Fatima and the "signs of the times"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Have you heard anything in your parish about the 100th Anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions? I’m really amazed at the indifference of so many towards this significant Anniversary, and I wonder about it as a growing lack of faith in our world today, especially among Catholics. It is more than just a lack of devotion to Mary – it is a growing lack of faith, it seems to me. God is becoming more and more irrelevant in the world and even among Catholics.

An interesting article, titled: “Fatima and the ‘signs of the times’ needs a closer look” can be read HERE. Some quotes:

While we should not recklessly seek signs from God, the Scriptures and the Second Vatican Council both assert that it is wise to be able to read the “signs of the times” (Mt. 16:3).1 After all, if God does offer a sign to us, there could be serious consequences if we do not recognize and heed it. So what are the “signs of the times” for us in this second decade of the third millennium, at the start of 2017?

I believe the “signs of the times” for us in the 21st century are the very signs that were revealed to Pope Leo XIII in 1884, and the children at Fatima in 1916 and 1917. I would further propose that it is a mistake for the world—especially for the Church—to relegate the mystical experience of Pope Leo XIII, and the apparition of Our Lady at Fatima, to the historical past. Yet, that is what has happened. Especially with regard to Fatima, many, if not most, in the Vatican hierarchy seem to have dismissed the details of Mary’s warnings (including the so-called Third Secret) to the category of already-has-happened.

I believe nothing could be further from the truth. To dismiss the Fatima message today is like dismissing the sound of a fire alarm, and smoke detector going off, at the same time in one’s house. To a stunning degree, the world has actually embraced the offenses against purity and marriage which Our Lady warned about at Fatima. Today, a century later, we see the effects all around us: a contempt for the true meaning of marriage, a widespread delight in sexual depravity, and a sacrilegious disregard for the proper reception of Holy Communion…

…Therefore, I am appealing to the Church hierarchy, to every priest and teaching authority in the Church, to reconsider the present indifference to the signs at Fatima, and the experience of Pope Leo XIII. Every lay Catholic should reconsider this, as well.

These important signs have been authenticated by the Church, and they have great relevance for us today. Pope Leo XIII received a sign from God in 1884, and, 33 years later, the three shepherd children of Fatima, Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, received signs through apparitions from an Angel, and from Our Lady at Fatima, that spanned from 1915 through 1917… I would like to explore, in detail, the events behind these signs, because I believe we have not seen the conclusion of the messages…

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

 

[anon98328916]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Have you heard anything in your parish about the 100th Anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions? I’m really amazed at the indifference of so many towards this significant Anniversary, and I wonder about it as a growing lack of faith in our world today, especially among Catholics. It is more than just a lack of devotion to Mary – it is a growing lack of faith, it seems to me. God is becoming more and more irrelevant in the world and even among Catholics.

An interesting article, titled: “Fatima and the ‘signs of the times’ needs a closer look” can be read HERE. Some quotes:

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

Yes it SHOULD be a big deal this coming may but people have turned away from God so much especially in recent years they have no interest. It’s sad when you think of how important it is and to think 100 years since it all happened. In my opinion we didn’t listen to what Our Lady warned us about and if anything the world is 1000 times worse than in 1917! All I can think of to say is “Father forgive us for we know not what we do”.

 

[Beautiful]

The Argentine pope will visit Fatima on May 12-13, for the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady to the three shepherd children in this town in Portugal. This was announced by the Patriarch of Lisbon, Manuel Clemente. Francis will be the fourth pope to pray at this Marian shrine, following Paul VI (1967), St. John Paul II (1982, 1991 and 2000) and Benedict XVI (2010).

americamagazine.org/faith/2016/12/20/pope-francis-schedule-even-more-ambitious-2017

One devotion at a time
One person at a time
One family at a time
One parish at a time

 

[Peebo]

Thank you for that message…in this world of today it’s easy to get caught up in this fast paced…materialistic and “me” first society and not be aware of the “signs of the times”…the Bible has warned us…our Blessed Mother has warned us…I wonder how many actually stop and look around at what is happening…Jesus will come like a thief in the night…that night might not be far off.

 

[pnewton]

The article ended up with a great solution to everything, though I note that “the Vatican” that is dismissing Mary’s warnings was St. John Paul, who possibly had the greatest Marian devotion of any pope in recent history. Until someone greater than he suggests that Fatima is some sort of future policy, I will defer to his late holiness on Fatima.

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes it SHOULD be a big deal this coming may but people have turned away from God so much especially in recent years they have no interest. It’s sad when you think of how important it is and to think 100 years since it all happened. In my opinion we didn’t listen to what Our Lady warned us about and if anything the world is 1000 times worse than in 1917! All I can think of to say is “Father forgive us for we know not what we do”.

Dear Therese,

Thanks so much for your reply. Watching the “March for Life” in Wash., DC on EWTN gave me some hope. I remember St. Teresa of Calcutta years ago saying that if a baby was not safe in a mother’s womb, who could be safe? If America begins to turn away more and more from that intrinsic evil of abortion, perhaps more of the world will also see “Life” differently. God created us in love for love and our human family has drifted far – too far – from Him. May our Mother Mary’s intercession bring us all home again to Him!

 

[Constantin]

The infatuation of man with his decimal system. 100 is so much more interesting than 99.
Probably the Sancta Dei Genetrix does not care so much about anniversaries?
Would her son do so?

 

[MariaChristi]

americamagazine.org/faith/2016/12/20/pope-francis-schedule-even-more-ambitious-2017

One devotion at a time
One person at a time
One family at a time
One parish at a time

Thanks for your reply, Beautiful,

Yes, I read that Pope Francis will visit Fatima in May. I hope he will speak more about our Lady’s Apparitions before that and through this whole Anniversary Year. I don’t think I’ve seen much from the Vatican except the first announcement of this 100th Year Anniversary.

 

[MariaChristi]

The infatuation of man with his decimal system. 100 is so much more interesting than 99.
Probably the Sancta Dei Genetrix does not care so much about anniversaries?
Would her son do so?

Thanks for your reply, Constantin,

Our Holy Mother of God is in eternity – outside of time – so “Anniversary-time” may not be so important but “Remembrance”, I believe, is surely important to her and to her Son.

The Gospel of Luke tells us that Mary kept things, pondering them in her heart. Each time we pray the Rosary, we remember with her all the events in the Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. Memory is a gift of God to us and so we mark certain Anniversaries as special.

This 100th Anniversary, as the article points out, has significance, especially in connection with the events of 1917 and also the “signs that were revealed to Pope Leo XIII in 1884”. Did you read the article? If not, you may want to read it. I think the Author, Fr. Regis Scanlon, makes some interesting observations.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks for your reply and for the links to your blog, (name removed by moderator),

Yes, the message of Christ remains for us: “Repent and Believe the Good News”. Mary’s Messages ever point us to Him. If, by God’s Grace we do His Truth lovingly and help others to listen to His Word and do the Truth they hear, we will not be afraid.

Jesus told His Disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33)

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks so much for posting this icon. It is one of my favorites! Thanks also for the link, the story about this icon is beautiful as well.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you for that message…in this world of today it’s easy to get caught up in this fast paced…materialistic and “me” first society and not be aware of the “signs of the times”…the Bible has warned us…our Blessed Mother has warned us…I wonder how many actually stop and look around at what is happening…Jesus will come like a thief in the night…that night might not be far off.

Dear Peebo,

Yes, your words ring true. Our human family has been very “hard of hearing” ; some have become “deaf” to God’s words in Sacred Scripture and to the warnings He has sent through our Mother’s apparitions. Let us pray for all our brothers and sisters, as well as for ourselves, to open the ears of our hearts and hear God’s Love for us all, through Mary. By God’s Grace may we hear His Truth and do the Truth we hear, lovingly.

 

[Constantin]

Nice little story. Orthodox and Catholics praying together before that icon… a bridge over the Bosporus. Hah!

 

[MariaChristi]

Nice little story. Orthodox and Catholics praying together before that icon… a bridge over the Bosporus. Hah!

Dear Constantin,

Yes, I was blessed by that story and the icon – as I was the first time I saw it and read the story some time ago. I was happy to see it again in on this thread. A quote from the story:

… Sister Lucia saw and estimated and liked what she saw realized of Fátima’s icon. Pity that she was expiring before being able to see it finished.

It is a big icon capable to preside a Church, in which it is represented Our Lady in the shape of bust, as they are the Marian icons with popular worship in Russia, for example the ones of Vladimir and Kazán.

Together with it, the principal characteristic is that it is an image full of light. The Virgin in Fátima was full of light, of a light, which, as Francisco said, " is God ". The full of grace is the full of God, and in Fátima it is the full of light: a Lady more brilliant than the Sun. It brings Fátima closer to the theology of the icon. The first icon that every iconographer must paint is that of the Transfiguration, in order that he learns that the Icon must bring the divine world over to men, the God’s light to the earth, the God’s radiance in the white garments of the orthodox transfigured Christ. It is the same thing that happens with the Virgin of Fátima.(underlining is mine)

http://forums.catholic-questions.org/picture.php?albumid=2613&pictureid=18221
I was struck by the luminous quality of the icon when I first saw it. As an active member of the Legion of Mary for many years, I’m reminded also of the Antiphon we pray before praying Mary’s “Magnificat”. The Antiphon is from the Song of Songs: “Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun and terrible as an army set in battle array.” Mary is terrible to satan and all the demons but she is Mother of Light to her children.

 

[Katherine438]

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Mark 13:33

 

[MariaChristi]

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Mark 13:33

Dear Katherine,

Thanks much for your reply and for the sober words from Mark’s Gospel. God’s Word is True and how foolish we are if we do not listen to Him and do not pray for the grace to hear truly and do the truth we hear from Him. Grace builds on grace.

May our Mother Mary continue to intercede for us all, and may we be willing to offer ourselves in union with Jesus and Mary – praying and making sacrifices for all in most need of God’s Mercy.

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Light, pray for us.

 

[mikekle]

Thank you for that message…in this world of today it’s easy to get caught up in this fast paced…materialistic and “me” first society and not be aware of the “signs of the times”…the Bible has warned us…our Blessed Mother has warned us…I wonder how many actually stop and look around at what is happening…Jesus will come like a thief in the night…that night might not be far off.

Will he come like a ‘thief in the light’ in the eyes of the secular world or the faithful though?

If this truly happens at a time when NO ONE expects, that would mean all the biblical signs to watch for are wrong or at least inaccurate…right?

 

[MariaChristi]

Will he come like a ‘thief in the light’ in the eyes of the secular world or the faithful though?

If this truly happens at a time when NO ONE expects, that would mean all the biblical signs to watch for are wrong or at least inaccurate…right?

Dear mikekle,

We are to watch and pray in order to be ready for Him.

There are some who perhaps have not heard much scripture, and so they do not think in terms of The Lord coming quietly and secretly as a “thief in the night”. Yet, all of us know for certain we will die one day or night. Even knowing we will not live on earth forever – still many of us rarely think about it. How many persons are killed suddenly in car accidents, plan crashes, or other unexpected ways. For many persons, whether secular or faithful, God may come for them when they are not really expecting Him.

There are some, however, who are actually “looking for the Lord to come” and so are daily trying to prepare for His coming each day, so that whether He comes suddenly or at the end of a long illness, they are ready – He does not find them unprepared.

No man knows the day or the hour, Jesus tells us in the Scripture. He warns us that we may always be prepared by remaining in His Love. Listening to Him in the Scriptures every day is a good way to draw close to Him and grow in our Faith, Hope and above all Charity. Keeping the commandments and receiving the sacraments worthily are important ways to keep ready for His coming.

Think of this: Each time we pray the prayer Jesus taught us, we ask our Father : “Thy Kingdom come!” It is coming… and we want to be ready to welcome Jesus as our King in Glory. Hope that helps a bit!

 

[Peebo]

Will he come like a ‘thief in the light’ in the eyes of the secular world or the faithful though?

If this truly happens at a time when NO ONE expects, that would mean all the biblical signs to watch for are wrong or at least inaccurate…right?

I’m not a biblical scholar so I don’t know if it can be interpreted in different ways…but to me here’s a pretty basic analogy…you might live in a neighborhood where there is an increasing crime rate…you might see cars slowly cruising past your place late at night…gangs roaming the streets…homes close to you have had home invasions… or increased vandalism…you can read the signs so you prepare yourself in case your home might be targeted…so you know there is a good chance it may happen but not exactly when it might…maybe you will get complacent one night and that’s when it will happen…you leave the house one day and forget to activate the security alarm…that’s when they hit… that’s how I interpret “like a thief in the night”…sure we can look for the signs and be prepared…but only God knows the day or the hour when Jesus will come…so we always have to be vigilant…so no…the biblical signs aren’t wrong or inaccurate…I believe MariaChristi has given a better example…hope this has helped.