FATIMA; THE SECOND APPARITION.


Today the 13 June is the Centenary of the the second appearance of Our Lady to the children of Fatima.   In this appearance when the children asked her if they would go to heaven she said the Jacinta and Francisco would go very soon but that Lucia would stay on earth for some time to spread devotion to her Immaculate Heart.  It was he said the WILL OF GOD not her own that honour would be paid to her immaculate and loving heart.    The two children died immediately after the First World War with the Spanish Flu that raged through Europe.   Lucia lived with constant visits from Our Lady  until she was 95 years old.    The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a devotion recognised by the Church and as I said emphaise4d by God in there Miracle of Fatima that she was to be honoured in this way.  Our Lady at the apparition showed the children in her hand a heart pierced by thorns.

But what do we mean by Immaculate.   What did Mary mean when she said "I am the Immaculate Conception" at Lourdes, or talk about her Immaculate Heart at Fatima.   Unfortunately we usually think of Immaculate in negative terms.   In Our Lady's case our thoughts are that she was born without something that we have.  That she was preserved free from Original Sin.   Perhaps I can clear that one up straight away.  No baby is 'born in sin' original or otherwise.   What it is born with is a weakness in its soul or nature which often draws it away from the thins of God.   When Mary was born she actually had something that we today do not have, the most perfect closeness to God that only our first parents had.   As the writer of Genesis tells us they walked with God in the Garden of Eden and spoke with God.   You may remember how the rest of the Genesis story went.   On finding that the parents had sinned God turned to the Serpent and told him he would create a second woman he could not overcome, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between her seed and your seed, she will crush your head and you will lie in wait for her heel"   Already in God's plan was Mary a woman he would create as a new Eve close to Him because he would give her back the friendship and grace that Eve had lost.   So Mary was born filled with the Holy Spirit, and as the angel said "Full of Grace"   How did this play out in her life.   She had a wonderful closeness to God and although she had free will she kept so close to God and was so aware of his love that she never betrayed him in sin.     Mary was so aware of this beautiful privilege that when she declared at Lourdes she was the Immaculate Conception she came down from the rock and stood with the people raising her eyes and her hands to heaven.   And as she told her cousin Elizabeth "He that is Mighty has done great things for me"

But why does got want us to honour her Immaculate Heart?   Because he wants us also to be like Mary and thought the power of the death of Jesus and the Sacraments he gave the Church to become saints just like Mary,  knowing just how much he loves us.  When we sin God is not up there on a throne looking down and judging us   He is standing  beside us and weeping.   And if we just turn a little he will grab at us and make us turn the full way back to Him, such is his love.

But alas despite the Cross and Resurrection, despite two thousand years of his Church how little the Church has changed the world.   Our Lady wants us to know that God is hurting very much since so very few love him and so many are losing their souls.   Please, please, please, if you profess the Catholic Faith then say the Rosary as she requested.  Say the Rosary for Peace, and weep as Good weeps for the evil the is in this world.

Most of all remember what Mary said.  "In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph".    Mary as the new Eve will bring us her children given to her by God, to the safety of Heaven.








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