Homily preached for the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, May 13, 2017, St. Kateri at St. Cecilia - 100th Anniversary of the First Apparition of the Blessed Mother at Fatima

We celebrate today what began 100 years ago today outside a remote village in Portugal, when Our Blessed Mother first appeared to three shepherd children, the miraculous apparition of Mary to Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta at Fatima, and then appeared to them five more times in the year 1917.  Now in celebrating such a feast, it would be easy, it seems to me, to skip right to the message - what did she have to say?

But in doing so, it seems to me, we’d miss out on the miraculous – think about it - that this woman, human in every way you and I are except conceived immaculate, without sin – a woman who walked and talked and breathed and gave birth – 2000 years ago – that here was this woman 1900 years later appearing to and speaking with these three children. 

That’s an amazing thing, huh?  That Our Blessed Lord, in His Father’s plan of salvation for the human race, would step into history, if you will, in this case at a critical time in human history, with the first world war raging and two months after the communist revolution in Russia.  Stepping into history, sending the Blessed Mother with words of warning, words of encouragement, words of great love and compassion.  With a glimpse into her Immaculate Heart, overflowing with love for His people.  Let’s not skip over that.  Let’s stop and meditate and praise God and thank Him for the gift of the Blessed Mother. For the gift of her apparitions.

Now we’re under no obligation to believe, mind you.  Marian apparitions, even if investigated and tested and approved by the Church as was the Fatima apparition, and Guadalupe and Lourdes and a host of others – are classified as private apparitions. And unlike belief in Christ’s bodily resurrection, unlike belief in Mary’s Immaculate Conception, unlike belief that Christ will be made present right here body, blood, soul and divinity in a few moments, all of which we’re obliged to believe – well we’re not obliged to believe in Marian apparitions.

But the questions is - why wouldn’t we?  In the case at hand, Fatima, there is ample evidence, ample signs if you will, pointing us to believe.  These three children were hardly the sort to make up crazy stories – they couldn’t even read.  There was the miracle of the sun, witnessed 50,000 or more people on October 13 of that year, the date of her last apparition. 

And the best evidence?  Today in Fatima, the Holy Father canonized, proclaimed that God has made saints of two of those children – little Jacinta and her brother Francisco – the first time in history that children who are not martyrs have been declared saints. 

That two little children could display the kind of heroic virtue we look to in our declared saints is the best evidence, if you ask me, of the Blessed Virgin’s appearance to them.  Why?  Because those two children (and their cousin Lucia who, I trust, won’t be far behind at the altar of canonization) took to heart our Blessed Mother’s words.  Their lives changed.  They became more and more holy.  They learned, as Pope Francis recently preached, “to love Jesus.”

Now I ask - from our own self-interest, why wouldn’t we believe in this apparition and take Our Blessed Mother’s words of counsel to heart?  It’s like taking a road trip and choosing between a bumpy curvy road with many stoplights, or a wide-open interstate.  The interstate’s what inviting Mary into our spiritual journeys is like.  We can get there without her – the death and resurrection of her Divine Son is sufficient, but she clears the way, so to speak, and leads us unencumbered to her Son.

So it’s a great idea, if you ask me, to take into our hearts Our Mother’s counsel to those three shepherd children.  So much has been written about her warnings to the world, and the so-called “third secret,” that maybe the world has missed her wise counsel for those children, and all of us, on our spiritual journey. 

She asked increased prayer, especially the rosary.  She asked that we pray for the conversion of sinners, all who’ve fallen into sin, especially sins of the flesh, and acts of injustice and lack of charity toward the poor, widows and orphans.  It was because of her request at Fatima that we pray, after each glory-be of the rosary, “O my Jesus, save us from the fire of hell, and lead all souls to heaven especially those in most need of your mercy.”

Mary asked for fasting, penance, acts of reparation and sacrifice to console the heart of her Son.  And she asked for increased devotion to her Immaculate Heart. Consecration to her Immaculate Heart!

By our prayer, penances, purifications and increased devotion to Our Blessed Mother, especially in her Immaculate Heart, we have her word, she who eternally has the ear of her Son, that we will be showered with all the grace, and strength and courage that we will need on our journey to her Son and His eternal Kingdom.

We pray - Hail, holy queen, mother of mercy! Our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary - Pray for us O holy Mother of God!  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.  Amen.