DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR FATIMA

I don’t know if you have ever heard of Fatima, Portugal.  The story of FAtima is a very interesting story and certainly relates to this time in history so thought you might like to read it over the next few days. I will write what I have room for each day until finished.

The story  begins in 1915 in the hamlet of Aljustrel outside the village of Fatima, Portugal.  At that time, an 8 year old child by the name of Lucia de Jesus dos Santos was playing with three of her friends when they noticed a sudden appearance of a cloud formed like a man.   They had just eaten their lunch and were saying the Rosary as they always did.  The figure they saw left a definite impression on their minds.  This bright white figure appered to them two more times.

A year later, Lucia was in the fields with her family’s sheep.  This time, her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marco were with her.  It began to rain and the children took refuge in a nearby cave.  Although the rain stopped, they spent the day playing in the cave.  They ate their lunch and said the Rosary as usual. After a short while, a strong wind blew and they looked to see what was happening.  Above the trees there was a light, whiter than snow which took on the form of a young man.  He approached the children and said: ‘Fear not!  I am the Angel of Peace.  Pray with me!’. The Angel then knelt on the ground and bowed very low.  The children imitated him and then the Angel prayed. ‘My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You.  I beg pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You.’  He said the prayer 3 times.  Then he told the children:  ‘Pray this way. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.’  The Angel then disappeared.

The children felt the presence of God and  remained in the same position, repeating the prayer over and over. Later on, none of them spoke of the Angel feeling that it should be kept secret.  Eventually their lives returned to normal, watching their sheep and playing in the fields together.  When tired, they would rest at the well under the olive trees.  While resting one afternoon, the Angel appeared to them again saying ‘What are you doing?  Pray! Pray a great deal!  The hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy for you!  Offer unceasingly to the Most High prayers and sacrifices!’

Lucia  asked ‘how are we to sacrifice ourselves?’  The Angel answered: ‘Offer up everything within your power as a sacrifice to the Lord in an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended; and of supplication for the conversion of sinners.   Thus invoke peace upon our country.  I am her Guardian Angel; the Angel of Portugal.  Above all, accept and bear with submission the sufferings that the Lord may send you.’

Jacinta and Lucia heard his words.  Francisco saw the Angel and knew he was speaking but could not hear him.  All the children had a feeling of listlessness and could not speak, play or sing when they mentioned the Angel.  They said later the words of the Angel made them realize how much God loved them and wanted to be loved by them. After that, they offered up to God all sacrifices in their lives and spent hours bowed to the ground and repeating the prayer the Angel had taught them.

When almost Fall of the year, the three were watching their sheep. They finished saying the Rosary and the prayer the Angel had taught them when the Angel appeared again.  This time, he held a chalice in his hand. Above the chalice was a Host with drops of Blood falling from it into the chalice.  The Angel left the Host and chalice in the air and prostrated himself on the ground.  He prayed 3 times:’Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I adore You profoundly and I offer You the Most Precious Body,Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all tabernacles of the earth, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He Himself is offended.  And by the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.’

The Angel held the chalice and the Host and gave the Host to Lucia and contents of the chalice to Jacinta and Francisco.  ‘Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Make reparation for their crimes and console your God.’ He prayed Most Holy Trinity prayer 3 times and then disappeared.