I am reading an amazing book during Lent, called "Meetings with Mary" by Janice T. Connell. It is filled with apparition stories, many of which I have heard countless times, but are still as compelling, convicting, and awe-inspiring each time I read them. How blessed we are to have a God who loves us so much that He not only sent His Son to redeem us, but He continues to invite us to that redemption by sending the Virgin Mary to appear to people all over the world with the purpose of pointing people to her Son.
The other night I read the story of the three Fatima children, a story that I thought I knew very well, but was shocked at how poorly I remembered the details or live out the messages given there. One little tidbit of the story that I had forgotten about is how God first sent an angel to appear to the children a number of times before He sent Mary to appear to them. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, the children's names were Lucia (age 8), Francisco (age 7), and Jacinta (age 5), and the apparitions they received took place in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. We are blessed to have detailed accounts of the apparitions through thousands of eye-witnesses, as well as Lucia's personal writings. Here is what Lucia wrote about the encounter with the angel:
As it drew closer, we were able to distinguish its features. It was a young man, about fourteen or fifteen years old, whiter than the snow, transparent as crystal when the sun shines through it, and of great beauty. On reaching us he said: "Do not be afraid! I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me." Kneeling on the ground, he bowed down until his forehead touched the ground, and asked us to repeat these words three times: "My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love you! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust, and do not love you." Then, rising, he said: "Pray thus. The hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the words of your prayers." Some time passed and summer came... We were playing by the garden and suddenly we saw beside us the same figure, the angel, who said: "What are you doing? Pray, pray, very much...Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High." How are we to make sacrifices? I asked him. "Make every possible sacrifice. Offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners."
I had totally forgotten about this encounter that the children had with the angel. I only remembered the miraculous encounters that the children had with Mary: the miracle of the spinning sun that seemed to fall from the sky and instantaneously dried the ground and the soaked clothes of the 70,000+ spectators that faithfully stood for hours in the rain, the frightful vision of Hell that the children were allowed to see, the faith and courage that these tiny children had when no one would believe them...
But this time, when I read the story I was struck with the importance of the angel's words---the importance of sacrificing out of love, and the truth that our sacrifices are noticed by God, pleasing to Him, and used by Him for good purposes. That message is so timely during Lent as many of us are trying to sacrifice little things to root out our selfish desires so that we can unite with Christ's passion and prepare our souls for Easter. I really needed to hear the angel's words again to remind me how self-indulgent I've become. I truly am immersed in instant gratification to the point that it doesn't even cross my mind to sacrifice my morning cup of coffee out of thanksgiving for Jesus’ sacrifice for me. We are so blessed to live in a country that is so wealthy that most of us can have anything we want when we want it; however, that has made us (myself included) subconsciously feel "entitled" to anything we want, and we now think that suffering of any form is a bad thing. Scripture and the lives of the saints tell us the opposite--that suffering can indeed produce good fruit!
I also became convicted that the majority of my thoughts are so focused on myself and those immediately surrounding me that I rarely think of "lost" souls, souls who do not know Jesus but whose hearts could be softened by my prayers and sacrifices for them. As I've been pondering this over the past few days, I'm overwhelmed with the countless opportunities I have to offer joyful sacrifices without anyone even noticing...choosing not to put salt on my food, offering to read an extra bedtime story when all I really want is some "me-time," refraining from snacking between meals, holding my tongue when I'd like to complain about some little thing...the list could go on forever. Reading this book has given me newfound purpose to take more opportunities throughout the day to make small, joyful sacrifices for the love of God, for the love of lost souls, and for the increase in virtue of my own selfish soul. Heck, if 5-year-old Jacinta can do it, 30-year-old Maria certainly should be able to! :)
For more info about the Apparitions at Fatima and other Marian apparitions, click here.
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