A Fatima Centennial Self-Evaluation

What if the Blessed Virgin Mary asked me
to pray the Rosary every day?

The Mother of God's message at Fatima was meant to be personal. Not just for the three shepherd children to whom she appeared over a six-month period in 1917--the long-suffering St. Lucia and her recently canonized cousins, Jacinta and Francisco--but for me and for you.

So, here's a spiritual "gut check": How would you rate your level of knowledge and commitment on the following Fatima spectrum?

1_____________________________2____________________________3
Novice                                   Intermediate                                       Advanced
Aware                                       Fairly Familiar              Well-versed in the details
Not so interested                  Open to the implications                   Deeply devoted

If you are somewhere between a 1.0 and a 2.5, check out the brief overview below which outlines Our Lady's maternal messages at Fatima (and if you're closer to a 3.0, enjoy thinking about all the other key details we might include, given the 100 years of Fatima)! But wherever we might fall on the spectrum, this very public 20th-century miracle should provoke some deeper self-reflection during this centennial year.

Four Fatima-related questions for ongoing self-assessment:

1. Do I believe that Heaven is closer than imaginable? Jesus wants us to embrace his Mother as our Mother, and she always stands ready to intercede on our behalf. Isn't Fatima's evidence of Mary's ongoing maternal concern enough to open my eyes to life's deeper realities?
   
   
2. Do I believe that Hell is a real possibility? Presumption is still a sin, and assuming that all will be saved is just as problematic as thinking we can know who might be damned. Dorothy Day said that we only love God as much as the person we love the least. Isn't it time to consider whether I actually hope for the salvation of those whom I love the least--and whether I am actively concerned for those who are clearly very far away from God?
   
   
3. Do I understand why and how my sacrifices might contribute to the salvation of souls? The Law of Love revealed on the Cross shows us that it is in self-giving that we find self-fulfillment; it is in self-emptying that others are raised up. Isn't it time to start offering my daily sufferings and sacrifices for the salvation of souls?
   
   
   
4. Do I believe that praying the Rosary each day can change the world?  Twenty minutes is easily gobbled up skimming social media, surfing the internet, or vegging out in front of some show. Isn't it time to plan how/when I can commit to a daily Rosary--in the car, during a daily walk, or before resorting to screen time? 
   

 A brief review of Mary's messages during the six Fatima apparitions:

• "I come from Heaven" (5-13-17): Announced by a flash of supernatural light, the Blessed Mother asks the three children whether they will bear the sufferings that God sends them in atonement for the sins that offend God and for the conversion of sinners. She promises that the grace of God will strengthen them, and asks them to pray the Rosary every day to bring peace to the world.
  
• "The Fatima Prayer" & Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (6-13-17): The beautiful Lady returns as promised, shares the prayer which is now included at the end of each decade of the Rosary (see below), and again urges the three children to pray the Rosary every day. The Blessed Mother also asks the children to promote devotion to her Immaculate Heart, as a path to lead the whole world back to God.
  
• The Vision of Hell and the Three Secrets (7-13-17): With reassurances that Heaven is their destiny, reminders of daily Rosaries, and the prediction of an October miracle, Our Lady proceeded to shock Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta with a vision of eternal damnation. She then commented: "You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. It is to save them that God wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If you do what I tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace." In addition, the Blessed Mother shared the secrets of the message of Fatima, whose drama would unfold in the decades that followed--including the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart.
  
• Delayed Visit & Promise of Basilica on the Site (8-19-17): Growing pressure from arrogant atheists and secular obstructionists caused increasing problems for the three children, and a local political figure prevented them from keeping their monthly appointment on the 13th. However, the Blessed Mother greeted the children a few days later with this message: "Pray, pray very much. Make sacrifices for sinners. Many souls go to hell, because no one is willing to help them with sacrifice."
  
• Prediction of Future Visions (9-13-17): With crowds continuing to grow, the Blessed Mother's message once again focused on making sacrifices and praying the Rosary. She also promised the children that, one month later on her final visit, they would have a vision of Our Lord, Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, and St. Joseph with the Child Jesus.
  
• Miracle of the Sun Witnessed by at least 70,000 People (10-13-17): The children saw the visions promised in September; the massive crowd saw the rain stop, the skies open, and the sun become a whirling dervish. Even as many of the hardened cynics and skeptics feared the end of the world, the Blessed Mother reassured the children that the war would end soon. Perhaps the most stunning evidence of this supernatural occurrence was the fact that all who were present admitted that the "miracle of the sun" had dried their previously rain-soaked clothes and shoes.
  
  After revealing herself to be Our Lady of the Rosary, the Virgin Mary also told the children: "People must amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend our Lord any more, for He is already too much offended!"
  

A Closing Fatima Prayer:

Let's pray that we continue advancing along the spectrum of Fatima devotion, as we move ever closer to our personal and communal judgment days: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins; save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need of your mercy."

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us--
DDS

P.S. Don't miss the Holy Father's announcement of a plenary indulgence through the end of this liturgical year.