AMDG
The Angel of Peace did her job in preparing the young children
Lucy (10), Francisco (9), and Jacinta (7) to meet the Queen of Heaven. It was Sunday May 13; the kids already went
to the early Mass in the village church; their families would not miss Sunday
Mass for anything. April showers had
brought May flowers to the Cova da Iria field where the children watched the
sheep while playing games.
Suddenly,
there was a bright shaft of light from Heaven and its most precious and
indescribably beautiful queen appeared on a very small holm oak tree, just
three feet tall. God sent the most
beautiful flower ever, the ultimate missionary through the ages, on a special
mission of mercy during the carnage of World War I, the bloodiest in history to that date, a
grave consequence of sin. “Do not be
afraid”, the Lady said; “I will not harm you”.
In answer to their questions she said: “I am from heaven…….I have come to
ask you to come here for six months in succession on the thirteenth day of each
month at this same hour. Later I will
tell you who I am and what I want. Afterward,
I will return here a seventh time.
Lucia
then asked if they and their friends will go to Heaven. Yes they would, but Francisco would have to
say many Rosaries. Their friend Maria is
there, but for Amelia, it would be different.
“She will be in purgatory until the end
of the world. Do you wish to offer yourselves to God to endure all the
sufferings that He may be pleased to send you, as both an act of reparation for
the sins with which He is offended and an act of supplication for the
conversion of sinners? The children gave their fiat: “Yes we do”. That was the first step in their road
to canonization. Our Lady answered: “Well then, you will have much to suffer. But
the grace of God will be your comfort.”
Lucy continued: "It was upon saying these last
words, 'the grace of God...' that for the first time she opened her hands,
which emitted a most intense light that penetrated our breasts, reaching the
innermost part of our souls and making us see ourselves in God, Who was that
light, more clearly than we can see ourselves in the best of mirrors. Then,
driven by a deep inspiration, we knelt down and repeated inwardly: 'O Most Holy
Trinity, I adore Thee! My God, my God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed
Sacrament'”, as the Angel of Peace taught them.
Before parting, Our Lady said: “Pray the Rosary every day to
obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.” Lucia continued: "She immediately began
to rise serenely toward the east until she disappeared far into the distance.
The light that surrounded her was, so to speak, opening her way through the
starry firmament."
The children
were very joyful, but not for long. Knowing that they would be subject to
ridicule, the children agreed to keep it a secret. However, little Jacinta forgot her promise
and had to tell her mother. Then the
ridicule and incredulity started, but as Mary promised, the grace of God would
be their comfort. The parents gave them
little or no support nor did their pastor.
However, the Marto parents believed that the children would not
lie. Ti Marto left it up to the will of
God. At this point, the children could
not affirm that the beautiful lady was Mary, the Mother of God. Lucia had a more difficult time with her
family. Her mother tried to get Lucia to
admit that she lied about the vision and her sisters also opposed her. The news quickly spread throughout the town
and the children encountered jeering and verbal abuse.
June
13.
The children offered up the ridicule and more for sinners……..giving up
lunches, singing, and dancing. Lucia
invited some friends and a number of others, including Lucia’s mother followed
the children to the Cova da Iria on the 13th when the lady promised
to appear. The 50 or so spectators
prayed the rosary while waiting. Near
noon on a hot day the seers saw a brilliant approaching light. Some spectators observed that the top of
the budding holm oak bent down, as if under the weight of something. During Our Lady’s conversations with the
children, the bystanders heard nothing except a gentle whispering like the
humming of a bee.
Our Lady made a request: “I want you to come here on the thirteenth of next month, to pray the Rosary
every day, inserting between the mysteries the following ejaculation: ‘O my
Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to
Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy.’ I want you to learn to read and write and
later I shall say what I desire.”
Lucia asked that Mary take them to Heaven. “Yes, I
shall take Jacinta and Francisco soon, but you will remain here for a longer time
yet. Jesus wishes to use you in order to make me known and loved. He wishes to
establish devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world. I promise salvation to
those who embrace it; and these souls will be loved by God like flowers placed
by me to adorn His throne.
Lucia apprehensively asked if
she would be alone. “No,
daughter. Does that make you suffer
much? Do not be dismayed. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart
shall be your refuge and the road that shall lead you to God.” Again we see the classic refrain: “To Jesus
through Mary”.
Lucia related, "As she
said these last words, she opened her hands, and for the second time she
communicated to us the reflection of the intense light that enveloped her. We could see ourselves in it, as if immersed
in the Divine presence. Jacinta and
Francisco seemed to be in the part of this light that was ascending toward Heaven,
and I was in the part that was cast toward the ground. In front of Our Lady's right hand there was a
heart encircled by thorns that seemed to pierce it. We understood that this was
the Immaculate Heart of Mary, so offended by the sins of mankind and pleading
for reparation."
The Lady, still surrounded by the light that
she radiated, rose from the little tree and glided toward the east until she
disappeared completely. Several persons who were closer noticed that the buds
at the top of the holm oak were inclined towards the east, as if they had been trod
upon. They returned to their usual position only some hours later. The people saw nothing except a slight cloud,
rising towards the east. The spectators departed, saying the Rosary on their
way home.
Jacinta was already a little
apostle, repeating: “She said it is necessary to say the Rosary……..she will
return and she told us a secret that we cannot tell”. That aroused the curiosity of everyone, many
of whom tried to extract the secret from the children. “If they beat us, we will suffer it for the
love of Our Lord and for sinners.” Their
pastor speculated that the visions might be a trick of the devil and so, even
the children had periods of doubt. Lucia
even felt tormented by the devil with a terrifying dream of him laughing. This mental and emotional anguish was all
part of what the children had to suffer and offer up for sinners.to repent and
come back to God. We can do the same when suffering comes our way and make
sacrifices for others as by helping and other works of charity.
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