muslims. She didn’t come to the Jews. She came to you Catholics, so you have the responsibility.”

 It used to be generally considered that the Catholic church developed moral reasoning for the western world. If we don’t bring it back into society, who will?

 The Catholic church is the keeper of the full deposit of faith for the entire world. Whether or not they believe is irrelevant; truth is truth. That comes with a fuller responsibility to live out that faith. Authentic faith begins, exists and grows in prayer.

Consistent across Marian apparitions is not only her pronouncement to pray the rosary, but also our conversion. OUR conversion. Yet, left to our human nature, too often we pray the rosary for other people to change who we perceive to be the problem. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pray for the conversion of the lost souls around us, especially those doing harm. However, the temptation can be to use the rosary as a good luck charm, relying upon it to do all the work. The fullness of our teaching is of Mary’s role as our mother, to lead us to Jesus and be our example of living our humble faith that we are to take on as our own habit. Admittedly, it can be difficult to see how dealing with our own brokenness is going to change anything.

 Yet it is this living in the faith that becomes an ongoing personal conversion, the moment-to-moment metanoia encouraged by St. Ignatius and other saints. It is through our healing and sanctification that we bring the Holy Spirit more actively in the world through us. Our nature is perfected to become more of Him in whose image we are beautifully made. Meanwhile, Mary as Mediatrix of Grace for the whole world, will (under the direction of her spouse the Holy Spirit) bring the graces of our efforts to wherever God deems.

 “[regarding Mary’s instruction at Lourdes that St. Bernadette would not have happiness in this world but only in the next] In the letter, Fr. Alix offered Bernadette ‘a few thoughts on holiness’ that he hoped would provide food for her meditations. Among the advice he gives, one point reads as though he were interpreting [the Blessed Virgin] Mary’s promise to her of happiness in Heaven: ‘Give the appearance of living on earth as long as it pleases God to leave you here, but in reality, live in Heaven in your thoughts, your emotions, and your desires.” (Dawn Eden Goldstein, Remembering God’s Mercy)[ii]

 That living “in Heaven in your thoughts” is precisely where our saints guide us to be. St. Ignatius in particular teaches us to be examining our thoughts in prayer and in our day. The more our thoughts are of God, the more they are “in Heaven”. Holy authors attest that our prayers become more efficacious if we will allow God to heal us and bring us close. Ultimately, we must decide, do I want to lament at the feet of Jesus or do I want to know Him so intimately as to whisper in His ear my desires for the world?

 Critical to this is the Eucharist and confession. Let’s continue to pray for all of our clergy and religious, especially Pope Francis and our worldwide Church.

 Mother, help our faith!

Sow in our faith the joy of the Risen One.

Remind us that those who believe are never alone.

Teach us to see all things with the eyes of Jesus, that He may be the light for our path. And may this light of faith always increase in us, until the dawn of that undying day which is Christ Himself, your Son, our Lord. Amen (Pope Francis)

 Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam 😊

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[i] The memoirs of Sr. Lucia. The war ending is WWI, the war to come was WWII; Mother Mary even naming the Pope 20 years prior to his election as Pope and choosing his name.  http://archive.fatima.org/crusader/cr09/cr09pg10.asp

[ii] Dawn Eden Goldstein Remembering God’s Mercy http://dawneden.blogspot.com/