Lord My Chef Daily Recipe for Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday, 109th Anniversary of Last Apparition of Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima
Isaias 61:9-11 ><}}}}*> Galatians 4:4-7 ><}}}}*> Luke 11:27-28
We remember today the 109th anniversary of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s last appearance at Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal when the “Miracle of the Sun” happened before a crowd of 70,000 people.
It was the sixth and last apparition of the Blessed Mother to the three children – Sr. Lucia and her cousins St. Francisco and St. Jacinta Marta – that began on May 13, 1917. According to sworn accounts by many witnesses and attested by many journalists in their reports, it was past noon at about 1:30 PM when the Sun “danced” or zigzagged in the sky and then careened to the Earth while emitting radiant colors that lasted for about ten minutes. It was on this date when the Blessed Mother introduced herself to the three children as the Lady of the Rosary, telling them how World War I would soon end, that “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!”
During her last interview in 1957 while already a cloistered Carmelite nun, Sr. Lucia revealed how during that last apparition to them (her two cousins have died in 1919 and 1920 during the flu pandemic), the Blessed Virgin Mary looked very sad and never smiled to indicate the gravity and seriousness of her messages to them.
Amid the many interpretations of the events of October 13, 1917, Fatima has remained so popular and very significant to this day because of its truth and relevance to our own situation and experiences from the not-so-distant-past. Three things I wish to share with you today:
First is to see the last apparition of October 13, 1917 not as the final one but the beginning of the unfolding of more revelations and realizations for us. Fatima is not about the end of the world but actually a new beginning for the world.
Very often, many people have always seen Fatima as a sign of the end of the world, of worldwide catastrophe that have instilled more of fear and even controversies that included doubts of the Vatican allegedly not fully revealing the Third Secret despite assurances from the visionary herself, Sr. Lucia who said before her death in 2005 that all Fatima Secrets have been fully revealed. It must also be kept in mind that after October 13, 1917, Sr. Lucia continued to receive private visions while in the convent as a nun in 1925 through the 1930’s.
The Blessed Mother appeared in Fatima not to scare us but to inspire us to turn away from sins, to be converted and be holy so that the world may truly find peace in Jesus her Son. Fatima’s main messages are hope and joy for the world, not fear and confusion.
Every ending, every destruction imply new beginning, new arising. That’s the meaning of Isaiah’s vision in the first reading, of how the destruction of Jerusalem with all its ruins shall usher in a better city, a blessed nation to be known and recognized by other nations. In the same manner, the last apparition at Fatima in 1917 was meant to usher in new hopes for us to become better persons who will build stronger families and more vibrant church communities.
Unfortunately, it is still far from being realized even 109 years ago have passed as we have not yet learned or heed its lessons. In that case, we and not God nor Jesus nor the Blessed Mother are to be blamed at why we are going through all these difficulties and miseries we are into in this modern age. Let us make today the beginning of our conversion and transformation in Christ Jesus with the help of the Blessed Mother, that simple Virgin of Nazareth who obediently accepted God’s will to bring forth into the world our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (second reading).
It is in this aspect where we wish to propose our second reflection for 109th anniversary of the last apparition at Fatima by confronting our true selves. If Jesus were with us today, he would have surely reminded us anew that his mother and brothers and sisters are those who listen and do his words (gospel).
Being Christian is more than a name or rites and rituals, even sacraments but more of witnessing Christ especially right inside our home, in our very family. It was in her last apparition at Fatima when the Blessed Mother revealed to the three children how the devil has been working, infiltrating every family and the church to mislead parents and priests into serious, grave sins like the rising incidents of divorce and separation of many couples as well as the continuing reports of sexual abuses by members of the clergy.
At Fatima 109 years ago today, the Blessed Mother invited us to focus more in revealing God’s will as experienced and prayed in the the Sacred Scriptures than wasting our time with politics and other worldly debates that often disregard the dignity of every person. Fatima is about our daily conversion from our sins, of choosing always what is good and just and charitable, not selfish and self-serving interests. This is very evident with the two elements that prevailed on that day: rains and the Sun.
The rains have soaked wet the people and the whole area for two days, October 12-13, signifying the call for inner cleansing and purification of our hearts and person. And when the Sun “danced”, the people were astonished how their clothes were dried along with the whole surroundings as if it had not rained the previous day after witnessing the spectacular display of colors and light. Let Jesus cleanse and purify us into better persons who witness his gospel always.
And thirdly, on this 109th anniversary of our Lady’s final apparition in Fatima, let us keep in mind the word “guidance” which stands for:
God
U and
I
DANCE for life.
Like the dancing Sun on that day 109 years ago today, Jesus invites us to “dance” in life, following the steps and the way of the Cross like his Blessed Mother who remained with him until his death. Amen. Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us.
