Jan. 3 - First Saturday of 2015

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Saturday has been traditionally “Mary’s Day” for centuries but when Mary appeared to the three little shepherd children at Fatima, she revealed to Lucia a specific Five First Saturdays Devotion. Lucia was the oldest and the one to survive into her nineties, while Francisco and Jacinta died young.

During her July apparition at Fatima, Our Lady said to Lucia, “I shall come to ask… that on the First Saturday of every month, Communions of reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the world.” Although she made no further mention of this devotion at Fatima, on December 10, 1925, our Blessed Mother again appeared to Lucia at Pentevedra, Spain, where the seer had been sent to the Dorothean Sisters to learn to read and write. It was there Our Lady completed her request for the Five First Saturdays and gave her great promise.
Appearing with the Queen of Heaven in that apparition was the Infant Jesus, Who said to Lucia: “Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation.”

Our Lady then spoke: “See, my daughter, my Heart encircled by thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. Do you, at least, strive to console me. Tell them that I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, in order to make reparation to me, on the First Saturday of five successive months, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for a quarter of an hour, meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.”

Even if we are unable to fulfill all the conditions (i.e. confession and Holy Communion may not be possible for some), it is not impossible to offer reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by offering a fervent Rosary of 5 decades and to keep our Mother company for another 15 minutes, meditating on all the Mysteries of the Rosary. Let us take to heart the words of the Infant Jesus:

“Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation.”

If you have never made the Five First Saturdays, according to the words given by Our Lady to Lucia, I urge you to try. If you are unable to do so keep trying and continue to hear deep in your heart this new year of 2015, the words of Jesus: “Have pity on the Heart of your Mother…” By God’s grace, why not offer every Saturday as a special day of reparation to Mary’s Immaculate Heart? Why not strive, by God’s grace to live lives of reparation to the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary?

 

[johnnyt3000]

Must I do in the order Our Lady said or can I fulfill them by doing them in a different order?
This morning I prayed 5 decades of the rosary, then I received communion, but I did not have reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as one of my Intentions (neither for the rosary nor communion). I will be going to confession in a little bit this afternoon. Can I still fulfill the devotion by offering this afternoon’s confession to the Immaculate Heart and do an extra meditation of 15 minutes?

 

[johnnyt3000]

Also, does attending the Saturday evening mass fulfill the devotion?

 

[MariaChristi]

Must I do in the order Our Lady said or can I fulfill them by doing them in a different order?
This morning I prayed 5 decades of the rosary, then I received communion, but I did not have reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as one of my Intentions (neither for the rosary nor communion). I will be going to confession in a little bit this afternoon. Can I still fulfill the devotion by offering this afternoon’s confession to the Immaculate Heart and do an extra meditation of 15 minutes?

Dear johnnyt,

Thanks for your reply and for your desire to offer reparation to Mary our Mother. The Mass and Holy Communion you received at the vigil Mass for Sunday would seem to me to be acceptable for both the First Saturday Devotion as well as fulfilling your Sunday Obligation. The order of praying the Rosary of five decades and spending fifteen minutes time meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary can be at any time during First Saturday and I do not think they need to be in any special order. Our minds are so easily distracted yet God knows our hearts. If we intended to begin the First Friday Devotion and neglected to make the intention of reparation specifically at any point in the Devotion, God knows our heartfelt desire to do so.

I do not think Jesus and Mary want us to become scrupulous about details. They are looking for loving hearts who desire to make reparation for their own sins and the sins of others, – at least that is the way I understand the conditions. For more info, see HERE

 

[MariaChristi]

Also, does attending the Saturday evening mass fulfill the devotion?

See my response below. As far as I can judge, if you attend the Saturday vigil Mass, and receive Holy Communion, you are fulfilling both your Sunday obligation and your First Saturday Devotion. That is how I read the directions given in the link I give you in my first response below for more information.

 

[johnnyt3000]

Thank you for the help. God bless you.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you for the help. God bless you.

Dear johnny,

It is my joy to help – especially in speaking of God’s Love coming to us through Mary, our Mother!

By His Grace may we continue to grow closer to Him and to Her.