Our Lady of Fatima appeared to three young shepherd children six times in the year 1917, from May 13th up to the great miracle of the sun on October 13th. These three shepherd children were brother and sister, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, and their older cousin, Lucia de los Santos.
In every one of the six apparitions, Our Lady exhorted them, as well as the whole world, to pray the most holy Rosary on a daily basis. Our Lady appeared during the course of World War I in Europe. Many lives were taken, and families devastated.
Our Lady revealed some little-known statements to Jacinta that had great importance in 1917, but even greater relevance today. There are five. We will list these five and offer a brief commentary, then offer three concrete ways that we can honor Mary in the month of May.
1. War
War is a punishment for sin. In a time in which wars are waging and claiming innocent lives, let us strive to pray more and sin less so that we will help bring an end to wars. Ven. Fulton J. Sheen stated that World Wars start in the hearts of many individuals living in sin. Wars from within spill over into wars among peoples and nations.
2. Fashions
Certain fashions will be introduced that will offend Our Lord very much. Let us try to always dress with great modesty and strive to live in the presence of Jesus and Mary. As St. Paul reminds us: “We are Ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20). Let us never be a source of sin or scandal for anyone, but a means for their sanctification and imitation.
3. Priests
They must be pure, very pure. They should not busy themselves with anything except what concerns the Church and the salvation of souls. The disobedience of priests to their superiors and the Holy Father is very displeasing to the Lord. Let us pray and offer sacrifices for more priests and for holy priests. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Mt. 9:37). On Thursdays, pray for priests by offering Rosaries, Masses, and Holy Communions for them!
4. Matrimony
Many marriages are not good; they do not please Our Lord and are not of God. Those who are married should do all in their power to live out their vocation of marriage, a vocation in which husband and wife are called to mutually sanctify each other, and this should flow over to their children. May those who are engaged take more seriously their preparation for a wonderful but very demanding vocation—the vocation of Holy Matrimony.
5. Call to Purity
Our Lady revealed to Jacinta Marto of Fatima that more souls go to hell because of sins of impurity than for any other reason. In the July 13, 1917 apparition, Our Lady showed the three children a very graphic vision of hell and the suffering of the condemned souls. This vision motivated little Jacinta to offer constant and heroic sacrifices to God for the conversion of poor sinners. When Pope Saint John Paul II beatified Francisco and Jacinta, he presented Francisco as a “Little Mystic” because he loved to be silently present in front of the Blessed Sacrament in prayer. However, the saintly Pope presented Jacinta in the light of a “Little Victim soul.” The reason? She willingly offered herself as a victim soul to suffer for the many souls who are in jeopardy of being lost for all eternity.
In this month of May dedicated to Our Lady, let us offer our Heavenly Mother three small but very beautiful flowers to fill her Immaculate Heart with immense joy!
First, avoid sin. When tempted to sin, let us pray a fervent Hail Mary and beg Our Lady, the full of grace, for the grace to say “No” to sin and “Yes” to the love of God.
Second, pray the most holy Rosary. In this month of May, let us pray the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary daily, most especially for these two intentions: for the conversion, sanctification, and salvation of the family; and for the cessation of wars and world peace.
Third, study the Fatima message. Why not learn more about the message of Our Lady of Fatima? How about reading a good book, watch a good movie, and/or study a well-written commentary on Our Lady of Fatima and her message, which indeed is an excellent summary of the Gospel message of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.