On May 13th we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fatima. It was in Fatima, Portegul that our Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children in order to give them a message of God's love and thus too a call to conversion.
Ultimately it was the message of Fatima that we need to return to Christ. Thus we can say that it was the message of Fatima that we need to be content with the gate which leads us into the sheepfold. For this gate is Christ and He desires that we enter through Him for there is no other way which is possible.
Our Gospel reminds us that there will be those who will attempt to enter into this sheepfold exempt from this gate, but to enter exempt from this gate is an impossibility. In one of the secrets of Fatima our Blessed Mother showed the children the reality of Hell. Quoting Sister Lucia: "We raised our eyes to our Lady who said with tenderness and sadness. "You saw hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them God wishes to establish in the world the devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If they do what I will tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace." Indeed hell is a possibility for those who reject this gate which is Christ our Lord.
Despite this our Blessed Mother promises that those who have devotion to the Immaculate Heart will be saved and that there will be peace. Yet now in this present moment we know that there is not peace within this world. Some claim that this lack of peace which was promised is due to the fact that Russia was never consecrated to Our Lady. After all, Our Lady did ask for Russia's consecration. Despite this claim popes have indeed consecrated Russia and the whole world to Our Lady. Sister Lucia herself claimed that this request was fulfilled. Therefore, why is there a lack of peace within this world?
Maybe the answer lies not from some outside source, but rather in our own heart. Thus the sins that we have thrust upon the Sacred Heart of Christ. Our Blessed Mother desired that we pray at least five decades of the rosary each day, wear the Brown Scapular, make sacrifices in our daily life, practice the devotion of attended Mass and making a confession on the first Saturday of the month.
Mary proclaimed: "In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph." Indeed this is true, but do we do our part to bring peace to this world. If we take these five requests of Our Blessed Mother seriously our life will be transformed and thus too this world in which we live will be transformed to become a reflection of Christ and His love for us.
If we integrate these practices into our life and family will see transformation of this parish community because this transformation is brought about by hearts which have been transformed to becoming a reflection of the Gospel. Christ is the gate through which we must enter therefore let us attempt not to get into the sheepfold through a different way.
Devotion to Our Blessed Mother will assist us in coming to know her Son and thus entering through this gate. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
