The Call to Perfection (Sister Lucia of Fatima)

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In her book, “Calls” From the Message of Fatima Sister Lucia wrote of three further apparitions on October 13, 1917. The first was of the Holy Family which I wrote about in my last thread on this book, which Sister understood as a call to the “Sanctification of the Family.”

In the second of the three further apparitions in October 1917, Our Lord appeared as the Perfect Man and Our Lady as Our Lady of Sorrows. Sister writes of this in chapter 19, “The Call to Perfection in the Christian Life”:

What is the meaning of this apparition? I am not absolutely certain, but I say what I think and what God has enabled me to understand, by meditating on these events…in expressing my own humble opinion, I say this apparition is a call to the practice of the Christian life as Jesus and His Mother lived it here on earth, and by His example and His teaching, He taught us to follow in His footsteps.
… Jesus lived in this world as a perfect man who did His Father’s Will in all things…

In this Call of the Message we also have the apparition of Our Lady of Sorrows, with a meaning that we must not fail to recall. By means of this vision God will have wished to show us the value of suffering, sacrifice and immolation for the sake of love. In the world of today, hardly anyone wants to hear these truths, such is the extent to which people are living in search of pleasure, of empty worldly happiness and exaggerated comfort…

Much to ponder in Sister’s words to us all. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us that we may learn from Jesus and from you how to live God’s will for us. Jesus we trust in You!

 

[Gertabelle]

Thank you for sharing this – exactly what I needed to reflect on this morning, thanks be to God!

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you for sharing this – exactly what I needed to reflect on this morning, thanks be to God!

How Good God is! He daily gives us whatever we truly need! I thank Him with you.

 

[Memaw]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In her book, “Calls” From the Message of Fatima Sister Lucia wrote of three further apparitions on October 13, 1917. The first was of the Holy Family which I wrote about in my last thread on this book, which Sister understood as a call to the “Sanctification of the Family.”

In the second of the three further apparitions in October 1917, Our Lord appeared as the Perfect Man and Our Lady as Our Lady of Sorrows. Sister writes of this in chapter 19, “The Call to Perfection in the Christian Life”:

Much to ponder in Sister’s words to us all. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us that we may learn from Jesus and from you how to live God’s will for us. Jesus we trust in You!

Thank you so much, I do not have the money to buy or the time to read, (nor the eyesight for that matter) all the books I would like to, so I love it when someone puts things like this on for us. God Bless, Memaw

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you so much, I do not have the money to buy or the time to read, (nor the eyesight for that matter) all the books I would like to, so I love it when someone puts things like this on for us. God Bless, Memaw

Dear Memaw,

Thanks so much for your reply and encouragement. When I read something that helps me I want to share it, especially since Jesus revealed to Sister Lucia how we need to have pity on our Mother. Hopefully, during this 100th Anniversary of Mary’s Apparitions at Fatima, the devotion of First Saturdays will become more important to more Catholics.

This particular devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary was revealed to, and promoted by, Sister Lucia of Fatima. Sister was the oldest of the three shepherd children to whom Mary appeared in 1917. In 1925, Jesus and Mary appeared to Sister Lucia, as an adult 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 for 15 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 may not be able to participate at Mass and Holy Communion, but we can at least try to console our Mother by praying her Rosary and keeping her company for 15 minutes, by meditating on the mysteries of the rosary, in reparation for the offenses against her Immaculate Heart.
Why the Five Saturdays ? During her prayer time, our Lord revealed to Lucia the reason for the Five Saturdays of Reparation:

“My daughter, the reason is simple; it concerns the 5 forms of offenses and blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart of Mary”:

1-Against her Immaculate Conception.
2- Against her virginity
3- Against her Divine Maternity, refusing at the same time to receive Mary as Mother of all humanity.
4- Against those that publicly instill and induce indifference, hate and scorn towards our Immaculate Mother in the hearts of children.
5- Against those that insult or directly offend her sacred images.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Jesus, enable us to comfort and honor our Mother, as you did on earth.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Meek and Humble, make our hearts like Yours.