First Saturday of February - Reparation

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today is the First Saturday of February and I wonder how many realize how important it is – especially for us as Catholics. Let me share an account of the Apparition of Jesus as a child with Mary, given to Sister Lucia in her convent:

…Lucia was a postulant in the Convent of St. Dorothy in Pontevedra, Spain when she had the apparition of our Blessed Mother. She was standing over a cloud of light with the Child Jesus at her side. The Blessed Virgin put one hand on Lucia’s shoulder, while her other hand sustained her Immaculate Heart that was surrounded with thorns. The Child Jesus said: "Have compassion on the Heart of your Blessed Mother. It is surrounded with thorns that ungrateful men pierce each moment, and there is no one that is willing to offer an act of reparation to take the thorns away."

Our Lady immediately said to Lucia: "Look, my daughter. My Heart is surrounded with thorns that ungrateful men pierce unceasingly with their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me and announce that for all those, who for five consecutive first Saturdays, confess, receive Holy Communion, pray the Holy Rosary and accompany me for15 minutes by meditating the mysteries of the Holy Rosary with the intention to do reparation, I promise to assist them at the hour of death with the graces needed for salvation."…

Some of us have practiced this devotion 5 First Saturdays many times in our lives. Some perhaps have not heard enough about this devotion to attempt to practice it even once yet. I would encourage anyone who can, to do as as Our Lady told Sister Lucia, and is written above, but for those who cannot for any reason confess, receive Holy Communion and/or pray the Rosary and meditate on the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary to do whatever you can to console our Mother.

Perhaps you cannot attend Mass today or receive Holy Communion, then take some time during the day to make a “Spiritual Communion” by simply asking the Lord to come to your heart in a special way that you may give Him your Love through Mary. That act will certainly console her. What else might we do? Whatever our duties in life may call us to do this day, let us do everything in a spirit of Loving Reparation to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, who have loved us more than we can even imagine.

Let us pray often this short prayer Mary taught the 3 children at Fatima (of whom Lucia was the oldest):

“O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, and save us from the fires of hell. Draw all souls to heaven especially those in most need of Your Mercy”

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Bungle,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, we can be sure the evil one hates devotion to Mary! I’m grateful to God for giving you grace to persevere and to console our Mother by practicing the Devotion of Reparation to her Immaculate Heart on First Saturdays.

The first time I read the account of Jesus’ and Mary’s words to Lucia it touched my heart – and continues to remain important to me: to do whatever I can to console her as Jesus consoled His Mother on Easter Sunday. I read in one of St. Teresa of Avila’s books that Jesus appeared first to His Mother on Easter Sunday to console her. Only Jesus could know the depth of Mary’s sorrow.

Thanks again, Bungle for your reply and for your “heart” showing your love for Jesus through Mary.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Plunky,

Thanks for your “heart” which lets us all know you liked what was conveyed in the tread about devotion on the First Saturday of each month. May the Lord continue to give us His Grace to grow in the Supernatural Faith, Hope and above all Divine Charity, we received at Baptism. May our love for Jesus through Mary, never grow cold!

 

[Katherine438]

I am starting something very important today that will take me a year to complete … I pray the Holy Mother Mary is with me and helps me through a difficult process.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dearest Katherine,

You probably recognize these words to Mary, in Latin, called the “Sub Tuum…” prayer:

"“We fly unto thy patronage O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin”

May the Holy Spirit guide you, as He guided Mary on this earth into ALL Truth, as Jesus promised. You will remain in my prayers, Katherine. Hopefully you can share with us, after you complete this “something” you are starting today, that is “a difficult process”.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear patricius,

Thanks for your “faithful heart” on this thread , and your love for Jesus through Mary. How I pray that more Catholics will return to that fervour which I think many of us can remember from years past. What has happened? I’m mindful of Jesus’ words to disciples in sharing the parable of the “Weeds Among the Wheat”:

… The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up? He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them.Let them grow together until harvest;[ then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.’…(Mt 13: 27 - 30)

Please let us continue to pray for one another, for the Church, and for all those in most need of God’s Mercy.