Fatima - a continuing prophecy

[Googler]

Praise God, Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart has triumphed in my soul!
Our work to spread the Gospel is a commitment we will have our entire lifetime. I believe, unfortunately, it will take many more generations before all humankind are converted. We must continue to bring the Eucharist to the world, just as Mary did. This triumph could occur sooner if confirmed Catholics take seriously their consecration to the Holy Spirit through Mary and spread the Rosary devotion as well as accept the reality of being martyr’s for the Church of Christ. These pre-teen years are a critical time for those who’re our present and future brothers and sisters. Catechisis at this age should be an intense focus and priority for the faithful, so they can persevere by Our Lord’s Grace to actually grow and magnify conformity to the Will of God Almighty.
For poor sinners, who have suffered the torment of almost losing their faith because of a lack of Catechisis, I suggest a quick, safe, and cost-free way to catch up. Listen to the audio mp3 downloads of Father Hardon’s teaching talks everyday. They are very efficacious, especially using wireless bluetooth headphones, so you can learn while you keep busy. These days, folks are not likely to take the time to sit down, read, and study, or commute to classes. A shortcut is needed, not unlike going to Jesus with Mary.
O Mary, dearest Mother, through thy Immaculate Heart, please teach me to pray, to love, to make reparation and to adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Make my soul a flower. And put me with the others to adorn Jesus’ throne. I am all Yours everyday. God’s Will be done. Amen. Alleluia.

 

[MariaChristi]

Praise God, Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart has triumphed in my soul!
Our work to spread the Gospel is a commitment we will have our entire lifetime. I believe, unfortunately, it will take many more generations before all humankind are converted. We must continue to bring the Eucharist to the world, just as Mary did. This triumph could occur sooner if confirmed Catholics take seriously their consecration to the Holy Spirit through Mary and spread the Rosary devotion as well as accept the reality of being martyr’s for the Church of Christ. These pre-teen years are a critical time for those who’re our present and future brothers and sisters. Catechisis at this age should be an intense focus and priority for the faithful, so they can persevere by Our Lord’s Grace to actually grow and magnify conformity to the Will of God Almighty.
For poor sinners, who have suffered the torment of almost losing their faith because of a lack of Catechisis, I suggest a quick, safe, and cost-free way to catch up. Listen to the audio mp3 downloads of Father Hardon’s teaching talks everyday. They are very efficacious, especially using wireless bluetooth headphones, so you can learn while you keep busy. These days, folks are not likely to take the time to sit down, read, and study, or commute to classes. A shortcut is needed, not unlike going to Jesus with Mary.
O Mary, dearest Mother, through thy Immaculate Heart, please teach me to pray, to love, to make reparation and to adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Make my soul a flower. And put me with the others to adorn Jesus’ throne. I am all Yours everyday. God’s Will be done. Amen. Alleluia.

Dear Brother,

Thanks for your reply and for your advice to those who are preparing for Confirmation as well as the parents and catechists who prepare them. It is true that many people are very busy and being able to listen as we “multi-task” may help some who are capable of doing more than one thing at a time.

Personally, I’ve never been a good “multi - task” person. I’m happy if I can do one thing and do it fairly well by God’s Grace and the intercession of our Mother Mary! This may be partly due to my age, but as I recall even when I was a youngster, I needed to focus on one thing at a time.

Each person is unique and so we need to pray to the Holy Spirit and learn to listen as Mary did. Listening prayerfully to God’s Revelation in Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church is very important. I agree with you that Fr. Hardon is a trustworthy priest to whom we can listen with confidence. I say that because Father Hardon has been a listener himself to Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church. If we ourselves do not prayerfully seek the help of the Holy Spirit and of Mary, as Fr. Hardon did, we may never truly find our own relationship with God and Mary, but rather just get busier about many things.

I am beginning a new thread this morning on some paragraphs from St. Louis De Montfort’s “True Devotion”. The thread touches on the relationship of the Holy Spirit with Mary His Spouse, and how that relationship is so important for us. I hope you and others will read, ponder and perhaps prayerfully offer some comments. It is titled “When the Holy Spirit finds Mary in a soul…”

 

[chimo]

I do not know what you mean by your words. Explain yourself especially by the words condescending outlook. And by the way the Ecumenical Patriarch Athanagoros I was a great supporter of Fatima. This he had given when many in the Catholic Church were against Pope Paul VI’s visit to Fatima. I am also a great supporter of Fatima so there is two you can start with. Perhaps you are not engaging with Orthodox who are in favor of Fatima. There is a lot more.

 

[adawgj]

While I believe that Our Lady was in Fatima, I am very skeptical about the consecrate Russia part.

Russia is becoming very Christian and Vladimir Putin is a pretty devout Russian Orthodox.

Just because Russia is in the Ukraine doesn’t mean that Fatima or we as Catholics failed.

The Soviet Union was disbanded.

Plus why should we Americans criticize Russia for being in another nations country. We have bases all over the world. So who are we to talk about aggression.

 

[MariaChristi]

While I believe that Our Lady was in Fatima, I am very skeptical about the consecrate Russia part.

Russia is becoming very Christian and Vladimir Putin is a pretty devout Russian Orthodox.

Just because Russia is in the Ukraine doesn’t mean that Fatima or we as Catholics failed.

The Soviet Union was disbanded.

Plus why should we Americans criticize Russia for being in another nations country. We have bases all over the world. So who are we to talk about aggression.

Dear afawgi,

If you believe with the Catholic Church, in Mary’s apparition of Fatime, I’m a bit surprised you do not take her words seriously. Nevertheless, I did not post this thread to debate on Russia or try to delve into what Putin is doing in Ukraine. The situation there simply reminded me of Mary’s words at Fatima. My concern is what each Catholic is doing in response our to Mary’s message. My original post quoted the words of Pope Emeritus who was asked by Pope St. John Paul II to write a theological commentary. His words are worth pondering.

I am a Catholic first and American second. I am very grateful to God that I am in a country whose patroness is the Immaculate Conception. We are a Universal Church. Mary received from Jesus a Universal Motherhood. May we all in every nation, by God’s Grace, strive to be worthy sons and daughters of our God and the noble Mother He has given to us. May her Immaculate Heart triumph in each of us and in all the world.

 

[MariaChristi]

I do not know what you mean by your words. Explain yourself especially by the words condescending outlook. And by the way the Ecumenical Patriarch Athanagoros I was a great supporter of Fatima. This he had given when many in the Catholic Church were against Pope Paul VI’s visit to Fatima. I am also a great supporter of Fatima so there is two you can start with. Perhaps you are not engaging with Orthodox who are in favor of Fatima. There is a lot more.

Dear chimo,

I too was puzzled by those words, and I am grateful for your continuing explanation of your understanding of Fatima as an orthodox believer. I am concerned however that this interchange between you and Jharek may escalate into a debate instead of a true dialogue leading to better understanding.

May I ask both you and (name removed by moderator) to continue your conversation on a separate thread or through private messages? It’s important to keep to the original post on the Fatima message and the theological commentary of Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI.

Thanks again.

 

[chimo]

Dear chimo,

I too was puzzled by those words, and I am grateful for your continuing explanation of your understanding of Fatima as an orthodox believer. I am concerned however that this interchange between you and Jharek may escalate into a debate instead of a true dialogue leading to better understanding.

May I ask both you and (name removed by moderator) to continue your conversation on a separate thread or through private messages? It’s important to keep to the original post on the Fatima message and the theological commentary of Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI.

Thanks again.

I do not want to engage into any debate either with this gentleman since it will not serve us any purpose at all. I will not be bothered by what he said. You mentioned in your first part by what then Cardinal Ratzinger had spoken about when the meaning of Fatima as more spelled out for what it had accomplished and yet you have spoken that are we today not as urgent to heal this world that is so troubled by its own sins. It seems to me the message of Fatima is nothing new but it is the same cry to help us to get back to the basic motivation of witnessing for our Lord and to work in witnessing with the example of the Holy Mother guiding us. I sense that the urgency of those who had received the message of Fatima probably did not think that the message of Fatima is an ongoing process which the Lord desires from us. This means the message of Fatima must be this necessity of the call for the Laity to take the reins of the message of the Church into the world. I believe the call of Fatima was to teach the Laity that we have this important ministry that needs to be activated through us. It is to my observations that the Laity prior before Fatima were not that courageous in implementing their vocation of witnessing for the Lord into the world.

The message of Fatima was to remind the Laity the great power the Lord has bestowed upon them. The problem of the Laity was this lack of witnessing and the inability of the Church to help teach the Laity how to use that power into the advantage which the Lord can make use of. There is great power within each Christian but they were not using it in the potential which the Holy Mother was guiding us to. There must be this understanding that the Laity can be this great force to be reckon with. Since the Immaculate Heart of Mary has great power before the Lord so too is the Heart of the Church when Christians know how to utilize their hearts into the right direction. The triumph of the Immaculate of Mary corresponds to the time when the Church especially the Laity to bring their hearts into the Church into the ministry which the Lord knows will empower this love and mercy of His into the direction of the world. We as Laity have been given great power! It is time we use it! If Mary can bring down graces from the Lord so can the Church especially from the Laity.

My reference to the Orthodox Church in one of my posts was to show how much power there is in us to help a Church that was in danger of being eliminated and as it was the right time for God to send His Mother to remind us of our duty to help even if it means helping a Church that was not exactly like the Church of Rome. It seems to me the message of Fatima was much more deeper than one sees when Christians were helping other Christians. The ability to help other Christians reveals to us this bond we have within each other and the love which the Holy Spirit wants us to passed on even more now to continue what the Laity are empowered with. I speak excitedly about unity may be too much in advance but I see Fatima as a turning point within Orthodox and Catholic relationships. It is to my understanding that the greatest moment and miracle for the Church is when the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church will minister side by side. This will be the greatest event of all time and the most powerful force we will have to help bring the world back to God.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear chimo,

Thank you again for your reply. I also believe the message of Fatima is not entirely “new” in the sense that Mary continues to give Jesus to us. As then Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Emeritus points out in his Theological Commentary, Mary’s prophecy, her promise that her Immaculate Heart will triumph is based on the promise of Jesus; He has overcome the world:

…“my Immaculate Heart will triumph”. What does this mean? The Heart open to God, purified by contemplation of God, is stronger than guns and weapons of every kind. The fiat of Mary, the word of her heart, has changed the history of the world, because it brought the Saviour into the world—because, thanks to her Yes, God could become man in our world and remains so for all time. The Evil One has power in this world, as we see and experience continually; he has power because our freedom continually lets itself be led away from God. But since God himself took a human heart and has thus steered human freedom towards what is good, the freedom to choose evil no longer has the last word. From that time forth, the word that prevails is this: “In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). The message of Fatima invites us to trust in this promise. (Underlining is mine)

I also believe that lay persons especially need to believe more than ever that we are all called to holiness. We live in a time when there is a lukewarmness that needs to be recognized and corrected. We need to earnestly seek to live the Truth Jesus sent the Holy Sprit to give the Church. I also look forward to the day when the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches will reunite as One. Let us pray with Jesus for that oneness as He prayed in John 17. The world needs to see again how these Christians, love one another!

Mary is our Mother, given to us by Jesus. May we be truly sons and daughters of God and of Mary our Mother. I believe the message of Fatima is a continuing prophecy that we can trust will be fulfilled in God’s time.

 

[chimo]

Dear chimo,

Thank you again for your reply. I also believe the message of Fatima is not entirely “new” in the sense that Mary continues to give Jesus to us. As then Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Emeritus points out in his Theological Commentary, Mary’s prophecy, her promise that her Immaculate Heart will triumph is based on the promise of Jesus; He has overcome the world:

I also believe that lay persons especially need to believe more than ever that we are all called to holiness. We live in a time when there is a lukewarmness that needs to be recognized and corrected. We need to earnestly seek to live the Truth Jesus sent the Holy Sprit to give the Church. I also look forward to the day when the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches will reunite as One. Let us pray with Jesus for that oneness as He prayed in John 17. The world needs to see again how these Christians, love one another!

Mary is our Mother, given to us by Jesus. May we be truly sons and daughters of God and of Mary our Mother. I believe the message of Fatima is a continuing prophecy that we can trust will be fulfilled in God’s time.

It is my observation Maria that the Laity are only now coming in to be this force of witnessing. This I believe has never happened before at least as far back as the early Church. Never in the history of humanity has God now calling the Laity to be the front leaders for the Church. I really do not believe we are heading into any kind of trouble that will lead us into the Second Coming. All of the last 100 years is this struggle to get the Laity to be more involved, to be educated, to be more catechised, to be more instructed and to be more experienced in the faith. The Laity will become the most powerful force the world will ever witness once the struggle for them to become faithful has completed its mission. It is this timing of this struggle and the situation by which the world finds herself that is causing so much difficulties. Yet difficulties will always be overcome once more of the Laity discover their vocation. This lukewarmness that you are witnessing is only part of this struggle. In fact this lukewarmness was probably there for a very long time even before the two great World Wars. This present lukewarmness is only the continuation of the Laity from the past that does not witness for the Lord. Mary has guided us towards a much better vocation, the vocation we were always called into. The triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary will come when most of the Laity have also put their hearts into the same direction. God is patiently waiting for the rest of the Laity to be part of the greatest force in the world. In the past this missionary zeal was mostly done by monastics and the clergy. Now God wants the Laity to come aboard. Vatican II has opened the doors for the Laity to take charge of the Church. With the direction by which Mary has given for us combining with the initiatives of Vatican II and the beginnings of this renewal of restoring the relationship between Orthodoxy and Catholicism we see more of the youth discovering what is necessary to be part of this struggle to be this ongoing force we call the Laity. I am a very optimistic person who sees the Church struggling to be this powerful witness and it will come as God wills it to be. Everyday we are getting closer and closer to the ideal which God wants His Laity to become.

 

[simple_soul]

It is my observation Maria that the Laity are only now coming in to be this force of witnessing. This I believe has never happened before at least as far back as the early Church. Never in the history of humanity has God now calling the Laity to be the front leaders for the Church. I really do not believe we are heading into any kind of trouble that will lead us into the Second Coming. All of the last 100 years is this struggle to get the Laity to be more involved, to be educated, to be more catechised, to be more instructed and to be more experienced in the faith. The Laity will become the most powerful force the world will ever witness once the struggle for them to become faithful has completed its mission. It is this timing of this struggle and the situation by which the world finds herself that is causing so much difficulties. Yet difficulties will always be overcome once more of the Laity discover their vocation. This lukewarmness that you are witnessing is only part of this struggle. In fact this lukewarmness was probably there for a very long time even before the two great World Wars. This present lukewarmness is only the continuation of the Laity from the past that does not witness for the Lord. Mary has guided us towards a much better vocation, the vocation we were always called into. The triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary will come when most of the Laity have also put their hearts into the same direction. God is patiently waiting for the rest of the Laity to be part of the greatest force in the world. In the past this missionary zeal was mostly done by monastics and the clergy. Now God wants the Laity to come aboard. Vatican II has opened the doors for the Laity to take charge of the Church. With the direction by which Mary has given for us combining with the initiatives of Vatican II and the beginnings of this renewal of restoring the relationship between Orthodoxy and Catholicism we see more of the youth discovering what is necessary to be part of this struggle to be this ongoing force we call the Laity. I am a very optimistic person who sees the Church struggling to be this powerful witness and it will come as God wills it to be. Everyday we are getting closer and closer to the ideal which God wants His Laity to become.

Interesting.

May I ask what you believe is the ideal that God wants His Laity to be?

 

[adawgj]

Dear afawgi,

If you believe with the Catholic Church, in Mary’s apparition of Fatime, I’m a bit surprised you do not take her words seriously. Nevertheless, I did not post this thread to debate on Russia or try to delve into what Putin is doing in Ukraine. The situation there simply reminded me of Mary’s words at Fatima. My concern is what each Catholic is doing in response our to Mary’s message. My original post quoted the words of Pope Emeritus who was asked by Pope St. John Paul II to write a theological commentary. His words are worth pondering.

I am a Catholic first and American second. I am very grateful to God that I am in a country whose patroness is the Immaculate Conception. We are a Universal Church. Mary received from Jesus a Universal Motherhood. May we all in every nation, by God’s Grace, strive to be worthy sons and daughters of our God and the noble Mother He has given to us. May her Immaculate Heart triumph in each of us and in all the world.

The names adawgj,

The reason I’m skeptical about Fatima is that the secrets were released decades after the apparition (including Russia consecration). Also many Russian Orthodox authorities at the time considered Mary to be the Tsarina of Russia.

I do take her words seriously I pray the rosary as often as I can. I too am Catholic first and American second. I just don’t see the evidence as I do with Lourdes and Guadalupe (I’m more faithful in those apparitions than Fatima).

 

[MariaChristi]

… The triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary will come when most of the Laity have also put their hearts into the same direction. God is patiently waiting for the rest of the Laity to be part of the greatest force in the world. In the past this missionary zeal was mostly done by monastics and the clergy. Now God wants the Laity to come aboard. Vatican II has opened the doors for the Laity to take charge of the Church. With the direction by which Mary has given for us combining with the initiatives of Vatican II and the beginnings of this renewal of restoring the relationship between Orthodoxy and Catholicism we see more of the youth discovering what is necessary to be part of this struggle to be this ongoing force we call the Laity. I am a very optimistic person who sees the Church struggling to be this powerful witness and it will come as God wills it to be. Everyday we are getting closer and closer to the ideal which God wants His Laity to become.

Dear chino,

Even as we agree lay members of the Church need to become more “alive” and “aware” of their vocation to holiness within the Church and begin to share Jesus as He commanded us (Mt. 28: 18 - 20), we still must remember Christ formed His Church with an ordained priesthood, and the common priesthood of the laity as well. Clergy and laity must work together in the building up of the Body of Christ. Religious Orders sprang up as part of the renewal of the Church and these men and women continue in their specific vocation striving for holiness. In Ephesians 4, especially, we hear God telling us how He has designed each of us to function properly as members one of another.

The laity are not called to “take charge” by themselves. The keys were given to St. Peter and the Apostolic Succession is important. The Pope is a Vicar of Christ on this earth and he is intended by God to be a chief Shepherd and unifier for the flock of God’s People. We have been blessed by many holy popes, especially in these recent times, but also throughout history. Yes, there have been sinners as well as saints, but God faithfully has guarded the Church in matters of faith and morals. He continues to do so. The World Youth Days begun by Pope St. John Paul II are evidence of youth’s desire to have strong leaders.

Young, old, and all those in-between — all of us are called to holiness! With you, I too am trusting in God through Mary to accomplish His Will in His time. May we continue to work with Him; without Him we can do nothing. Let us especially hear Jesus’ words from the Cross, “Behold your Mother” and learn from her example to follow Jesus. He Immaculate Heart will triumph because she is one with Him in love.

 

[MariaChristi]

The names adawgj,

The reason I’m skeptical about Fatima is that the secrets were released decades after the apparition (including Russia consecration). Also many Russian Orthodox authorities at the time considered Mary to be the Tsarina of Russia.

I do take her words seriously I pray the rosary as often as I can. I too am Catholic first and American second. I just don’t see the evidence as I do with Lourdes and Guadalupe (I’m more faithful in those apparitions than Fatima).

Dear adawgj,

So sorry I got the name wrong – my eyes are not what they used to be – add that to the fact I’m usually in a hurry to respond – and the result is error. Please forgive me. Thanks for the correction.

Hopefully, you’ll find time to read more of the documentation on Fatima. The Vatican has posted much evidence from Sister Lucia, and of course we have the witness of St. John Paul II who figured much in this particular appararition of Mary at Fatima, after his attempted assassination in 1981.

It is so good to know that you take her words seriously, for as St. Louis de Montfort wrote Mary is God’s “echo”. Like Jesus, she does always the will of the Father, moved by His Holy Spirit. Praying the Rosary daily is important because each time we pray the words of the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Gloria fervently, we can grow in holiness every day. As we continue to ponder the Mysteries of Jesus’ and Mary’s lives, we begin to learn more of God’s plan for our own lives as well.

Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima are all related in my mind, for God does everything according to His infinitely wise and loving plan. He sent Mary (for she doesn’t do anything that is not His Will) and she speaks what she hears from Him. As I have written before, I believe her Immaculate Heart will triumph, because her Heart is one with God’s. May our hearts be one with His through Jesus and Mary, by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[adawgj]

Dear adawgj,

So sorry I got the name wrong – my eyes are not what they used to be – add that to the fact I’m usually in a hurry to respond – and the result is error. Please forgive me. Thanks for the correction.

Hopefully, you’ll find time to read more of the documentation on Fatima. The Vatican has posted much evidence from Sister Lucia, and of course we have the witness of St. John Paul II who figured much in this particular appararition of Mary at Fatima, after his attempted assassination in 1981.

It is so good to know that you take her words seriously, for as St. Louis de Montfort wrote Mary is God’s “echo”. Like Jesus, she does always the will of the Father, moved by His Holy Spirit. Praying the Rosary daily is important because each time we pray the words of the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Gloria fervently, we can grow in holiness every day. As we continue to ponder the Mysteries of Jesus’ and Mary’s lives, we begin to learn more of God’s plan for our own lives as well.

Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima are all related in my mind, for God does everything according to His infinitely wise and loving plan. He sent Mary (for she doesn’t do anything that is not His Will) and she speaks what she hears from Him. As I have written before, I believe her Immaculate Heart will triumph, because her Heart is one with God’s. May our hearts be one with His through Jesus and Mary, by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Thanks for your reply.

No worries about the name, we all make mistakes.

Most of my knowledge about Fatima is just by a presentation at my parish when a guy brought in a Fatima statue.

 

[Jack007]

Dear St. Francis,

Thanks for your reply. The Consecration was done, yes. However, the ongoing prophecy that I am considering is that of the Immaculate Heart’s ultimate triumph, referred to in the theological Commentary by then Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI); he wrote, as part of his conclusion:

For me, this is the ongoing prophecy, for we have not yet seen that ultimate triumph of God’s Love as reflected in the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I believe we are yet to see that final fulfillment of God’s reign over hearts. There is so much violence in our world because so many have stayed from God’s Truth. The more we learn listen to God’s Word as Mary did, and by His grace, we do the Truth we hear, the closer we will come to conversion ourselves as well as the conversion of so many others.

I was going to say the same thing.

 

[Jack007]

I think that the problem is the third secret was released too late. It was meant to be released no later than 1960. The Church’s delay in that might mean that there will be destruction and Russia won’t convert.

It was not to be opened before 1960. It could be publicized later

 

[chimo]

Dear chino,

Even as we agree lay members of the Church need to become more “alive” and “aware” of their vocation to holiness within the Church and begin to share Jesus as He commanded us (Mt. 28: 18 - 20), we still must remember Christ formed His Church with an ordained priesthood, and the common priesthood of the laity as well. Clergy and laity must work together in the building up of the Body of Christ. Religious Orders sprang up as part of the renewal of the Church and these men and women continue in their specific vocation striving for holiness. In Ephesians 4, especially, we hear God telling us how He has designed each of us to function properly as members one of another.

The laity are not called to “take charge” by themselves. The keys were given to St. Peter and the Apostolic Succession is important. The Pope is a Vicar of Christ on this earth and he is intended by God to be a chief Shepherd and unifier for the flock of God’s People. We have been blessed by many holy popes, especially in these recent times, but also throughout history. Yes, there have been sinners as well as saints, but God faithfully has guarded the Church in matters of faith and morals. He continues to do so. The World Youth Days begun by Pope St. John Paul II are evidence of youth’s desire to have strong leaders.

Young, old, and all those in-between — all of us are called to holiness! With you, I too am trusting in God through Mary to accomplish His Will in His time. May we continue to work with Him; without Him we can do nothing. Let us especially hear Jesus’ words from the Cross, “Behold your Mother” and learn from her example to follow Jesus. He Immaculate Heart will triumph because she is one with Him in love.

Hi Maria. I was not insisting the Laity to be separate from the clergy. This possibility to take charge is allowing and permitting the Holy Spirit to be the front leader for your life. It is a matter of fact that the Orthodox do this much better than their Catholic brothers and sisters. Both Churches uses two different but complimentary approaches. Whereas the Catholic relies more on the Magisterium of the Church which has the Pope the Orthodox relies more on the Magisterium of the Holy Spirit if one can describe it so that for the Orthodox it is more contained within the collegial way of understanding authority and discipline. It just happens what works for the Catholic works for the Catholic and what works for the Orthodox works for the Orthodox. It might be hard for any Catholic to understand the Orthodox approach or even to live it. Not so for the Orthodox. Yet it also hard for the Orthodox to understand and to live the Catholic approach. Not so for the Catholic. It seems to me that God has given to His Church two approaches since both Churches have been living and developing their approaches for over 2000 years. Who is the author of both approaches but the same Holy Spirit. If I speak the way I do it is because I speak plainly through the Orthodox approach. It is to my understanding and observations that we need to appreciate both approaches and to even integrate both approaches into our lives and even into our Churches. Probably that is why we are struggling to come to this understanding of each other when we have not lived in each other’s Church.

 

[chimo]

Interesting.

May I ask what you believe is the ideal that God wants His Laity to be?

To be the same as what His Holy Mother was for Him. A person cried out to Jesus how blessed was the one he was born from. The Lord Jesus corrected the person by saying blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. The Lord pointed out the greatest virtue of His Mother. This is who God wants the Laity to imitate. We need to fall in love with the Son of God! We need to imitate the faith of Mary!

 

[MariaChristi]

To be the same as what His Holy Mother was for Him. A person cried out to Jesus how blessed was the one he was born from. The Lord Jesus corrected the person by saying blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. The Lord pointed out the greatest virtue of His Mother. This is who God wants the Laity to imitate. We need to fall in love with the Son of God!

Well said, chimo! Thanks

 

[Auntie_A]

Allow me a metaphor to explain why some of the prophecy has happened and yet some continues to go on.

The kids are playing outside. Some are running in and out of the street as fast cars are passing by. The more the kids play, the more reckless they get.

Mama has been watching this, as she has watched her other children, and she tries again to warn them: Please get out of the street. Play safely. Stop and come in for lunch. Think about what you are doing.

The kids ignore and get more restless and rowdy. A few come inside and sit with Mama, a few stay in the house, some within earshot, as others get more and more careless and begin getting hurt. They fight with each other, they get hit by cars, they chase each other out of neighborhoods. They blame. They do harm to the more innocent bystanders. They ridicule the Mama.

Mama stays by and has to watch the suffering and violence that is coming to her children. She stands by her message to come home, get nourishment, and think about things. Some come in while a great many continue to ignore, burn down homes, hurt or kill others, invent more dangerous vehicles and weapons. She continues to urge the kids inside to think about the ones outside, the ones who were hurt, the ones who were killed.

All along Mama has claimed that it’s not too late to come home, even while the kids are still running around crazy outside.

Our Lady at Fatima had messages that are very similar to her other messages to the kids: pray, convert, consecrate, and peace will come. Many of us kids have ignored this message or think it is too late. But true prophecy always allows for prayer to change things. We might not change all of the dark stuff of human nature that has happened, but perhaps by praying in the house, we have kept and are still keeping the neighborhood from going completely out of control. Maybe we are learning how powerless we are without prayer and connection to God. Maybe we are learning how connected we are to each other. Maybe if we listened to Mama…